It's world milk day today (June 1st, 2015) and to celebrate the common household dairy product, we will be sharing some intriguing dairy facts. World milk day was first celebrated in 2001 and celebration continues all around the world in numerous countries because of the many advantages of milk and its universal necessity.
Without further ado, let's begin delving into the fun facts of dairy:
1. More than 75% of the world is lactose intolerant.
It's no mystery that much of the world is unable to drink milk or eat many dairy products without consequences. In many cases, it can lead to stomachaches and immediate trips to the bathroom. You've probably heard of lactose intolerance before, and it's actually all because the body has a hard time digesting milk after a certain age when the body no longer requires milk from the mother's breasts to grow. After a while, the enzymes used to break down milk are no longer produced, or are produced in smaller amounts and this causes the unpleasant side effects of lactose intolerance.
2. Humans are the only species in the world that milk another species.
Every time you take that sip of milk in the morning with your breakfast, or pour it into your bowl of cereal, consider this: humans are the only species on the planet that actually seek, milk, and drink the milk of another species. It's natural to find babies, such as puppies, rodents, calves, or even human babies sipping from the teats of their mother, but no other species will go to another species for their milk. Sure, you might be able to feed another animal cow milk by force of hand, but humans are the only species out there that will actually milk another species.
3. Consuming lots of milk has been found to be a catalyst for acne.
Acne is an unpleasant condition of the skin that affects not only the appearance of your skin, but can also have adverse effects on your self-esteem. It has been found that the makeup of milk can actually make acne worse; hormones in the milk make the oil glands in your skin secrete more oil and can lead to more clogged pores. If you're starting to break out, maybe laying off the dairy could help.
4. Around 99% of United States households have milk in the refrigerator.
Despite the high amount of lactose intolerance in the world, 99% of U.S. families still carry milk in the refrigerator. It is a very popular ingredient for cooking, such as frying up scrambled eggs and stirring into a morning cup of coffee. It's also an important drink for children, as it contains important vitamins and minerals in great amounts.
5. Dairy cows provide 90% of the world's off-the-shelf milk in supermarkets.
Many people think that milk just comes from cows. While it's true that milk comes from cows, cows are not the only animals that produce milk that is widely consumed by humans around the world. Although 90% of the milk on the shelves in a supermarket comes from dairy cows, other forms of milk can come from goats, sheep, or even soy. All forms of milk have pros and cons and should be considered for your health, although cow milk has been found to have the best taste, which has led to its popularity.
6. The vitamins and minerals in milk promote stronger teeth and bones.
It is a long-time-known fact that milk is a great drink for keeping your teeth and bones healthy. It offers Vitamin D and Calcium in large amounts, which helps bones grow and strengthen. Over time, it can even prevent osteoporosis. By making teeth stronger, it actually prevents cavities and plaque problems that could send you to the dentist more often than you might like. In all, it's a pretty good investment for keeping your body durable over the years, especially when you're younger.
7. A dairy cow can produce anywhere from six to seven gallons of milk a day.
If you ever have to milk a cow, you had better bring more than just one bucket. Dairy cows can produce up to seven gallons of milk in a day. That's a lot of milk, but it's nothing compared to what will be consumed on a daily basis. Dairy producers have a large number of dairy cows to keep up with the demand of consumers. Demand is so high, in fact, that buckets are hardly even used anymore; modern facilities use milking machines to milk hundreds of dairy cows per hour.
8. Goat milk is easier to digest than cow milk.
Although lactose intolerance can be an issue for those consuming cow milk or other dairy products made from it, goat milk can be a viable alternative. It is easier to digest by humans because it contains much less lactose than cow milk does. Goat milk also doesn't have the acidity levels that cow milk does, so it's easier on the tissues in the human digestive system.
9. Milk needs to be processed before you can drink it safely.
For your health and safety, milk isn't just bottled up directly from the cow. Raw milk can be incredible dangerous because of the bacteria and microorganisms that exist in it. Milk has to go through stages of disinfecting, which includes pasteurization. The FDA warns that raw milk can not only cause minor stomach aches and similar issues, but that it can also lead to more serious problems that could be severe or life-threatening.
10. Milk can improve your fitness levels and exercise endurance.
It has been found by some scientists at McMasters University that people who drink lots of milk will be more enduring when working out at the gym when compared to someone that doesn't drink a lot of milk. More body fat was burned as a result and led to improved results after a rigorous workout than those who simply came with basic drinks. Maybe next time you go to the gym, you should consider picking up a bottle of milk.
The next time you pick up a gallon of milk from the store, whether it's whole milk, 2% milk, 1% milk, or skim milk, consider just how great it is for your body and all of the fun facts noted above. But remember, just don't drink the whole gallon at once, as you'll likely throw it all right back up because of its high acidic content.
Sources: FDA, Milk Unleashed, Nutrition Studies
