Cow's Milk: Properties, Benefits, and Uses

Cow's milk It is produced by the mammary glands of cows, And what's commercially available is generally pasteurized, meaning it's subjected to a treatment designed to kill bacteria, viruses, or parasites that are potentially dangerous to human health. Overall, it's one of the most consumed foods in the world, both as a beverage and to make a variety of products, from yogurt to cheese. Among its main benefits are, thanks to its significant calcium content,, strengthening bones, muscles and its contribution to better blood clotting.

Index of topics

Nutritional properties

Cow's milk is a complete food in all respects. This is because it contains proteins, vitamins B, B12, A, D, minerals (such as magnesium, phosphorus and, of course, Calcium) as well as taurine e creatine, as well as folic acid and riboflavin. Every 100 grams of pasteurized whole cow's milk provides 64 calories and contains:

21% protein
51% lipids
28% carbohydrates
1% mineral salts

Furthermore, 100 grams of cow's milk contains

87 g of water
3,3 g of protein
3,6 g of fat
11 mg of cholesterol
4,9 g of available carbohydrates
4,9 g of soluble sugars

It is important to specify how the protein present in cow's milk are of high biological value, that is, containing all the essential amino acids, those needed for the synthesis of muscle tissue and for bone remodeling.

Benefits

Milk brings many benefits to our body: strengthens bones and teeth, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, and is rich in ingredients that help children grow. Milk should never be missing from their table, unless there is aLactose intolerance.

Cow's milk contains complete proteins (such as casein and whey proteins), which provide, as we said, all the essential amino acids necessary for:

the construction and repair of tissues
immune system support
maintaining muscle mass

Some studies suggest that milk nutrients (such as calcium, potassium and bioactive peptides) may have positive effects, particularly regarding:

la blood pressure
cognitive functions
heart health (when consumed in semi-skimmed or skimmed versions)

It should not be underestimated that cow's milk, thanks to the combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, it's very filling, and this can help keep your appetite under control.

Types of cow's milk

Just stroll through any supermarket to see how many different types of cow's milk there are. For example, you can find:

Raw milk. That is, unpasteurized milk, meaning it has not undergone the treatment that eliminates any bacteria, viruses, or parasites that may be present.
Pasteurized milk. Subjected to the aforementioned process, which involves subjecting the food to a heat treatment at a temperature of 71,7-78°C for 15-20 seconds.
Fresh pasteurized milk. This type of milk undergoes pasteurization within 48 hours of milking.
High-quality pasteurized fresh milk. Law no. 169/1989 regulates the characteristics that define it as such. These characteristics consist of the percentage of soluble, undenatured whey proteins present at the time of packaging. To be defined as such, it must have a minimum whey protein content of 15.5%.
UHT milk. This term is the acronym derived from the words Ultra High Temperature. It refers to a process by which milk is exposed to very high temperatures for short seconds. This makes the shelf life much longer (about 20 weeks). In this case, it contains most of the nutrients of fresh milk, although there is a loss of Vitamin B.
Long-life milk. In this case, the milk is also sterilized. It is first rapidly heated to 135-150°C for 3-10 seconds, and then quickly cooled to room temperature. It is then packaged in airtight containers and further heated to 110-120°C for 15-20 minutes.

Based on the different processes it is subjected to, cow's milk is further divided into:

Whole milk (3,5% fat)
Semi-skimmed milk (contains between 1,5 and 1,8% fat)
Skim milk (0,3% fat or less)

The best cow's milk

Given the characteristics of the different types of cow's milk, we can safely say that the best cow's milk, in terms of taste and nutritional properties, is undoubtedly high-quality fresh pasteurized milk. Not only is this milk subjected to heat for a short time and thus is not compromised nutritionally, but it also maintains a relatively high quality compared to other types and has a higher whey protein content than all other types.

Even pasteurized milk, despite undergoing the pasteurization process (which only eliminates harmful agents), does not affect its organoleptic characteristics. Although it has a shorter shelf life than sterilized milk, from a nutritional standpoint, better preserves vitamins, minerals and whey proteins.

Uses of cow's milk in cooking

Cow's milk, fresh or warm, for breakfast or as a snack, can be used in a variety of sweet and savory recipes. From smoothies, puddings, and desserts in general, to creams (pastry cream, (in primis)), to cakes of all kinds and to sweet and savory sauces, especially béchamel. It can also be used to make ricotta or as a base for yogurt. It can also be used to prepare:

Uses of cow's milk in natural cosmetics

Cow's milk is an excellent natural cleanser. Proof of this is the many skincare products on the market that list it among their essential ingredients. To take advantage of its properties, you can simply rub it on your skin after soaking a cotton pad. It will help remove dead skin cells, giving your skin a bright and fresh appearance. It's also an excellent ingredient in the preparation of DIY beauty creamsBut also for homemade face masks. Finally, don't underestimate it as a restructuring pack for dry and damaged hair.

Controindicazioni

The consumption of cow's milk is not recommended in case of lactose intolerance, so widespread that it affects approximately half of the Italian population, or milk allergy. Cow's milk allergy, quite common among infants in the first few years of life, is a condition characterized by the inability to fully digest the sugars in the food and is caused by a deficiency of the enzyme lactase. It often resolves on its own as the digestive tract matures.

Finally, those who suffer from milk allergies develop antibodies against some proteins present in it.

Cow's milk: properties, benefits, and uses