On the breakfast table, what is your choice? A bowl of hot porridge, or a glass of milk?
Behind this seemingly ordinary choice lies a "nutritional gap" overlooked by many. You may never have realized—you probably aren't drinking enough milk daily. And the benefits milk brings are far more than just "supplementing calcium."
Why don't many people drink enough milk?
Long-term dietary habits: Long-established dietary structures and consumer perceptions lead some people to underestimate the necessity of drinking milk.
Lactose intolerance: A portion of people still experience discomfort after drinking milk due to lactose intolerance, making them unwilling to consume it.
Whether for the "elderly and young" or adults, a daily glass of milk will bring the body these four major benefits:
1. Supplements high-quality calcium with higher absorption efficiency. Milk is an important source of calcium. Drinking 300 ml of milk provides approximately 300 mg of calcium, close to 40% of the daily calcium intake recommendation for adults. Furthermore, components like vitamin D, lactose, and amino acids in milk can effectively promote calcium absorption.
2. Supplements high-quality protein, meeting the body's needs. 300 ml of milk contains about 9 grams of protein, equivalent to approximately 18% of the daily protein intake recommendation for a healthy adult woman (weighing 55 kg). Moreover, the proportion of essential amino acids in milk protein aligns with human needs, making it better absorbed.
3. Vitamins and minerals meet nutritional requirements. Milk is rich in B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin D, and various minerals like zinc and potassium, making it an important source of nutrients in a balanced diet.
4. Helps reduce the risk of various diseases. Drinking milk in moderation not only helps promote increased bone density in adults but also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes. A 2018 survey involving 130,000 people across 21 countries, published in the international medical journal The Lancet, showed that compared to people who consumed no dairy products at all, those who consumed more than 2 servings of dairy daily (equivalent to 1 jin/500g of milk) had a 16% lower overall mortality risk, a 23% lower risk of cardiovascular death, and a 33% lower risk of stroke. This may be related to nutrients like protein, calcium, and potassium, which are abundant in milk.
The discomfort caused by lactose intolerance might be the reason many shy away from milk. The lactose in dairy products needs to be broken down by the enzyme lactase to be digested and absorbed in the small intestine. Lactose intolerance occurs due to reduced activity, deficiency, or absence of lactase in the body, leading to malabsorption of lactose entering the intestines and causing digestive symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain after consuming dairy products.
Some people with lactose intolerance, often worried about discomfort after drinking milk, choose plant-based beverages like soy milk or oat milk, or fermented dairy products as substitutes. Some even feel that drinking milk is less comfortable than consuming soft, mushy foods like porridge or soup. However, these common "substitutes" still have significant nutritional gaps compared to milk. For example, the calcium content in soy milk is only about 1/20th that of milk, and its protein composition is also different from milk's. It's truly a pity to completely give up milk solely due to lactose intolerance.
So, how can one drink milk more comfortably? The following two points might help you:
1. Drink with meals, starting with a small amount. The recommended daily intake of dairy varies for different groups:
Preschool children: Daily intake of 350~500 ml of milk or an equivalent amount of dairy products.
Children and adolescents aged 6~17: Ensure a daily intake of 300 ml of milk and dairy products.
Adults: Need a daily intake of at least 300 ml of milk or an equivalent amount of dairy products.
For people with mild lactose intolerance, it is recommended to drink milk with or after meals, preferably warmed. You can start by trying a small amount, like 50 ml.
2. Choose "soft milk" for easier absorption. If regular milk consistently causes you discomfort, you might consider "soft milk," which has emerged in recent years. "Soft milk" uses EHT enzymatic hydrolysis technology to "soften" the lactose in milk that is hard to digest and absorb, converting it into simple sugars (galactose + glucose), reducing the nutrient molecule size by 47% for easier absorption. It is not only lactose-free and easy to absorb but also retains the core nutrients of milk.
The nutrition of milk is irreplaceable. But when "not drinking enough" and "cannot drink" become a dual dilemma, we need a better solution.
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