Milk secrets: what happens to your body when you drink different types of milk?

Milk is one of the most important foods that provide the body with the necessary calories to perform its tasks, as it is a distinctive and integrated food that contains many important nutrients for the human body at various stages of its life. One of the nutrients that distinguishes milk from other foods in terms of its content and efficiency of absorption is calcium, which is an important mineral for healthy bone structure, as milk supports both children and adolescents with more than 70% of their body's needs of calcium by eating 3 cups of different types of milk.

Milk is one of the main sources of calcium, as it is characterized by the fact that the body can easily absorb the calcium in it, as calcium plays an essential role in building bones and teeth. Milk contains some vitamins and minerals that are very important for our body.

Despite the importance of natural milk for our bodies, there are some cases in which caution must be exercised when consuming milk and its products, such as those who suffer from lactose intolerance, which is a common digestive problem in some people, as the body is able to digest this substance, which is the sugar found in milk and its products. Some of the symptoms that appear on a person suffering from lactose allergy are gas, stomach cramps, diarrhea, flatulence and thus feeling tired. Therefore, some alternatives to natural milk were made available with other non-animal milks derived from some plant products such as soy milk, coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk and others.

Types of milk

The types of milk vary in terms of quality according to its source, i.e. the type of animal from which it was taken, the nutrition of this animal, its age, in addition to the season in which the milk was obtained, all of these factors affect the flavor, color, and components of the milk.

Types of milk also differ in their importance, uses, and nutritional value, which makes choosing the type of milk a difficult task as determining the type of milk that suits our body may not taste good for people who do not want to drink natural milk, whether they have problems or want to replace natural milk with other plant-based alternatives.

• Soy milk

It is a milk made from soybeans, and the types of soy milk differ among themselves in terms of ingredients and uses according to the strains of bacteria from which they are prepared. Soy milk has become popular recently as it has become one of the most similar products to dairy products, it is suitable for people with lactose intolerance, as well as vegetarians or people who follow a diet low in protein level from animal sources.

Some benefits of soy milk:

• Significantly contributes to reducing the levels of low-density lipoprotein or what is known as bad cholesterol in the blood.

• Improves mineral abundance and increases levels of B vitamins.

• Soy milk is characterized by a low level of saturated fat, and is also lactose-free.

• Leads to a clear drop in blood sugar in diabetics, especially those taking blood sugar control drugs.

Some harms of soy milk:

• It may cause some side effects in the stomach and intestines such as constipation and bloating.

• It can cause an allergic reaction that manifests itself as a rash and itching.

• May affect thyroid function.

• Sometimes unsafe for pregnant women and children.

• It may not be suitable for those with allergic rhinitis or asthma patients as they are more likely to develop allergies to soybean husks...

• Coconut milk

Coconut milk comes from ripe brown coconut fruits, and has a thick creamy texture, and coconut milk is made by mixing hard coconut pulp with water by about 50%.

It is one of the healthiest and most delicious alternatives to animal milk, as it has been used for thousands of years, especially in tropical areas, especially in India and most of Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand and others. Coconut milk is included in many recipes such as soups and stews and is widely used in drinks as a substitute for animal milk and also in making sweets.

Some benefits of coconut milk:

• Coconut milk contributes to metabolism and thus weight loss.

• Healthy for the heart as it increases the level of good cholesterol significantly.

• Lauric acid in coconut milk helps support the immune system, as it acts as an anti-inflammatory.

• Helps control the level of insulin secretion and prevent high blood sugar level.

• One of the most important and famous benefits of coconut milk is to maintain the beauty and freshness of the skin and promote hair growth and nutrition.

Some harms of coconut milk:

• Excessive intake may cause weight gain as it contains high calories.

• It may cause some digestive disorders, especially - in people with irritable bowel syndrome.

• Because it contains some types of proteins that may cause allergies to some people, this appears in some symptoms such as diarrhea, feeling pain in the abdomen, nausea and the desire to vomit, itching in the mouth, eyes or skin, and in some highly sensitive cases may occur swelling, shortness of breath or rash.