Cow's milk is a valuable food product containing a lot of bioactive substances: proteins, fats, vitamins, enzymes, mineral elements. In total, the product contains about 200 compounds that have a positive effect on the human body, especially on children. The chemical composition and calorie content of milk depend on the quality of feeding and maintenance of the cow.
Composition of cow's milk
The concentration of bioactive substances in cow's milk is determined by the breed of cattle, age, physical condition, previous diseases, quality of care and nutrition.The basis of the product is water, lactose, protein, milk fat, a complex of vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins and elements
The vitamin complex contained in this valuable product ensures the full functioning of the body, cellular growth and tissue development.
The table shows the amount of beneficial substances contained in milk in mg per 100 grams.
| Vitamins | ||
| thiamine (B1) | participates in the synthesis of digestive juices, helps in the absorption of nutrients | 0,11 |
| riboflavin (B2) | stimulates metabolism, accelerates energy production | 0,45 |
| niacin (B3) | supports the full functioning of the nervous system and digestive tract | 0,26 |
| pantothenic acid (B5) | influences metabolic processes, participates in the formation of red blood cells | 0,88 |
| pyridoxine (B6) | participates in fermentation reactions, accelerates the absorption of amino acids | 0,09 |
| folic acid (B9) | has a positive effect on the functional state of the nervous system | 0,5 |
| cyanocobalamin (B12) | accelerates DNA synthesis, necessary for the formation of red blood cells | 1,07 |
| ascorbic acid (C) | has an antioxidant effect, stimulates protein metabolism, participates in the synthesis of collagen and carnitine | 0,5 |
| retinol (A) | strengthens the immune system, has a positive effect on the functioning of the visual organs | 0,07 |
| calciferol (D) | prevents rickets and osteoporosis, helps calcium to be absorbed in the body | 0,1 |
| tocopherol (E) | supports the functional state of internal organs, has a powerful antioxidant effect, extinguishes inflammatory processes | 0,15 |
| phylloquinone (K) | necessary for protein synthesis and blood clotting processes, supports metabolism in bone tissue | 0,0005 |
| mineral elements | ||
| calcium | structural element of skeletal and dental tissues | 123 |
| phosphorus | participates in the construction of bone tissue | 95 |
| magnesium | ensures the occurrence of many enzymatic processes | 12 |
| potassium | supports the functioning of the nervous system and muscle contractility | 0,15 |
Cow's milk also contains copper, sodium, manganese and iron, but the percentage of these trace elements is insignificant.
Lactose
Milk sugar determines the pleasant sweetness in the taste of milk. But for many people, lactose is an allergen, which makes drinking whole cow's milk impossible. Lactose is the first and only carbohydrate that a calf consumes in the first weeks of life.
No other non-dairy product contains this sugar, so it is extremely important that young animals receive maternal product to strengthen the immune system.
In the human digestive tract, lactose is broken down almost 100% thanks to the enzyme lactase, without which drinking milk would cause poisoning in an adult. The average caloric value of lactose is 3.8 kcal per 1 g. This is less than sucrose.
Characteristics of the action of lactose in the human body:
- sugar, once in the digestive tract, is slowly broken down;
- the bacterial microflora of the colon synthesizes lactic acid;
- Lactic acid is a preservative that prevents rotting.
Milk fat
If you look under a microscope, you will notice that the surface of the milk consists of tiny fat droplets - this is milk fat.When milk settles at room temperature conditions, droplets rush from the thickness of the liquid to the surface, this is how cream is formed, by the thickness of the layer of which farmers approximately determine the fat content of the product.
When exposed to temperature and whipping the oil, fat droplets merge into larger structures.
Milk fat contains more than 20 fatty acids, which give the product a mild taste. Calorie content – 9 kcal per 1 g, digestibility – almost 100%. Fat is sensitive to ultraviolet radiation, high temperatures, and high humidity - under the influence of these factors it imparts bitterness to the taste of milk.
Dairy products contain cholesterol, and its amount increases according to the increase in milk fat content:
- The 1% product contains 3.2 mg;
- 2% – 10 mg;
- 3% – 15 mg.
The highest amount of cholesterol for an adult with a healthy vascular system is 500 mg per day, the permissible daily portion of 2% milk is as many as 5 cups. But if you are prone to atherosclerosis, you should not drink more than 3 cups of cow's milk per day.
Protein
The percentage of protein in milk is an indicator of the quality of nutrition and metabolic rate of the cow. When protein and carbohydrates are contained in large quantities and provide the body with sufficient energy, then we are talking about an energy boost in the herd.
1 liter of natural product contains 33 g of protein, consisting of two compounds:
- Casein is a tasteless and odorless calcium salt. It looks like white crystals and is capable of coagulation, making it possible to obtain solid and liquid fermented milk products.
- Globulin and albumin are a complex of whey proteins. Albumin is soluble in water and precipitates when exposed to temperature. Globulin coagulation begins at 70 °C.These proteins are used to produce a variety of dairy products.
Chemical composition
In addition to proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals, milk contains substances that determine its properties and benefits: enzymes, hormones, acids, nitrogen-containing substances. In the first days after the birth of a calf, the cow's mammary glands produce colostrum, a super-nutritious cream-colored liquid that differs from milk in taste, acidity and composition. The calorie content of milk is low - about 65 kcal per 100 g. Nutritional value of the product:
- water – 87.5%;
- dry matter content – 12.5%;
- proteins – 3.3%;
- fats – 3.8%;
- carbohydrates – 4.7%;
- ash particles – 0.7%.
Nitrogen-containing compounds in cow's milk are urea, creatine, ammonia, and uric acid. Their concentration does not exceed 0.02 percent, but in the summer, with pasture feeding, it increases to 0.04%.
Among the enzymes, the composition contains phosphatase, amylase, catalase, lipase, and reductase. 1 ml of product contains up to 10 thousand bacteria, and after milking the amount of bacterial microflora increases by 100-300 thousand per 1 ml. 1 liter of milked liquid contains 60-80 cm3 gases that can be divided into fractions: oxygen - approximately 10%, nitrogen - 30%, carbon dioxide - 60%. During storage and temperature treatment, gases evaporate.
What is the difference between cow's milk and goat's milk?
The table shows a comparative description of the nutritional value of goat and cow milk. The numbers are calculated per glass of each product.
| Index | Goat | Cow |
| proteins, g | 9 | 8 |
| fats, g | 10 | 8 |
| carbohydrates, g | 11 | 13 |
| calcium,% | 33 | 20 |
| calorie content, kcal | 170 | 150 |
Goat product is considered better than cow product because it contains:
- less milk fat per volume of water, which speeds up absorption;
- 25% less lactose concentration;
- 12% more calcium, 45% more retinol, 135% more potassium;
- lower cholesterol percentage.
But Cow's milk contains more vitamins B6,B9,B12. The temperature of fresh milk immediately after milking should be 25-30 °C; if it is significantly higher, then the cow should be suspected of having mastitis or another inflammatory process in the body.
