Fresh milk, plant-based milk, fruit-flavored milk... with hundreds of brands and varieties on the market, consumers are overwhelmed. Which type actually meets the recommended nutritional requirements?
The market is flooded with products labeled "milk" that do not meet the standards for liquid milk - Illustration: QUANG DINH
According to nutrition experts, milk is a good source of micronutrients and calcium for young children. Because of these benefits, many parents include milk in their children's daily meals to provide optimal nutrition.
Are there any drinks whose names begin with the word "milk"?
According to Tuoi Tre newspaper, the milk market is currently very diverse with various labels such as "fruit-flavored milk," "fruit-flavored nutritional milk," "nut milk," etc., making it difficult for customers to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit milk products.
Ms. TP (33 years old, Thu Duc City) said that her family has two young children, and choosing milk for them is always a headache for her. Instead of traditional plain milk, young children don't like milk with fruit flavors as much.
"Choosing milk for my child is like navigating a maze every time. Products like milk-based soft drinks combined with fruit flavors are also advertised as nutritious fruit-flavored milk. If you choose the wrong one, sugary drinks can be bad for your child's health over time," said Ms. P.
With two young children, Loan (32 years old, Hanoi ) always has ready-to-drink milk in her cupboard. Loan shared that on average, each child drinks two cartons of milk a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon after school.
"Previously, my child usually drank pasteurized fresh milk, but recently she's been asking for fruit-flavored milk, so I switched to fruit-flavored milk for her. Fruit-flavored milk is more diverse, some have jelly, and she likes it more," said Ms. Loan.
When asked about the ingredients of fruit-flavored milk, Ms. Loan said, "It's probably the same as other milk." Like Ms. Loan, many parents believe that all types of milk that begin with the word "milk" provide similar nutritional content.
According to a survey by Tuoi Tre newspaper, many types of fruit-flavored milk contain very little protein, less than 2g/100ml. For example, "fruit-flavored milk K." lists nutritional information per 180ml as 134kcal, 0.98g protein, vitamins A and D3. Similarly, "fruit-flavored milk O." lists nutritional information per 100ml as 82.2kcal, 0.78g protein, and other vitamins and minerals.
Meanwhile, according to national technical standards for liquid milk products, a milk protein content of at least 2.7g/100ml is required to meet the standard.
A bewildering array of products labeled as milk - Illustration: Q.D.
Is a drink containing milk considered milk?
According to Dr. Nguyen Trong Hung (National Institute of Nutrition), many nutritional drinks are currently labeled as "milk" but are not actually milk. Consumers, however, habitually assume that products containing the word "milk" are milk. This isn't limited to nutritional drinks; people also consider powders made from grains and seeds as milk.
Explaining the concept of milk in more detail, Ms. Bui Thi Duyen, Deputy Head of the Nutrition Department at Military Hospital 175 , said that animal milk is a white liquid secreted from the mammary glands of animals such as cows, goats, and sheep. Animal milk contains all the natural nutrients including protein, fat, lactose, vitamins, and minerals, which are beneficial for development and health.
Plant-based milk is a beverage made from nuts and grains (such as soybeans, almonds, oats, walnuts, etc.) and is often called "milk" due to its similar appearance and nutritional function. Soy milk is rich in good protein, and if fortified with calcium, its nutritional value can rival cow's milk. Other plant-based milks such as almond, oat, coconut, and rice milk do not contain as many nutrients.
Animal milk provides high-quality protein that helps develop muscles, is rich in calcium and vitamin D to support strong bones, and is good for children, pregnant women, and the elderly at risk of osteoporosis. Plant-based milk can be used by vegetarians and those with lactose intolerance because it is rich in unsaturated fats that are good for cardiovascular health and easy to digest.
According to Dr. Duyen, many beverages currently labeled as "milk" actually contain a low percentage of milk, less than 20% - 30%, and often have added sugar, flavorings, or additives. These products have little nutritional value and primarily serve the purpose of quenching thirst.
Dairy drinks can provide quick energy due to their sugar content, but their high sugar levels can lead to weight gain or diabetes if consumed regularly. Furthermore, they have low nutritional value and cannot replace whole milk.
Therefore, consumers should check the nutritional content when choosing milk, such as the percentage of milk, protein, calcium, and sugar. In particular, they should avoid products with excessive additives or flavorings.
Additionally, it's necessary to determine nutritional goals. For example, if calcium and protein supplementation is needed, choose fortified animal milk or plant-based milk. For dieting or weight loss, choose skim milk or unsweetened plant-based milk.
Children or people who need to gain weight should prioritize whole, nutrient-rich milk. "People should avoid being swayed by advertisements; not all products labeled 'milk' are actually nutritious. Some milk-based drinks may have very little nutritional value but are disguised by attractive advertising," Dr. Duyen warned.
Mr. Hung advises that when choosing milk for children, parents should carefully check the ingredients. Nutritional drinks are only a supplement and cannot replace daily food intake such as carbohydrates, protein, fats, and vitamins from fruits and vegetables.
Especially for children under 5 years old, supplementing protein, calcium, and zinc should be done under the guidance of a nutritionist. Children with a healthy weight and height can use nutritional drinks according to their preferences. However, parents should control the amount of drinks their children consume and should not use them as a substitute for water.
Standards for liquid milk have been established.
Speaking to Tuoi Tre newspaper, a leader of the Food Safety Department ( Ministry of Health ) said that a circular guiding the national technical standards for liquid milk products has been issued.
This includes fresh milk products (pasteurized/sterilized whole milk, pasteurized/sterilized whole skim milk, pasteurized/sterilized fresh milk, pasteurized/sterilized skim milk), pasteurized/sterilized reconstituted milk, pasteurized/sterilized mixed milk, and condensed milk and sweetened condensed milk products (condensed milk, sweetened condensed milk, concentrated skim milk with added vegetable fat, sweetened condensed skim milk with added vegetable fat).
According to this standard, a milk protein content of at least 2.7g/100ml is required for liquid milk to meet the criteria. The product must also meet microbiological standards.
According to this source, the Ministry of Health is the agency that issues standards for liquid milk in accordance with international recommendations. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is responsible for receiving product declarations, managing circulation, and labeling the products.
In reality, many products labeled "milk," such as fruit milk, nut milk, and jelly milk, do not contain the correct protein content as liquid milk. Fruit milks, for example, only contain 0.5-2g of protein per 100ml but are still labeled "milk," leading many consumers to mistakenly believe these fruit and nut juices are liquid milk.
"Dairy drinks" are products that do not contain enough milk to be called "liquid milk." According to experts, these products should be labeled as "fruit-flavored dairy drinks" or "nutritious milk and fruit drinks," depending on how the product is fortified. This will avoid misleading consumers. Currently, some brands are already labeling their products with this name.
The milk market is overwhelming.Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lap-lo-sua-va-nuoc-uong-tu-sua-20241121224814034.htm
Comment (0)