A glass of milk
09/14/2008 by Connie Veneracion · Filed under Breakfast Daily
Milk is on the news again as the China milk crisis continues to unfold. A statement by the Chinese health ministry says that as early as August that manufacturer Sanlu Group was aware of the presence of melamine, a banned chemical, in the baby milk powder that has caused kidney stones in at least 32 babies yet delayed its recall from the market. The Sanlu milk was sold in mainland China and Taiwan but was not exported elsewhere.
Personally, I prefer not to buy any dairy product that boasts of “added” vitamins and minerals. The more unnatural a dairy product, the more potentially harmful it is. We drink low-fat milk at home, in cartons, the ready-to-drink kind. Even for cooking, I prefer not to use powdered milk anymore. We also use milk for coffee after years of patronizing Coffeemate.
(The photo is neither an ad nor an endorsement. Alaska low-fat milk is our preferred brand because unlike most low-fat milks in the market, it does not taste like cardboard.)
But milk as health food is a complex subject. Wikipedia takes a cursory look at the various studies on milk, the conflicting claims, the uncertainty in some areas and the controversial rGBH milk made from Monsanto’s synthetically produced protein hormone.
If, despite all the controversy and conflicting findings, you believe — as I do — that milk is still a good thing to have in the pantry 24/7, check out this page to determine how much of the required daily nutrient allowance you get from a glass of milk depending on your age, height, weight, gender and level of physical activity. If you don’t like drinking milk straight up, read the various ways by which you can include milk in your diet.
JMonreal on Sun, 14th Sep 2008 10:55 pm
Milk or juice taste different when vitamins and minerals are added to it. I’m not a milk lover. I prefer to drink it with coffee, as in cafe con leche or “latte”. I make my own at home, and way much cheaper than going to Starbucks or even dunkin donuts.
Connie Veneracion on Mon, 15th Sep 2008 8:05 am
Oh true, milk and juice taste and smell like yucky medicine with all those… what’s the term… ah, “fortified” ingredients. In infant formulas, the bad taste is hidden with the addition of heaps and heaps of sugar. What happened to health, eh?
Miguk on Wed, 24th Sep 2008 8:07 am
I grew up drinking milk, but after living in Asia for awhile (I lived in Korea before moving here) I found I have developed an intolerance for lactose. I wonder if that is unusual.
Connie Veneracion on Wed, 24th Sep 2008 1:12 pm
You mean it’s location? I’d think that it’s more of evolving metabolism. Maybe yours changed with the difference in climate.
frozendelight on Fri, 26th Sep 2008 5:13 am
Yung bang mga plates, bowls, serving trays, spoons at mugs na gawa from melamine eh safe gamitin? sa sm madami nun at hindi naman siya kamahalan, magaan at madaling linisin. kaso baka naman meron din siyang side effect pag siyempre yung food mo eh dun nakalagay…kung meron dapat i-ban din siya at iba pang melamine food related products… kung tutuo na yang melamine na yan eh masama talaga sa katawan ng tao.
frozendelight on Fri, 26th Sep 2008 5:25 am
heto may nakita akong link na ban na pala itong mga pinggan na melamine sa dubai http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/05/14/10125274.html
http://www.srithaisuperware.com/r_web/faq.html
http://mave.wordpress.com/2005/12/29/melamine-dinnerware-2/
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V78-3X88B6V-T&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=4ade8dc4dfa77904ae781aa598b4e2fe
Connie Veneracion on Fri, 26th Sep 2008 8:51 am
frozendelight, melamine plates etc. are made of melamine resin which is a combination of melamine and formaldehyde. Considering the lessons from the melamine in Sanlu milk, and the still unclear long-term effects of formaldehyde build-up in the body due to continuous exposure to it, melamine plates MAY constitute a double whammy on our health.
Melamine in eggs and crackers | House on a hill on Sun, 26th Oct 2008 12:38 am
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