World Milk Day 2022: 5 fun facts about milk
Observed on June 1 every year, World Milk Day is celebrated to recognize the significance of the dairy sector and how milk benefits people, and its importance as a global food. The day was established in 2001 by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The celebrations usually start with a dairy rally from May 29 to May 31.
Ancient cultures considered milk a 'gift from the gods'
In Hindu mythology, milk is considered a gift from the gods following the legend of the Samudra Manthan in which Amrit, the immortality drink, was produced through the churning of the ocean. It also gave birth to Kamdhenu, a wish-granting cow. Therefore, Hindus offer milk or its by-products during religious ceremonies for its purifying qualities. Ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Romans also highly value milk.
It's the most nutritionally-dense food
Milk is the most nutritionally-dense food available on this planet. It contains a number of essential nutrients and you can even survive fully on milk for the whole day. Milk is packed with protein, calcium, riboflavin, niacin, potassium, phosphorus, and several important vitamins. No single vegetable, legume, carbohydrate, or meat contains all the essential nutrients our body requires.
Milk can be turned into a bioplastic
Did you know that milk can be easily used to create biodegradable, unscented, and anti-static plastic that won't catch any fire and is completely insoluble in water? This happens due to the casein protein found in milk which also gives it a white color. This simple, and budget-friendly process was used for more than 100 years before we were introduced to synthetic plastics.
Some cows can yield 60 liters of milk per day
A cow on average produces 25 liters of milk per day. But certain breeds of high-yielding cows can produce as much as 60 liters of milk daily. Their entire lactation period might see them yielding over 12,000 liters of milk in total. A Brazilian cow broke the 2019 Guinness World Record by producing 127,570 kg of milk in three milkings in one day.
Whole milk can help you lose weight
If you think that milk will make you gain unhealthy weight, then you are probably wrong. Drinking whole-fat milk can help you with weight loss and is a much healthier choice as compared to low-fat milk. The bioactive substances in whole-fat milk help to alter our metabolism to burn more fat and avoid gaining weight. Also, whole milk is less processed and more natural.
