Which Milk is better?

Answer is one sentence: It depends upon your requirement.

• If you are lactose intolerant, go for Plant-based milk. 
• If you want high-protein milk, go for dairy milk (especially goat milk). 
• If you want high-fat milk, go for buffalo milk (It has twice the fat as compared to cow milk). 

So, what is the formula to choose? You may ask. 

Well, if you want to understand which milk is best for you, you have to understand the constituents and composition of the milk. Don’t worry, we will keep it short. Our writer is a lazy lad too. 

Constituents and Composition of Milk

You will be amazed to know that milk is 85-90% water. Amazing, isn’t it? Apart from water milk has:

• proteins
• fats
• vitamins
• Phospholipids
• lactose
• minerals
• enzymes

Let us see the composition of different kinds of milk-based on these constituents (We’ll keep it brief, Promise!).

Cow Milk: 

There are multiple breeds of cows that are present in India and depending upon the breed the composition of the milk changes. But to give you an idea, cow milk generally contains around 86% of water, around 4.5% of fat, 3.3% of protein, and 4.8% of lactose. You can compare the composition of different breeds of cows in the table below.

Buffalo Milk: 

We don’t know if you noticed but Buffalo milk has 7.38% fat as compared to 4.5% fat in cow milk. Now you know when to choose buffalo milk. When you need a high-fat diet- basically when you need to gain weight, you can consider buffalo milk as a great option. Be aware that Buffalo milk also has higher lactose than cow milk. So, if you have any problem with lactose, then better avoid buffalo milk. 

Camel Milk: 

Camel Milk has almost the same composition as cow milk, but lactose is slightly higher. The main reason camel milk is used is that it is an exceedingly good source of Vitamin C that might not be in the reach of people living in the desert area. Therefore, it serves the purpose of providing them with Vitamin C. Apart from Vitamin C, it is also a good source of providing unsaturated fatty acids. 

Sheep Milk: 

One sentence- Higher Fat and Protein- almost twice of cow’s milk. It is more easily digestible and acceptable to the human stomach than cow’s milk. Consider this an option when you want to gain some weight. 

Soy Milk: 

It is the only plant-based milk with high protein content. So, if you don’t want dairy milk and still want high protein content, Soya Milk is your answer. Moreover, the fat constituents are also considerably less, so that’s a plus point if you are trying to lose weight. 

Pro Tip: While buying Soy Milk, try to go for unsweetened Soy milk as it is low in sugar and good for health. 

Almond Milk: 

It contains fats but GOOD ones. Ohhk, our writer will now show off by telling you the type of fat, i.e., monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which is good for protecting coronary heart diseases. One obvious flaw in almond milk is that it is not as good a source of protein as dairy-based milk and soy milk. One selling point of this milk is that you can even make this milk at home, very easily. 

Coconut Milk: 

Good choice for those who are lactose intolerant as it is lactose free. But keep in mind that it is high in fats and less nutrient-rich than cow milk. While a glass of cow milk (240ml or around 8 ounces) contains around 8-10g of protein depending upon the breed, a glass of coconut milk will only contain around 1g of protein.

Verdict

Now that you understand the constituents and composition of different types of milk, you can analyze what type of milk is better for your health according to your requirements. Below are some cases to help you out:

• If you are lactose intolerant: Plant-based milk or Coconut Milk
• If you are allergic to nuts: Say Bye-Bye to almond milk
• If you don’t take a balanced diet/ careless about your diet but can tolerate lactose: Dairy Milk
• If you want to gain weight/ want high fats in diet: Buffalo milk/ Full fat cow milk
• If you want high fat and protein combo: Sheep milk
• If you want milk for your children: Almond milk is out of option
• If you are vegan: Soy, Coconut, Almond, Cashew milk

Concluding Note: 

Choices are everywhere, even in your milk type. It’s totally up to you what you want for your body. We really hope that you make the correct decision for your body after considering all the variables. And by the way, the answer was Dr. Verghese Kurien. Cheers!