Milk and Chocolate Not Worth It

Since 1998, scholars have proposed the slogans "breakfast,"eat what,"milk,"add"eggs,"""For the sake of future generations, please give a cup of milk to children" and "farmers should also drink milk," three popular yet highly inspiring slogans."A glass of milk strengthens a nation," and "milk nurtures new life," have become a consensus in society. With Shenzhou VI's launch, the phrase "three cups of space crew special milk are key to astronauts' menu" has sparked a new wave of milk consumption. People's hot topics have shifted from "why should we drink milk" more towards concerns about "which milk is fresher and safer," and "how to drink milk in a more nutritious and healthy way."For these issues, the reporter specially consulted experts to answer them for readers.

(excerpted from "General Health")

1. How much milk should each person drink daily?

Milk, as a food with high nutritional value, cannot fully exert its benefits if consumed in small amounts; consuming too much can be difficult to digest. Therefore, everyone should determine their daily milk intake based on age, physical and mental activity, consumption, and economic conditions. Generally speaking, adults should drink 400-500 ml of milk per day, which is equivalent to two bottles. It's recommended that at least one bottle (250 ml) be consumed daily. If economically feasible, three bottles (750 ml) are best, but not more than 1 liter. In short, "ensure one bottle, strive for two, aim for three, and do not exceed four."

2. When is the best time to drink milk?

Milk is a basic food and should be consumed after meals. One bottle per day can be drunk in the morning as breakfast, two bottles can be enjoyed in the evening or before bed. It's also acceptable to consume it between meals, but always eat some starchy foods first to prolong its presence in the stomach for better nutrient absorption. Simply put, "drink milk anytime, best after meals."3. Does drinking milk protect the stomach?

Milk can form a good protective layer on the gastric mucosa, which helps alleviate the erosion of acidic or alcoholic substances and reduce the risk of gastric diseases.

Research from Japan shows that people who drink more milk have lower rates of gastric cancer. On the other hand, excessive alcohol consumption especially binge drinking increases the burden on internal organs, potentially triggering or worsening stomach problems. Therefore, we advocate "drink more milk and less alcohol; prefer to substitute with milk."4. Which is better: fresh milk or powdered milk?

Powdered milk is made by concentrating and drying fresh milk through spray drying. Its main nutrients such as protein, fat, and inorganic salts remain largely unchanged, but amino acid utilization decreases, some vitamins and immunoglobulins are destroyed, especially vitamin C and B1.Thus, if possible, it's better to drink fresh milk. However, powdered milk is convenient for storage, transportation, and carrying, making it a good nutritional option for workers in remote areas or those without refrigeration facilities.

Note that after the "powdered milk incident," consumers should choose reputable brands and be cautious of counterfeit products.One, avoid simmering. Simmering milk will damage its vitamins due to oxygen exposure. Boil vigorously instead; stop when it expands, then return to heat for several cycles to maintain nutrients while eliminating pathogens. Two, avoid prolonged boiling. Boiling for 5 minutes after reaching a boil is not always appropriate. At 60°C, protein particles in milk form a gel state, and phosphates may precipitate. Boiling at 100°C can degrade milk's nutritional value through chemical changes. Most milk is pasteurized and packaged. For heat lovers, use warm water to warm the bag for about 5 minutes without boiling.

Three, avoid direct sunlight.

Milk exposed to sunlight for two hours loses half of its riboflavin, and further sun exposure destroys vitamin C completely. Milk should be stored in darkness.

Four, avoid adding sugar during boiling.

Adding sugar while heating milk is unscientific. Heating milk with sucrose forms a toxic compound—glycine-lysine—which cannot be digested by the body and reduces protein nutrition. Add sugar after the milk cools if desired. Five, avoid eating oranges with milk. Milk digestion requires gastric enzymes and pancreatic enzymes. If consumed with high-acid fruits like oranges, proteins in milk may form insoluble compounds, affecting their absorption and causing discomfort. Six, avoid adding chocolate to milk.

Adding chocolate to milk can lead to the formation of indigestible calcium oxalate, causing hair loss, diarrhea, and calcium deficiency over time. Consume them separately and prefer carbonhydrate-rich foods like biscuits or bread with milk.

Seven, do not add calcium powder to milk. Milk's proteins, especially casein, can react poorly with excess calcium ions. Adding too much calcium can cause milk to curdle.

Eight, avoid taking medicine with milk.

Milk contains many ions like calcium and iron. These may bind with certain drugs, reducing their absorption or even destroying them, thus decreasing treatment efficacy if taken with milk. To avoid this, leave at least one and a half hours between medication and drinking milk.Sugar contains fructose. Both substances form compounds called fructoselysine when heated at high temperatures. This compound cannot be digested or absorbed by the human body, destroying the nutritional value of proteins. Worse still,Bread it may also have certain toxic effects on the human body. Therefore, never add sugar to milk when heating it. If you want to drink sweetened milk, add the sugar after the milk has cooled slightly.

Five, avoid eating with Oranges at the same time as drinking milk.

Milk in the stomach is broken down by gastric protease and pancreatic enzymes before entering the small intestine for absorption. If you drink milk with oranges or other fruits rich in fruit acid like oranges, proteins in the milk react chemically with the acids and vitamin C to form lumps. This affects the digestion of both milk protein and vitamin C from oranges, causing symptoms such as abdominal bloating, pain, and diarrhea. Thus, eating these together is not beneficial.

Six, avoid adding Chocolate

. Some people like to add chocolate to their milk to remove its odd taste, but this is unscientific. Milk contains rich proteins and calcium. When consumed with chocolate, the calcium in the milk combines with the oxalate in chocolate to form insoluble calcium oxalate. This prevents absorption by the body over time, potentially leading to symptoms like dry hair, diarrhea, and calcium deficiency. Therefore, drink milk and eat chocolate at different times. Eating some carbohydrates such as Cookies or Bread is better when drinking milk.

Seven, avoid adding calcium powder to milk.

Milk proteins mainly consist of casein, whey protein, and lactoglobulin, with casein accounting for 83% by weight. Casein is composed of OCK-, K-, β-, and γ-caseins. If you add calcium powder when drinking milk, excess calcium ions will combine with OCK- and β-caseins, causing the milk to curdle. Additionally, calcium combines with other proteins in milk to form precipitates. This is especially noticeable during heating. Therefore, it's not advisable to add calcium powder to milk when supplementing children with calcium.

Eight, avoid taking medicine with milk.

Milk and its dairy products contain many ions such as calcium and iron. For example, a liter of fresh milk contains 1300 milligrams of calcium and 0.4 milligrams of iron. These ions can form stable complexes or insoluble salts with certain drugs (such as tetracyclines), making the drug difficult to absorb in the gastrointestinal tract. Some drugs may even be destroyed by these ions. If you take medicine with milk, it will significantly reduce the concentration of the drug in Blood. This affects treatment efficacy. Therefore, medicines should not be taken with milk. A half-hour to an hour and a half gap between drinking milk and taking medication is recommended for better absorption. It is advisable to have a one and a half hour gap between consuming milk products and taking medication.