Benefits Of Milk As A Staple In A Child’s Diet
Written by Suhasini Vishwanathan | April 1, 2022
Our elders have always encouraged us to have a glass of milk every day. It has several health advantages and is essential for a child’s wellbeing and development. Milk must be consumed in requisite quantities to reap its benefits.
Many necessary elements, such as Vitamin D, protein, and calcium, may be found in milk. Although several nutrients found in milk may also be available in other foods, such as legumes, seafood and vegetables, milk provides all of them in one handy package.
| Milk Nutrition: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per 200ml | Cow’s Milk | RDA | Buffalo Milk | RDA |
| Calories | 130 | 232 | ||
| Protein | 6.2 gms | 12.4% of RDA (50 gm) | 8.4 gms | 16.8% of RDA (50 gm) |
| Carbs | 8.8 gms | 4.8 % of RDA (130gm) | 9.7gms | 6.4 % of RDA (130gm) |
| Fats | 8 gms | 20% of RDA (40 gm) | 12 gms | 30% of RDA (40 gm) |
| Calcium | 240 mg | 40% of RDA (600 mg) | 420 mg | 70% of RDA (600 mg) |
| Phosphorus | 180 mg | 30% of RDA (600 mg) | 260 mg | 43.33% of RDA (600 mg) |
| Vitamin B2, Riboflavin | 0.38 mg | 34.54% of RDA (1.1 mg) | 0.2 mg | 18.18% of RDA (1.1 mg) |
| Cholesterol | 10 mg | 2.5% of RDA (400 mg) | 32 mg | 8% of RDA (400 mg) |
| Zinc | 0.66 mg | 6.6% of RDA (10 mg) | 0.6 mg | 6% of RDA (10 mg) |
| Vitamin A | 106 mcg | 2.2% of RDA (4800 mcg) | 320 mcg | 6.6% of RDA (4800 mcg) |
| Vitamin B1, Thiamine | 0.1 mg | 7.69% of RDA (1.2 – 1.5 mg) | 0.08 mg | 6.15% of RDA (1.2 – 1.5 mg) |
| Folic Acid | 17 mg | 7.5% of RDA (200 mg) | 11.2 mg | 5.5% of RDA (200 mg) |
| Vitamin C | 2 mg | 2% of RDA (40 mg) | 2 mg | 2% of RDA (40 mg) |
| Potassium | 280 mg | 5.95% of RDA (4700 mg) | 180 mg | 3.82% of RDA (4700 mg) |
| Sodium | 146 mg | 7.67% of RDA (1900 mg) | 38 mg | 2% of RDA (1900 mg) |
| Iron | 0.4 mg | 1.9% of RDA (21 mg) | 0.4 mg | 1.9% of RDA (21 mg) |
| Vitamin B3, Niacin | 0.2 mg | 1.6% of RDA (12 mg) | 0.2 mg | 1.6% of RDA (12 mg) |
Key Nourishment Benefits Of Milk
Calcium
Calcium is necessary for healthy bones and teeth, irrespective of age. It lowers the risk of osteoporosis and fractures at an older age. If you don’t consume milk or dairy products and do not consume any alternate sources of calcium, you will be at a higher risk of fractured bones.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D aids calcium absorption from your diet and regulates blood phosphorus levels. It also helps enhance immunity.
Protein
Milk has two forms of protein: casein – an insoluble milk protein, and whey protein – a soluble milk protein. Casein aids in calcium and phosphorus absorption while whey protein helps muscle growth and lean muscle retention.
Potassium
The body’s fluid balance, muscular contraction, and blood pressure are regulated by Potassium. Its deficiency can result in muscular cramps, exhaustion, and blood pressure variations.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus, Vitamin D, and Calcium are necessary for bone health. Phosphorus aids in protein production and controls fat and carbohydrate usage in the body.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A safeguards against age-related vision deterioration, strengthens the immune system, decreases the likelihood of acne, and promotes bone health.