Understanding Milk: Insights from Ayurveda and Modern Science

There is an ongoing debate in the natural food movement about the value of milk products. Occasionally dairy is lumped together with meat as an unhealthy food for humans, and some vegans, or pure vegetarians, even claim that dairy foods cause disease. While there is a degree of truth in such statements, dairy products themselves are not wholly at fault. Improper methods of raising dairy animals, incorrect processing of milk, and lack of understanding about how to use milk products are largely to blame.

What is milk?

Milk is a heterogeneous mixture that can be defined as a complex chemical substance in which fat is emulsified as globules, major milk protein (casein), and some mineral matters in the colloidal state and lactose sugar together with some minerals and soluble whey proteins in the form of true solution.

Fats in milk

• Triglycerides make up the fats in milk. These are molecules with a glycerol backbone and three fatty acid chains attached. 

• The chemical identity of the fatty acid chains can vary, like palmitic, oleic, stearic, and myristic acids.

•      The variations in the amounts of these acids result from what cows eat. For example, the green grass of summer leads to a higher oleic acid content.

 This variation can affect how hard the fat is when isolated from the milk.

Protein in milk

•      Proteins are long, chain-like molecules formed from smaller amino acid building blocks. There are hundreds of types of proteins in milk, of which casein is the main type.

•      In milk, proteins form structures called micelles. These grow from small clusters of calcium phosphate, which help hold them together

It’s the protein micelles that give milk its white appearance. The micelles are, on average, about 150 nanometers in diameter, and this very small size means they can scatter light that hits them.

Carbohydrate in milk

Lactose is a sugar found only in milk and dairy products. In our bodies, the enzyme lactase breaks it down into two smaller sugars, galactose and glucose

The fermentation of lactose produces lactic acid, which causes the sour taste

We must understand many health issues relating to milk products to use dairy correctly. Some people lack the enzymes necessary to digest dairy products because their ethnic group has no history of consuming dairy products. Adults who weren’t breastfed as children may also have trouble digesting dairy. Yet most problems we experience digesting milk are not from the dairy products themselves but from their improper preparation.

For those of you who experience dairy intolerance, I suggest reflecting on how you've been consuming milk. Milk doesn’t combine well with other foods like cereal, cookies, or fruits and veggies for a smoothie. The combination makes for poor digestion. Additionally, temperature plays an important role in digestion. Cold milk, as you might find in yogurt, ice cream, or fro-yo, is hard to digest as well.  Store milk is often bleached, highly processed, and homogenized, which detracts from its innate nourishing qualities.

Ayurvedic view about milk

When discussing milk, we are referring to a fresh, high-quality product. Good-quality milk is non-homogenized and comes from farms where the animal is grass-fed and treated well. Additionally, we want you to buy milk that is as fresh as possible. If you see cream at the top of the liquid, you can deduce that the milk is fresh. You can buy quality, non-homogenized milk at the farmer's market and even some grocery stores.

Ayurveda explains in great detail the properties of various dairy products, including those of cows, goats, buffaloes, and other milk-producing animals. However, these properties may not be the same in dairy products produced by modern methods of factory farming. Ayurvedic texts tell us that the quality of meat or dairy products from tethered or confined animals is much poorer than that from animals who can graze freely.

Who should take milk?

• Who underwent panchakarma procedures?

•      Jeers jwara: Chronic fever

•      Shosha, emaciation

•      Mano roga: Diseases related to mind

•      Moorcha, fainting

•      Brama (disorientation)

•      Grahani, IBS

•      Pandu: Anemia

•      Daha - Burning sensation

•      Hrudroga - Diseases related to heart

•      Udara solo - Abdominal colic

•      Udawartha - Constipation

•      Gulam - Gas, bloated feeling

•      Thrishan - Thirst

•      Athisara - Diarrhoea

•      Raktha pitha - bleeding disorders

•      Vasthy roga: Diseases related to bladder

•      Yoni roga - Diseases related uterus

•      Grabha srava: Abortion

•      Srama , klama: fatigue, general and due to exhaustion

•      Bala, vrudha, child and old

Bhavaprakasha Nighantu (an ancient Ayurvedic text) mentions that those who are weak, emaciated, suffer from chronic jwaras (fever), or have emaciation are advised to have milk. It is especially suitable for those who suffer from vata disorders like vertigo, anxiety, and spasms, and pitta disorders like anemia, burning sensations, and excessive thirst.

For women suffering from infertility / reproductive issues, UTIs, vaginal discharge, etc., cow’s milk is ideal. The daily consumption of milk greatly benefits undernourished women who suffer from repeated miscarriages.

Also, children, old people, and those who suffer from “Kshata-kshina” (translated as emaciation and fatigue due to battle—in today’s context, overwork) are suitable candidates for milk drinking.

Sexually active adults are also advised to drink milk regularly. Reproductive tissues like ova and semen are considered the very last dhatu to be formed in the body by Ayurveda, just before Ojas. So when we are sexually active, we deplete vita dhatus in the body, especially men. So a common practice suggested in Ayurveda is to drink milk regularly in sexually active adults to continually replenish the body and ensure vitality is restored.

Who should not take normal milk?

Agni Mandya: A person with low digestive fire or having the following symptoms: gas, bloating, heaviness in the abdomen, constipation, or diarrhea

A person with the buildup of toxins with Signs like Body aches, distaste, heaviness in the body, feeling blockage in the bone, fatigue

Kapha vrudhi roga: a person with  Disease of increased Kapha having symptoms like Excessive salivation, laziness, whitish discoloration of skin, feces and urination, cough, excessive sleep, dysphonia, bloating