The
Milk Page
Milk is a nutritional fluid produced by all types of
mammals: monotremes, marsupials and placentals. It consists of butterfat suspended in an
aqueous solution of caseins ( proteins ) and lactose (
a carbohydrate ). If the fat is broken down mechanically by passing it through
small nozzles, the Brownian motion of water molecules prevents the fat from
separating; technically, we have an emulsion. In every day terms we have homogenized
milk.
Infants have trouble digesting cow's milk. This implies that, chemically, human breast milk differs from cow's milk. The latter is richer in protein ( 3.3 vs. 1.0% , the main reason why infants cannot handle it), calcium (119 vs. 32 mg), and potassium (152 vs. 51 mg), but less concentrated in lipids ( 3.3 vs. 4.4% ), lactose ( 4.7 vs. 6.9 %), vitamin A (126 vs. 241 IU), and vitamin C (0.94 vs. 5.0 mg). (Source: USDA ) Although cow's milk has more protein, the peptides that make it up have a lower percentage of essential amino acids than human milk. And although it has less fat, it has more saturated fat than our milk. Breast milk also contains the fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which is absent from cow's milk and infant formula. There is a positive correlation between low levels of DHA in blood plasma and depression, one that is not necessarily meaningless because the brains of monkeys that are fed on a diet deficient in DHA don't develop normally. ( Joe Schwartz, Mtl. Gazette Sept. 13, 1998 )
In an article for Britannica( Medical
Annual, 1983 ), Dr. Alvin N. Eden argues that parents should be patient and not
switch to cow's milk before the age of 12 months. According to
In adition, maternal breast milk provides antibodies
that protect the infant's gastrointestinal tract, resulting in a lower rate of
enteric infection in breast-fed babies.
Ever wonder why skim milk appears bluish? Any connection to why the sky is blue ? Or do you know what part of milk fat gives milk its
creamy colour? For answers to these questions and a
lot more go to the
Sample Analyis of Infant formula, MEAD JOHNSON, GERBER, with iron, powder
NDB No: 03831
|
Nutrient |
Units |
Value per 100 g, |
N |
SE |
|
Proximates |
|
|
|
|
|
Water |
g |
2.100 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Energy |
kcal |
520.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Energy |
kj |
2176.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Protein |
g |
10.900 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Total lipid (fat) |
g |
28.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Carbohydrate, by difference |
g |
57.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Fiber, total dietary |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Ash |
g |
2.800 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Minerals |
|
|
|
|
|
Calcium, Ca |
mg |
410.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Iron, Fe |
mg |
9.400 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Magnesium, Mg |
mg |
42.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Phosphorus, P |
mg |
280.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Potassium, K |
mg |
560.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Sodium, Na |
mg |
156.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Zinc, Zn |
mg |
5.200 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Copper, Cu |
mg |
.390 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Selenium, Se |
mcg |
14.600 |
1 |
0.000 |
|
Vitamins |
|
|
|
|
|
Vitamin C, ascorbic acid |
mg |
62.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Thiamin |
mg |
.420 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Riboflavin |
mg |
.730 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Niacin |
mg |
5.200 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Vitamin B-6 |
mg |
.310 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Folate |
mcg |
83.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Vitamin B-12 |
mcg |
1.560 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Vitamin A, IU |
IU |
1560.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Vitamin A, RE |
mcg_RE |
470.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Vitamin E |
mg_ATE |
7.700 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Lipids |
|
|
|
|
|
Fatty acids, saturated |
g |
11.970 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
4:0 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
6:0 |
g |
.030 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
8:0 |
g |
.450 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
10:0 |
g |
.340 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
12:0 |
g |
2.600 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
14:0 |
g |
1.150 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
16:0 |
g |
6.200 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
18:0 |
g |
1.200 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Fatty acids, monounsaturated |
g |
10.630 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
16:1 |
g |
.030 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
18:1 |
g |
10.600 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
20:1 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
22:1 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Fatty acids, polyunsaturated |
g |
5.300 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
18:2 |
g |
4.800 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
18:3 |
g |
.500 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
18:4 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
20:4 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
20:5 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
22:5 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
22:6 |
g |
0.000 |
0 |
0.000 |
|
Cholesterol |
mg |
5.000 |
0 |
0.000 |