Eight out of ten South African women do not get enough of it and neither does half of the male population. No, it isn’t a drug, its calcium. Do you know which popular beverage is considered the most affordable source of calcium?

White stuff

It’s milk, a beverage you should be well acquainted with if you are a South African. Milk and milk products have been and still are popular components of the staple South African diet. As far back as in the 1800s a visitor to any African village would have been offered a large calabash of cool, fermented, calcium-rich milk (Amasi) as a greeting.

Here’s what you get in one serving of milk (250 ml) per day: Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, milk protein, thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2) and niacin (vitamin B3), as well as small amounts of pantothenic acid, (vitamin B5) pyridoxine (vitamin B6), vitamin C and folate vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and small amounts of vitamins E and K.

Types of milk

Dairy milk comes in many varieties, mostly according to the way it’s produced and according to its fat content. For example:

    • Whole full cream milk (straight from the cow) has a fat content of about 4%.
    • Whole standardised (full cream) milk has a minimum fat content of approximately 3.5%.
    • Low and reduced fat (1 or 2% fat) milk has high calcium content but must be fortified with vitamin A to be nutritionally equivalent to whole milk.
    • Skimmed (fat-free or non-fat ) milk has nearly all the fat removed but as a result also has lower levels of fat soluble vitamins, especially vitamin A. The lower level of fat reduces its kilojoule (energy) content and is therefore not recommended for children under the age of 5 years who need the extra energy for growth. It does, however, contain slightly more calcium than whole milk and is ideal for adults on diet.

Other types of milk and milk products

Organic milk. Organic milk comes from cows that have been grazed on pastures that were left free from chemical fertilisers, pesticides or agrochemicals. However, the milk contains the same essential nutrients found in whole milk and is treated and processed in the same way as regular pasteurised milk.

Flavoured milk. There is a wide variety of flavours with a choice of long-life (i.e. ultra heat treated or sterilised) or fresh flavoured milk. Reduced fat milk varieties are mostly used for flavoured milk. Flavoured milks tend to have slightly higher sugar content but nonetheless provide a wide range of beneficial nutrients, especially for young children and teenagers.

Evaporated milk is a concentrated, sterilised milk product. It has a characteristic cooked flavour and colour as a result of the manufacturing process namely standardising, heat treating and evaporating the milk under reduced pressure at temperatures between 60ºC and 65ºC. It has a shelf life of one year and longer.

Condensed milk is concentrated in the same way as evaporated milk, but with the addition of sugar. It is not sterilised as it is preserved by the high concentration of sugar. It can be made from whole milk, semi skimmed or skimmed milk.

Dried milk powder. Milk powder is produced by evaporating the water from the milk using heat. Whole milk powder contains all the nutrients of whole milk but with the loss of vitamin C, thiamine and vitamin B12. Skimmed milk powder contains very little fat and no fat soluble vitamins but the protein, calcium and riboflavin content remain unaffected. Skimmed milk powders can be kept for up to one year.

UHT or ultra-heat treated milk is a form of milk that has been heated to a temperature of at least 135ºC to kill off any harmful micro-organisms and bacteria. UHT milks have a longer shelf life as a result of this treatment option and the packaging used to store them in .UHT milk comes in whole, semi skimmed and skimmed varieties.

Filtered milk goes through an extra fine filtration system as well as pasteurisation after which virtually all the bacteria present in the milk is removed Microfiltration adds an extra level of cleanness which can extend shelf life up to 45 days or seven days once opened. Filtered milk is available in whole, semi skimmed or skimmed milk varieties.

Homogenised milk involves breaking down milk fats into small particles so that a layer of cream is not formed on the surface. Most of the milk and milk products on the market is now both homogenised and pasteurised.

 

Sources
Guidelines on key requirements for governments markets – bread, eggs and dairy products. Retrieved from: http://www.nda.agric.za/doaDev/sideMenu/Marketing/Marketing%20Requirements%20and%20Guidelines/Guidelines%20on%20key%20requirements%20for%20Government%20Markets_%20Bread,%20eggs%20&%20dairy%20products.pdf
South African cuisine. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_cuisine#Beverages
South African Dairy Industry. Retrieved from: http://www.parmalat.co.za/index.php?id=41
Types of milk. Retrieved from: http://www.healthyeating.org/Milk-Dairy/Dairy-Facts/Types-of-Milk.aspx
Varieties of milk. Retrieved from: http://www.milk.co.uk/page.aspx?intPageID=43
Vitamins and minerals in milk. Retrieved http://www.milkfacts.info/Milk%20Composition/VitaminsMinerals.htm