Some people would have you believe that there is only one milk, and that is from a cow. But with the prevalence of IBS (irritable Bowel Syndrome), lactose intolerance and allergies, there is a lot of confusion about milk.
Dairy milk has been a subject of hysteria for a while now – it has divided the nation for decades. In the white corner we have the virtuous 1%-ters who only ever touch skimmed milk, while in the red corner defenders of full fat milk have been saying that it cannot be so bad if it comes straight from the cow at 4%, as nature intended. And stuck in the middle are the semi-skimmers, waiting to see who is right.
Well, now we know. The full fat milk defenders have been right all along, and finally the nation is listening.
The truth is that skimmed, semi-skimmed or full fat, milk is a low fat food! Even full fat milk has only 4% fat, and in the world of nutrition anything below 10% is considered low fat. So unless you are drinking gallons of it, the fat amount is small and the biggest difference between the red top, green top and blue top milk is the taste. Compare this with the fat content of a sausage or a HobNob, and you will see what I mean.
Now that full fat milk has been exonerated, authorities are openly recommending that children should be drinking full fat milk, at least up to a certain age. Research also shows (pass the smelling salts!) that adults trying to lose weight tend to do better if they include some full fat milk and yoghurt in their diet. Of course, a lot of this is down to the fact that full fat milk leaves us feeling fuller for longer, and that keeps us away from the biscuit tin.
Apart from the weight management benefits, milk is a great source of calcium and vitamin D, with both nutrients playing an important role in maintaining strong bones and teeth. It’s worth remembering that vitamin D is fat soluble – it means that we absorb more of it when we ingest it with fat, as nature has conveniently arranged it in the form of full fat milk.
Having said that, some people suffer from a number of unpleasant symptoms due to genuine lactose intolerance as they lack the enzyme called lactase (lactase breaks down the natural sugar in dairy milk). While only a fraction of the UK population is affected, dairy intolerance is much more prevalent among the natives in Asia, Africa and South America.
If you are among the unlucky lactose intolerant population, or simply don’t like the taste of dairy milk, things have come a long way since the powdery taste of soya milk, and there is a great of choice of other alternatives. Take goat’s milk, for instance. People with lactose intolerance are often able to drink it with no adverse effects. Okay, so the flavour is a little stronger than cow’s milk and it may take some getting used to, but it’s like learning to love olives or avocado – you may not like it the first time, but if you try again (and again), you’ll most likely grow to like it.
Soya milk remains the most popular dairy milk substitute. It is made from soya beans so it’s actually a processed food but that doesn’t make it unhealthy, far from it – eating soya has been shown to benefit health in a number of ways. Just choose the non-sweetened variety, as many options have sugar added for improved flavour.
Other alternatives include almond milk with its subtle nutty flavour of almonds; the naturally sweet rice milk, and also hemp milk with its high content of Omega 3 – all have become less expensive due to popular demand.
Recently, coconut milk has made something of a comeback, not least for its health benefits. It is packed with nutrients and although it is a little high in fat, it is the good kind so it provides a great addition to anyone’s diet, lactose intolerant or not. The unique taste of coconut will easily convince even the more reluctant palate, just ask anyone holding a glass of piña colada!