John Myers
1. Hardly any other food supplies as many nutrients as milk. High-quality milk protein helps build muscle and regulates metabolism and muscle activity. Calcium is not only the building block of bones and teeth, but it also plays an important role in fat burning. New studies prove: 1 gram of calcium per day (found in 1/2 liter of milk or two cups of yogurt) lowers the body mass index by up to 15 percent.
2. If you don’t go shopping regularly, you can use UHT milk without hesitation. If you don’t like the taste of milk, you’ll find an alternative with ESL (Extended Shelf Life). It has a shelf life of approx. three weeks and, compared to UHT milk, has lost only 10 instead of 20 percent of its vitamins. The expiry date always refers to the unopened pack. After opening, each milk is perfect for 3-4 days and belongs in the fridge.
3. Probiotic yogurt cultures have been specially cultivated to withstand the attack of the digestive juices and are therefore ideal for restoring the intestinal flora, for example after antibiotic therapy. In order for the bacterial strains to colonize your gut, you need to stay true to one brand of yogurt (and by extension, one bacterial strain). The daily consumption is 200 grams – as soon as you stop, the health effect fizzles out.
4. Whey is actually a by-product of the production of cheese (sweet whey) or quark (sour whey). With only 24 calories per 100 grams, the fat-free whey is ideal for those who want to take care of theirs. However, many whey drinks contain sweeteners and sugar that unnecessarily increase the calorie content. If you don’t like whey pure, you should puree fresh fruit and mix it in.
5. Anyone who pays attention to their shape will benefit from low-fat dairy products. That saves around 20 grams of fat per liter or kilo, but it also contains vitamins and minerals. Be careful when trying to have children: A study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that women who mainly ate low-fat yogurt failed to ovulate more often.
6. About 15 percent of Germans suffer from milk sugar intolerance (lactose intolerance). They lack an enzyme that breaks down lactose. Result: painful flatulence, and increased susceptibility to infections. They usually tolerate yogurt, kefir, quark, or cheese in which lactose has largely been broken down. Those affected should also be economical with ready-to-eat food: baking mixes, crispbread, and ready-to-eat meals use lactose without having to declare it.
7. Do you find it difficult to get going in the morning? Then you should drink a glass of milk in the evening. Dutch researchers have discovered that the amino acid tryptophan improves the quality of sleep and increases performance in the morning. There is even more of it in concentrated hard cheese, for example, Parmesan.
8. Dairy products are not only made from cows: Sheep’s milk, for example, contains – compared to cow’s milk – about twice as much fat, but it is more digestible and provides a lot of blood-forming vitamin B 12, which is otherwise almost only found in meat. Also unique is the content of orotic acid, which is said to help with migraines and depression. The ingredients of goat’s milk are similar to those of cow’s milk products, it contains less fat, but also less milk protein.
9. It’s worth reaching for more expensive organic milk: Studies have shown that milk from happy organic cows contains three times more conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), which inhibit cancer and protect against cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Normal food only covers half of the daily requirement, 0.4 liters of organic milk are sufficient as a supplement.
10. Cheese closes the stomach: If a lot of milk fat arrives in the intestine, it releases substances such as cholecystokinin, which keep food in the stomach longer – the brain receives the message: “Fed!” Eating cheese 3 times a week also reduces the risk of a urinary tract infection by 80 percent. Read more: Food of the week Read more: Three dairy recipes to try
