Nutritional value of milk 

Milk is considered a nutritious drink. There is 3.4 grams of protein in 100g of milk. Protein is necessary for repair and growth of cells in the body. The GDA (guideline daily amount) for protein is 45 so milk is a good source of protein. 

In milk there is 1g total fat. This is relatively high because the GDA is 70g and fat is in basically everything. Fat is needed for insulation and energy in the body. It also helps to protect organs. 

It has 5g carbohydrates. None of this is fibre. It is all sugars. The GDA for sugars is 90g. We need sugars for slow release energy.

Milk also has vitamin A in it. This is good for our eyesight and also has a role in healing wounds and bone formulation. It is a fat-soluble vitamin. Milk is a great source of calcium. We need calcium because this mineral helps keep bones strong and healthy. It also helps our blood to clot and helps nerves send messages. 

Milk also has vitamins D, B-12, B-6, and vitamin C. It also has important minerals like iron and magnesium. 

How is milk produced?

Milk must go through a variety of processes before it can be sold to customers in shops. The cows used to be milked in the early hours of the morning and then again in the evening. These days it can be more frequent and is generally done by a machine. These machines can milk more than 20 cows at a time.


The milk is kept it vats at about 39 degrees Fahrenheit for about 48 hours. It is collected and the vats are cleaned out and ready for the next milk batch. It is important that the milk remains cold while being transported to its next location after the farm, the factory.


The milk is tested before collection and when it gets to the factory too. If it doesn't pass the quality standard checks it gets rejected. It is tested for milk fat, protein, cell count, temperature and antibiotics.




Whole milk is then pasteurized, homogenised, separated and undergoes further processes.


Homogenisation: This is where the fat is dispersed evenly through the milk to avoid separation of a fat layer on the surface of the milk.


Pasteurization: This is where is milk is heated to 71.7 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds and then cooled quickly. This eliminates certain bacteria.


Evaporation: The milk is spun through a centrifuge to separate the milk from the cream. This means they can be mixed with different quantities to give the right fat levels needed for the type of milk being produced.


Further processes: Heat treatment which gives the milk a longer shelf life (UHT, common in warm countries), microfiltration, culturing milk.


The milk is then put into the cartons through big pipes and sealed. They are stamped with an expiry date. It is now ready to be sold and is kept refrigerated until it is delivered to shops for selling.

Some statistics on milk

This graph shows us where the most cow's milk was produced in 2013. The United States started in the lead and continued to be the highest producer since 1961, growing more and more as years went on. India (the purple line) only began in 1992 and kept steady for about 2 years. It took quite a hit in 1992 and didn't really pick back up after that before 2013. Things took a serious turn for Indian milk production, because they now are the world's highest ranked milk producer's, producing 18.5% of the world's milk.  

Source: FAO




What types of milk are there?

When someone says the word milk, what comes to mind? Generally, a cow! While this is the most common source of our milk we use, it is not the only source. Goats milk and sheep milk are also used, but are people are less open minded to these as its not what they are used to.
Milk has many variations. It varies on its nutritional content and manufacturing processes.


Types of milk

•  Whole milk
•  Skimmed milk
•  Semi-skimmed milk
•  Low fat milk
•  UHT milk (Ultra Heat Treated)
•  Butter milk
•  Coconut milk
•  Almond milk
•  Soy milk
•  Flavoured milk
•  Raw or unpasteurised milk

Of course there are other kinds these are just the ones that would be common.

Hey welcome to my blog about milk! There will be weekly posts about milk here, hope you enjoy! :)