What are the common types of milk?
1. Fresh milk: direct source from cows, goats & sheep (generally contains 3% of milk fat)
2. Ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk: exposed to high temperature by being kept at a minimum temperature of 135°C for at least 2 seconds
3. Skimmed/ non-fat milk: milk without milk fat but with most essential nutrient & beneficial for individuals who aim to restrict their consumption of calories, fat, and cholesterol.
4. Low fat milk: milk which contains at most 1.5 g of fats per 100 ml of milk
Milk products refers to any products made from milk as primary ingredients. This encompasses food items that have a defined standard in regulations, such as cheese and yogurt.
Why milk is essential to human body?
Milk and milk products are the excellent source of calcium. Besides that, milk also plays crucial role in supplying protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and zinc to diet.
Calcium: build bones & teeth
Vitamin D: maintain proper level of calcium & phosphorus
Tips on consuming adequate amount of milk & milk products
Replace sweetened condensed milk, sweetened condensed filled milk and sweetened creamer with plain milk liquid or powdered milk
* Sweetened condensed milk and sweetened condensed filled milk are highly evaporated milk to which sugar has been added. With sugar making up as much as 40% of its content, these milks can be stored for a long time without needing to be refrigerated. *
1. Consume plain milk (liquid or powdered milk) instead of sweetened condensed milk
2. Replace sweetened non-milk sources with plain milk or milk powder in beverages, eg., teh tarik, coffee & malt drinks
3. Add milk or milk products to meals like oatmeal, cereal and puddings
How much do I need to take?
According to Malaysian Food Pyramid 2020, it is recommended to take 2 servings of milk & milk products every day.
For instance:
1 servings of milk = 1 glass of milk = 2 slices of cheese
Reference
NCCFN. 2021.Malaysian Dietary Guidelines 2020. National Coordinating Committee on Food and Nutrition, Ministry of Health Malaysia.