[IMG] Milk, A Healthy Drink? Not Always! - 03 FEBRUARY 2016...

Milk, A Healthy Drink? Not Always!

- 03 FEBRUARY 2016

FOOD SCIENCE
- By Monjoy Choudhury

   Indian cuisine is incomplete without dairy products. May it be milk, curd, buttermilk, cream butter or for the matter of fact the sweet dishes prepared in milk. Even though we know that the health benefits of the cow’s milk and its product are immense there are some very interesting research to be discussed. Lately there has been controversies over the quality of milk being sold in the metropolis but there are evidences that milk from the wrong type of cow could be equally harmful.
There are two different types of genes present in cow the A1 and A2. The A1 genes are usually found in the aggressive western cow species whereas the A2 genes are found in the desi local and African cows.  The A1 cow produces a peptide by the name of BCM 7 where an amino acid proline is switched to histidine in the casein which is the common milk protein in milk. And due to the presence of BCM 7 sometimes we do feel our stomach blotched after breakfast if we consumed A1 milk. Research have shown that the BCM 7 is responsible for a host of diseases including CHD (Cornonary heart disease), diabetes, arteriosclerosis, disease of the brain including autism and schizophrenia, and endocrine related problems including infertility in women. The best way to identify the A1 milk is filling full, bloating, belching and sometimes vomiting. It can also lead to irritable bowel syndrome and constipation and acidity. These three factors have become a common norm in the modern society.

On the contrary the desi Indian cows possessing the A2 genes produce milk proteins which are easily digested. The milk from A2 cows are rich sources of vitamin B2, B3 and A that can improve immunity and eyesight. It is a common practise for children to be treated with desi cow ghee. This has shown to improve the development of their brain. And regular consumption of desi cow milk and ghee has shown to improve the good cholesterol (HDL) and helped in the absorption of fat soluable vitamins from the intestine which is not easily absorbed with our normal diet. Opposing the affect of A1 milk A2 milk can reduce stomach ulcer and acidity and is also a good source of antioxidant. It was found to reduce the chances of various types of cancer as well.

Once the milk has been fermented good beneficial bacterias grow in it and has therapeutic potential. The milk turns sour and is spoilt if left out for a longer duration due to bacterial growth. But the same bacteria if processed properly can have health benefit. For example there are a host of bacterias in our intestine which helps in the production of Vitamin B12. This vitamin is very essential for the functioning of the enzymes present in our body. Due to the consumption of adulterated food stuff and pollution there can be a decrease in them leading to weakness. Therefore regular consumption of curd is very vital for the  replenishment of the intestinal bacterias which provide us with a good health. Moreover curd is also a rich source of Calcium. Milk as we know is an emulsion of different proteins and lipids. The microbes during fermentation process accumulate all the proteins and milk to form curd, paneer etc. this is possible by the microbes when they aggregate the proteins and fats around ions such as calcium, potassium etc. Therefore the curd not only provides us with the good proteins and fats but also with minerals and microbes for the entire digestive system. The leftout watery portion is the buttermilk which is a rich source of minerals. Buttermilk is essentially good during summer to replenish all the minerals we would have lost during sweating.

Now a days most of the desi cows are replaced by A1 gene foreign or hybrid cows. Perhaps this is one of the reasons for the increased lifestyle related diseases in our society. Its time for us to preserve our desi variety of cows and the next time we consume milk products which does not bloat our stomach or make us feel filled remember that the milk is from a desi cow and you are sure to ripe health benefits out of it.