What milk for children is always a hot topic of discussion among mothers. Now there are more and more types of milk on the market, such as pure milk, yogurt, plant milk, modulated milk, lactic acid bacteria, etc. , but in these milks, there are really few suitable for children to drink.
For example, the recent Internet celebrity “plant milk” claims that it contains a variety of nutrients in the business’s publicity, so can it be given to children? Can it be used in place of milk?
The relationship between plant milk and cow’s milk
Actually, there is no other relationship between plant milk and cow milk except for the appearance and taste.
Plant milk is made from various plants and is a drink that looks like milk. Including soy milk, almond milk, walnut milk, coconut milk, oat milk, etc. Many plant-based milks are also marked with the word “drink” or “drink”.
This kind of “plant milk”, which seems to be popular recently, has actually accompanied the entire childhood of the post-80s and 90s. For example, VV soy milk, six walnuts, and almond milk are all plant milks.
However, the types of plant milks are now more abundant, and the packages are getting taller and taller. In addition to traditional almond milk and soy milk, there are also currently super popular oat milk and almond milk. Milk and other new varieties are dazzling.
Faced with overwhelming advertisements, it is confusing whether plant milk has higher nutritional value than cow’s milk?
Plant milk and cow’s milk have higher nutritional value
We can make a comparison in terms of protein, calcium and calories.
First, plant-based milk is not as high in protein as cow’s milk.
Most plant-based milks are inferior to cow’s milk when it comes to protein. This is easy to understand. For example, grain milk represented by oat milk and quinoa milk is not high in protein. After processing, the protein content is lower.
This can also be seen from the national standard: the national standard of milk requires at least 2.9g of protein per 100ml of milk, and the protein content of many milks can reach more than 3g/100ml.
Let’s take a look at the national standard requirements for protein in soy milk and almond milk: the national standard for soy milk requires at least 2g of protein per 100ml, and almond milk is lower, only 0.55g/100ml.
Plant milks such as coconut milk and oat milk have basically no requirements for protein content. The amount of protein depends on how much the company adds during production.
Milk not only has high protein content, but its protein is also better, which is more conducive to absorption than plant milk.
Second, plant-based milk is not as high in calcium as cow’s milk.
From the perspective of calcium supplementation, plant milk is not preferred. Some plant-based milks have calcium fortifiers added to increase their calcium content. Plant milk without calcium fortifiers is basically not marked with calcium content on the package. If the package indicates that the calcium content is high, it must have been added with calcium fortifiers.
Additional calcium supplements are also slightly less absorbed than milk calcium. In terms of calcium supplementation, milk is a better choice than plant milk, and isn’t the purpose of drinking milk for children just to supplement calcium?
Third, vegetable milk is lower in fat and calories than whole milk.
Why is plant milk so popular? It is because plant milk comes from plants, such as soybeans and oats, which do not contain a lot of fat, and the fat in plants is mainly unsaturated fatty acids, which is healthier than the fat in milk. For people who pursue health, drinking plant milk is a trendy way of life.
It is also because of its low fat content that the more popular vegetable milks on the market generally have lower calories than whole milk.
However, some plant milks areVegetable oils are often added to adjust the taste, so when choosing vegetable milk, you still have to look at the fat content. Not all vegetable milks are low in fat.
Those who want to lose weight should pay attention to whether to add sugar or not when choosing plant milk. This difference is quite big, but it is more recommended to choose low-fat milk.
Can I give my child plant-based milk
Growing and developing children need a lot of protein, calcium and energy. It is not recommended to use plant milk instead of cow’s milk.
If it is a beverage, you can look at the ingredients list and choose the type of plant milk without sugar, which is better than drinking carbonated drinks or other sweeter beverages.
If you have a protein allergy or lactose intolerance, you don’t need to replace it entirely with plant-based milk. In this case, it is best to choose lactose-free milk. Or if you want to replace it, also check the ingredient list for additives like inulin, as well as its protein and calcium content.
In general, no matter whether children or adults, milk is the best choice, because milk has high nutrient density and is relatively cheap, and it is the best choice to ensure protein and calcium intake.
If you want to change the taste occasionally, you can choose plant milk with no sugar and more dietary fiber, but it should be clear that plant milk is not a substitute for cow’s milk, so choose rationally
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