Ye Dil Mange Milk, Let’s Encourage Indian’s to Drink More Milk.

 As with the egg, which came frst “egg or chicken” There’s always been the question of “Humans couldn’t digest the beverage before they evolved mutations that helped them do so, yet they had to already be consuming milk to change their DNA. ” Now, scientists have found the answer to this question,  some of the oldest evidence suggest that, people in modern Kenya and Sudan were ingesting milk products beginning at least 6000 years ago. That’s before humans evolved the “milk gene,” The first people to drink milk regularly were early farmers and pastoralists in western Europe, some of the first humans to live with domesticated animals, including cows. 

In India the first use of dairy can be traced back to Rigveda, the first written mention of milk and milk products. The presence of cows and goats in excavation sites suggests that dairy may have been in use since at least the Harappan Civilization (3300-1300 BCE). In  the mediaeval period (1000–1500 CE), dairy-production was still in its nascent stages,  around this time as the distribution was restricted by socioeconomic status, geographical availability, and cultural preferences. Around the time the British arrived to begin their colonial rule, dairy production had become less sporadic and instead spread across the nation.

Milk’s special significance in India goes back to Hindu mythology and the legend of the Samudra manthan, the churning of the ocean that brought forth the drink of immortality, the Amrit, and also the goddess Kamdhenu, which manifested itself as a wish-granting divine cow. Hindus, who make up 81 percent of India’s 1.4 billion people, consider cows to be sacred embodimentsof Kamdhenu. Krishna worshippers have special affection for cows because of the Hindu god’s role as a cowherd. Stories about his love of butter are legendary, so much so that he is lovingly called “Makhan chor,” or butter thief. Hindus use milk and its products for religious purposes because it is believed to have purifying qualities, ghee or clarified butter, is used in lamps for rituals, milk is used to bathe Hindu idols on special occasions; sweets made from milk or ghee are used as offerings to gods. It accompanies so much of Hindu life, in rituals from an infant’s first food to the last rituals after death.

If we look in to the milk consumption  pattern of Indians, it is clear that North Indians and western Indians consume far more milk and milk products and far less meat and fish than east Indians or South Indians.  The ability to digest milk even into adulthood (a gene mutation ) evolved more than once, in four different areas of the world. But the European mutation 13910T is of particular interest to us because most Indians who have the ability to consume milk as adults carry this European version. A countrywide screening of DNA samples from all major language groups and regions of India to answer questions about lactase persistence (the technical term for the ability to digest milk after infancy) came to many conclusions, three of which are as follows: first, its distribution in India follows a general north-west to south-east declining pattern. Second, the mutation is identical to the European one. Third, only about a fifth of Indians can digest milk into adulthood, with people in western and northern India being the most likely to do so. The frequency of the gene ranges from over 40 per cent in certain parts of western and northern India to less than 1 per cent in parts of north-east India. So this finally clarifies why east Indians or South Indians drink far less milk than North and West Indians

 Milk is regarded as a complete food because of its rich content of protein, fat, carbohydrates, all known vitamins and various minerals essential for sustaining life and maintaining good health. The protein in milk is known to have all the major amino acids required for building tissues and the repair of damaged cells in our body. The magnesium content in milk  is important for bone development and muscle function, and whey and casein, which have been found to play a role in lowering blood pressure. Milk is a good source of B vitamins, especially vitamin B12 that ensures healthy functioning of the brain and the nervous system.  The calcium  content in milk reduce the risk of hypertension by maintaining the elasticity of blood vessels. Indiai is the world’s largest producer of milk with an estimated production of 221.1 million tonnes (2021-22) with an annual groth rate of 6.1 % for last 8 yhears . As per Odisha Economic Survey report, 2021- 22, the total milk production in Odisha is 2370 thousand MT with a compound  annual growth  rate of 9 percent. The per capita availability of milk in India and Odisha is 225 gm and  136 gm respectively against world average of 444 gm per day. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommends an average daily intake of 300 gm of milk per day to deliver the requisite macro and micro nutrients for maintaining a healthy life

 Unfortunately consumption of milk and it’s derivatives are always a subject of debate in our country because a number of myths, misconceptions and controversies are linked to it from time immemorial. The interesting aspect of  this trend related to   milk is that unlike myths related to other food items,  misconceptions relating to milk  and its products are  not limited among the illiterate and poor mass without having sufficient knowledge about food and nutrition, controversy was more popular among the elite  class of the society who are more health conscious. The possible reasons behind it may include high  demand and supply gap, perishable nature of milk, low purchasing capability of customer and most important being  as we  had discussed earlier the milk is having a lots of cultural and religious significance in our society. There are a number of myths associated with consumption of milk and it’s derivatives. Let’s discern  some of the myths from facts backed by science by exploring common misconceptions about milk. Drinking milk causes mucus, not true, there is no science-backed research indicating that drinking milk leads to mucus secretion in the airways or throat or can aggravate asthma symptoms. Studies have failed to show any significant link between the two and milk intake does not increase nasal secretions, coughing, nose congestion. Rather drinking  of milk, speed up the recovery process, as it provides fluids and nutrients to soothe a sore throat and meet energy demands. Consuming milk can lead to weight gain. There is no conclusive study to prove that milk is a contributor to adult or childhood obesity. Milk is a complete food and helps bodies control hunger pangs which is vital to prevent weight gain. Milk contains added chemicals that can be harmful to health. Most of the milk available is fortified that replenishes depleted micronutrients like vitamin A, D, which is done when making toned or double toned milk. This process does not change the nutrient profile of the milk.  Some have the idea that, synthetic oxytocin is at times used by farmers to increase milk production. However, its not ture this drug has been banned and can’t be used without the prescription of a registered veterinarian and so also  as per guideline all the  dairies are focusing on ethical sourcing and milk procurement. This ensures that the milk comes from cattle which is treated humanely, and nutrients are balanced. Boiling milk reduces its nutritional value. Well, raw milk obtained from the dairy farms must be boiled to remove bacteria. Even pasteurized milk when boiled will not affect or alter the quality of nutrients. Experts suggest that there are no harmful effects of boiling milk again and again, and it wouldn’t lose its nutritional value. Drinking milk causes kidney stones. Contrary to the belief, milk consumption does not lead to the development of kidney stones, in fact, drinking milk is linked with lower rates of stone formation. Several studies have revealed that calcium from food does not increase the risk of kidney stones, but excess intake of calcium supplements have been associated with a higher risk of stone formation. Consuming milk causes bloating., this may be true for people with lactose intolerance, but generally, milk may not cause any bloating or gas. You can add turmeric or cinnamon to milk for increasing the availability of milk protein or add milk to cereals or have it slightly brewed with tea leaves and tulsi to enhance the digestive functions.

These days we hear a lot  about non-dairy milk alternatives, like oat milk, almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, pea milk, coconut milk  and many more which are called Plant Based Beverages.  The manufacturers of these PBB (Plant Based Beveges)  are trying to misguide and confuse consumers through systematic wrong marketing, using the dairy term ‘Milk’ or ‘Malks’ for non-dairy beverages. People perceive plant based milk to be healthier alternative to milk since it has less calories, taste delicious and sweet. The major problem in changing lifestyles these days is following trends while overlooking scientific facts. If a person is changing his/her food habits by replacing milk and milk products with plant-based dairy alternatives, one needs to consider the  real differences between milk and non-dairy milk alternatives in terms of  health benefits, nutrients contents, calories,  added sugar, other ingredient, as well as the price. Most non-dairy milks are compared to cow’s milk, which has a strong nutritional package. One cup of milk (1% milk)   has 110 calories, 2.5g fat (1.5g sat fat), 8g protein (more than a hard boiled egg), 12g carbohydrate, 12g sugar, 0g fiber along with it it has 300 mg of bone building calcium and 400 mg of potassium including thiamin (vitamin B1), vitamin B6 and zinc that work in concert with other B vitamins like pantothenic acid to help convert your food into energy and magnesium, which also helps to build strong bones. Plus, milk has selenium, which works with vitamin A to help maintain a healthy immune system.

 The carbohydrate present in milk is lactose on the other hand to make PBB more palatable, manufacturers often adds sugars in the form of cane sugar, rice syrup and more. While one cup of plain cow’s milk contains 12 grams of sugars, all of it comes from naturally occurring lactose, which is digested more slowly and keeps your metabolism more stable over time than refined sugars. The glycaemic index (GI) is a value used to measure how much a specific food increases blood sugar level. The GI of cow milk is  much lower than that of PBB. Hence, to reduce the intake of processed sugar and subsequently achieve low blood glucose levels, one should opt for real milk. Some people blame milk sugar lactose, as part of our population may be lactose intolerant. Dairies do provide low lactose milk so also lactose free milk. Another alternative is to use, fermented milk products like curd, yogurt, buttermilk, etc, where almost 25 per cent of the lactose is hydrolysed. Further lactose is  a natural sugar (more specifically, a disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose) found in milk, galactose generated out of lactose is required for brain development. Cow milk is higher in energy and fat compared to PBB. The energy content of PBB is primary ingredient specific, mainly oil and sugar, while the milk fat comprises numerous types of fatty acids. Short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids present in bovine milk exhibit various regulatory and signaling functions in the human body. Cow milk contains over six times the amount of protein present in almond, rice, and coconut-based beverages. The  quality and the digestibility of  protein present in cow milk is higher in comparision to protein present in  PBB. Proteins are categorized as either complete or incomplete, chiefly based on their amino acid composition. In fact, proteins that contain the “nine” essential amino acids (not produced by the human body) are considered to be “complete.”  All animal proteins contain all nine essential amino acids, this includes milk, milk proteins and anything derived from milk. However, nearly all plant proteins lack one or more amino acids that make it incomplete, except for soy protein. It is essential to note that cow milk is naturally rich in many micronutrients, which its counterpart PBB lacks and therefore, it is fortified with plenty of micronutrients. The calcium added to foods is different from the calcium that is naturally occurringi in whole foods like milk. There may be differences in how your body absorbs it, and it may not have the same health impact as the mineral found naturally. Cow milk is a recognised source of bioavailable calcium, that has an essential role in bone health. The medical science had already  highlighted the importance of iodine for normal cognitive function, thyroid function, growth in children and regular skin maintenance. Cow milk is a rich source of iodine, that is again negligible in fortified PBB. While there have been many studies on cow’s milk and how it affects bone health and heart disease risk, there’s very little research into plant milks because most haven’t been around for as long.

 Another propaganda which the manufacturers of PBB making to attract the  elite consumers is the environmental concerns related to dairy farming. They try to highlight the issues like, dairy cattle produce more greenhouse gas emissions and require more land and resources than plants and claim that production of milk alternatives is a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly practice. Differences do exist even when it comes to the various alternatives to plant-based milk. For instance, almond milk needs excessive water (It requires an estimated 15 gallons of water to grow just 16 almonds). Furthermore, each plant source also impacts soil health and farming communities differently. Today, the majority of crops are cultivated in a way that causes degradation of soil and impacts soil biodiversity, and the water cycles negatively. Practices like crop monoculture, intensive agriculture, tilling, and usage of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides are collectively responsible for environmental damage. Non-dairy milk does contain additives. Additives like guar gum and tapioca starch are ingredients often added to plant-based milks to give them the creamy body that milk has. These thickening agents are generally recognized as safe, but another thickener, carageenan, may be linked to inflammation according to some research. Dairy proteins have a very clean, neutral and mild, milky flavor, while PBB can be grassy, earthy and have a beany flavour. These off-flavors usually create a need for flavour-masking agents, while dairy comes with far less requirement of such additives. Plant-based dairy alternatives aren’t cheap , costing almost three times the price of cow’s milk and other dairy products (such as yoghurt) while nutrient density in them  is very low. The product’s high cost gives the impression that it may be healthier, but the truth is the other way. This shows that cow milk is superior in nutrition, taste and is economical too.

 The major factor affecting consumption of milk in India is the various myths and misconceptions related to consumption of milk and it’s byproducts and this problem is more aggravated  due to lack of adequate monitoring and law enforcement regarding food safety. This calls for combined efforts from scientific communities and the regulatory authorities to create awareness among general public and develop modules so that the consumer can have easy access to  authentic information regarding the produce and that will play a vital role in  addressing this problem. Whatever may be done to address this issue we must not forget that milk is a commodity and  like other commodity it will always remain a subject of controversy.

Dr. Gyana Ranjan Mishra,

Assistant Director, F&ARD, Govt. Of Odisha.

M-7788991216, mail ID-drgrm9@gmail.com.