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Regular-article-logo Tuesday, 24 December 2024

How science bolsters grandma's advice of drinking milk every day

A glass of milk has been the traditional way of keeping our immune system strong, whatever the season

ABP Digital Brand Studio Published 25.04.20, 03:43 AM

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Remember the time you gulped down your glass of milk before school just because your mother or grandmother expected you to? The wisdom of that traditional habit passed through generations of Indians continues to enrich our lives with strong bones, heightened immunity and an alert mind.

Milk has been our traditional super-food, and justifiably so. Milk is nutrient-rich - it serves as an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D as well as protein and other essential nutrients. Milk also provides phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, B12, and riboflavin in good measure. All this in a single glass of the good stuff.

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Milk has also doubled up as medicine over the ages - remember the warm Haldi milk that alleviates your throat troubles, and the cold glass of milk that settles your acidity problems? Ancient Ayurveda texts have underlined the importance of milk as an agent in boosting immunity and aiding good health in general. A glass of milk has been the traditional way of keeping our immune system strong, whatever the season. No wonder then, that milk has been a staple of our diet from time immemorial.

Is the milk we drink safe?

Increasing urban living and stressful lifestyles have meant that Indians continue to favour milk as ideal nutrition for kids and adults alike. The natural high-quality protein in milk that helps build and maintain lean muscle, the B vitamins (Riboflavin, B-12, niacin and pantothenic acid) that give you day-long energy, Vitamin A that goes towards a healthy immune system and the bone-building nutrients in milk, including calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus, make this super-food a quick on-the-go ready meal – for the cranky school kid as well as the stressed homemaker and the harried executive.

Here’s where it gets important to know the quality of milk, we are entrusting our health with.

While the milk at source may well be loaded with the nutritional qualities this super-food is lauded for, too often it loses its nutritional value en route to your kitchen. Loose milk has often been cited for being the victim of adulteration, and the several hands and containers it passes through before it reaches you can distinctly increase the risk of contamination.

So, where does that leave you for your daily nutritional needs of calcium and vitamins which are so wonderfully met by that super-food - milk?

The milk with the tech edge

With increasingly hectic lifestyles, it only makes sense to opt for milk that has been packed scientifically, preferably in a closed/sterile environment. No preservatives are needed to increase shelf life of milk in Tetra Pak cartons because the UHT (Ultra High Temperature) technology has what it takes to keep the nutrition intact, while also making sure it lasts longer.

Ultra-High Temperature treatment

Tetra Pak’s UHT treatment maximizes the destruction of microorganisms while minimizing the chemical changes in the product by heating the milk to high temperatures for just 2-3 seconds.

Packaged to Protect

Luckily, advances in science and technology have ensured that milk can be packaged and stored for a long shelf life, without any of the attendant worries of loss of nutrition. Tetra Pak's 6-layer packaging brings in the additional benefits of safety and convenience to the milk that reaches your kitchen shelves.

6 layers of packaging:

Tetra Pak milk has a shelf life of at least 6 months, because of the packaging process which keeps the milk safe from spoiling or leaking. The Tetra Pak contains a total of six layers - polyethylene, paperboard, polyethylene, aluminium foil, polyethylene, and polyethylene, ensuring the milk stays fresh for months without refrigeration. The entire packaging method helps to protect the super-food inside from germs, sunlight, and air.

Aseptic Packaging

Tetra Pak’s aseptic packaging method passes flat, unformed packaging material through a heated hydrogen peroxide bath. A hydrogen peroxide concentration of 30% is heated at 70°C for six seconds. Hydrogen peroxide is then eliminated from the packaging material using pressure rollers or hot air. The whole process not only sterilizes the package but also protects the container from contaminating bacteria.

In short, Tetra Pak milk is processed and packaged in a way that entails zero human intervention and ensures high-quality milk straight to your kitchen.

The best bet for your family’s health

UHT processed milk, packed in ‘aseptic’ packs with six-layer protection, is what you can pick up even for your children without hesitation. Tetra Pak milk can be stored at home at room temperature until the pack is opened. The UHT treatment ensures that you do not need to boil it before consumption. In addition, the lightweight packaging makes it a breeze to carry anywhere on an outing without fear of leakage or spillage!

Overall, Tetra Pak’s convenient packaging gives it an edge in ease of use and storage, and you never need to worry about running out of milk anymore - you can line up your stocks for the next few months on your kitchen shelves!

So, the next time you buy milk, make sure you check for the trusted Tetra Pak logo on the pack - your guarantee of safe milk!

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