MILK AS FOOD FOR HUMANS
WATER: The nutritional value of milk as a whole is greater than the value of its individual nutrients because of its unique nutritional balance. The amount of water in milk reflects that balance.
PROTEIN: Most of the nitrogen in the milk is found in the form of protein. The building blocks of all proteins are the amino acids and there are 20 amino acids that are commonly found in proteins.
CARBOHYDRATES: The principal carbohydrate in milk is lactose. Although it is a sugar, lactose is not noticeably sweet to taste. The concentration of lactose in the milk is relatively constant and averages about 5% (4.8-5.2%).
FAT: Normally, fat (or lipid) makes up from 3.5 to 6.0% of milk, varying between breeds of cattle and with feeding practices. A ration too rich in concentrates that do not elicit rumination in the cow may result in milk with a depressed percentage of fat (2.0 to 2.5%).
MINERALS AND VITAMINS: Milk is an excellent source of most minerals required for the growth of the young. The digestibility of calcium and phosphorus are unusually high, in part because they are found in association with the casein of the milk. |
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Milk is the normal product of mammary gland secretion. Milk is a complex, nutritious product that contains more than 100 substances that are either in solution, suspension or emulsion in water. For example: (1) Casein, the major protein of milk, is dispersed as a great number of solid particles so tiny that they do not settle, but remain in suspension. (2) The fat and fat soluble vitamins in the milk are in the form of an emulsion. (3) Lactose (milk sugar), some proteins (whey protien), mineral salts and other substances are soluble.
BELOW ARE (1) COMPOSITION OF MILK FROM DIFFRENT SPECIES (amount per 100g) (2) MINERAL AND VITAMIN CONCERNTRATIONS IN MILK (mg/100ml)
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| Nutrient |
Cow |
Buffalo |
Human |
| Water, g |
88.0 |
84.0 |
87.5 |
| Energy, kcal |
61.0 |
97.0 |
70.0 |
| Protein, g |
3.2 |
3.7 |
1.0 |
| Fat, g |
3.4 |
6.9 |
4.4 |
| Lactose, g |
4.7 |
5.2 |
6.9 |
| Minerals, g |
0.72 |
0.79 |
0.20 |
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MINERALS |
mg/100 ml |
VITAMINS |
μg/100 ml1 |
Potassium |
138 |
Vit. A |
30.0 |
Calcium |
125 |
Vit. D |
0.06 |
Chloride |
103 |
Vit. E |
88.0 |
Phosphorus |
96 |
Vit. K |
17.0 |
Sodium |
58 |
Vit. B1 |
37.0 |
Sulfur |
30 |
Vit. B2 |
180.0 |
Magnesium |
12 |
Vit. B6 |
46.0 |
Trace minerals2 |
< 0.1 |
Vit. B12 |
0.42 |
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Vit. C |
1.7 |
Includes cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc, selenium, iodine and others.
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