Newborn infants
The benefits of milk begin when newborns feed on their mother’s breast milk because it provides the utmost nutrition when they first open their eyes to the world around them. Newborn infants should feed exclusively on their mother’s breast milk for the first 6 months of their life, although some families extend this period to 2 years while supplementing their diet with soft, nutritious foods suitable for young infants. All neonatal pediatricians encourage breastfeeding babies, advising that they be fed on 100% pure breast milk only. This is because breast milk provides a range of nutritional benefits, including building immunity to disease, aiding mental development—both EQ and IQ—sustaining physical growth, and ensuring sufficient bone strength. For these reasons, breast milk is essential to newborns in order to ensure they have the best chance of developing to their full potential.
During childhood
As children grow, they can start to drink 100% fat cow’s milk, which should be plain and unflavored. It has been found that every 100 ml of cow’s milk contains the equivalent to 135 mg of calcium, 3.3 g of protein, 71 mg of vitamin A and 0.22 mg of vitamin E. Any added ingredients only serve to reduce these proportions. An additional benefit of drinking unflavored milk is that it can reduce the likelihood of a sugar addiction, which subsequently reduces the risk of developing obesity, diabetes and cavities among children. It has also been well-known for a long time that drinking milk can help children grow, so they should be encouraged to drink plenty of milk while eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. Girls and boys usually start their growth spurts at the ages of 6 and 8 respectively.
A childhood cow’s milk allergy can be caused by a combination of factors, including genetics. However, children with this allergy are still able to drink milk as there are other healthy alternatives available, such as extensively hydrolyzed protein formula, milk formula derived from chicken, aminoleban formula—which contains proteins in the form of amino acids—and milk derived from nuts.
During adulthood
Adults suffering from high cholesterol may not be able to consume 100% fat cow’s milk, and should instead opt for low-fat alternatives. Pregnant women and mothers who are breastfeeding should drink milk regularly, as the calcium contained in milk will nourish their own bones at the same time as strengthening the bone structure of their child.
During old age
Milk can help repair damaged and deteriorating parts of the body in the elderly, with milk being particularly important to those with reduced production of the hormones responsible for physical rehabilitation. It is recommended that the elderly drink at least 1 glass of milk per day.
