What are the Benefits of Milk? How Much Milk Should Children Drink?

Milk has a big place in our life. But, of course, we know that when it comes to your child, you are meticulous about whether the foods you give him are beneficial. For this reason, in order to eliminate the question marks in your mind, we will talk about the benefits of milk, the opinions of experts on this subject and their differences of opinion.

Is milk useful?

The scientific world is divided, so to speak, on this issue. Some experts think that milk is an indispensable nutrient for the healthy growth and development of the child, while others think that milk has no nutritional properties for the child, on the contrary, it is harmful. The biggest harm to babies is said to be an allergic food due to the casein and lactose contained in cow’s milk. Therefore, babies should be kept away from cow’s milk until 1 year old.

In this regard, we need to mention goat’s milk. The benefits of goat milk, which is more easily tolerated by the body and lower in casein and lactose than cow’s milk, are more visible for babies. For this reason, you can choose goat’s milk instead of cow’s milk until your baby is 1 year old.

However, as we said, there are experts who agree about the benefits of milk for the child. We have mentioned these benefits and insights below.

Benefits of drinking milk

Before we begin, we must make a warning. From Memorial Antalya Hospital, Department of Child Health and Diseases, Uz. Dr. Ömer Berk says that milk consumption and the amount of calcium needed will change according to age. Accordingly, on average;

• 1 glass daily for children aged 1-3,
• 2 glasses per day for children aged 4-8,
• It is sufficient for children between the ages of 9-18 to consume 2.5 glasses of milk per day.

After the age of 18, the need for milk may decrease slightly and even cause intolerances.

Supports bone development in children!

Surely you know that milk is a source of calcium. Calcium is also important for bone development. For this reason, it is important for bone development that especially school-age children consume milk regularly and in a balanced way.

Nutrition Consultant Dietitian Esra Baş Toktay says that insufficient calcium intake during childhood can increase the risk of bone damage and osteoporosis in later ages. For this reason, according to Toktay, school-age children should drink 1 glass of milk or eat 1-2 slices of cheese every day. Toktay also says that this will increase the child’s riboflavin vitamin, phosphorus and protein intake.

Important for dental health!

Milk also has benefits for teeth. Calcium and phosphate are two very important minerals for dental health. Erciyes University Faculty of Health Sciences Nutrition and Dietetics Department Head Prof. Dr. Neriman İnanç emphasizes that children between the ages of 6-10 should benefit from milk adequately. It is also known that the minerals in milk compensate for the loss of minerals on the tooth surface and thus prevent the formation of caries.

However, it is worth noting that. Although it is thought that giving milk to the child before going to bed at night, not cleaning the mouth afterwards accelerates the formation of dental caries. For this reason, the habit of giving milk to the child at night should be avoided.

It helps to grow taller!

One of the benefits of milk for the child is that it helps to increase in height thanks to the calcium it contains. In childhood, bones grow transversely and longitudinally. Bone development is almost complete at the age of twenties. For this reason, insufficient calcium intake affects growth and children cannot reach the required height. To prevent this, it is necessary to ensure that the child consumes milk and dairy products during the day.

A study has also been conducted in the United States on this subject. In this study, some of the 122 children aged 9 and a half were given regular milk. After 3 years, it was observed that these 122 children were 2-3 cm taller than other children.

It strengthens the immune system!

Cow’s milk benefits include strengthening the immune system. More than 40 nutrients in milk strengthen the immune system of children and help reduce their catching diseases such as pharyngitis and flu, which are common especially in winter months.

It strengthens memory!

It is very important for school-age children to have a strong memory and concentration. Regular milk consumption provides children with this feature. According to a study conducted at the University of Maine, children who regularly consume milk and dairy products do better in intelligence and memory tests than others.