Powdered milk: composition and calorie content, pros and cons of use
It is probably difficult to imagine everyday life without milk.It is used for making porridges and baking, they are drunk in pure form and used as an ingredient for a smoothie. Some people always start the morning with an omelet, while others end the day with a glass of preheated milk with spices. But unfortunately, the favorite drink of many has a not so long shelf life. Because of this, its dry analog was invented, which can be stored longer without losing its usefulness.
Product Description
Milk powder is a soluble powder that forms when traditional pasteurized cow milk is dried. It is used in a variety of culinary creations, children's foods, yoghurts, pasta, etc. Often, this product is taken on trips, since to obtain a vitamin drink, it is enough to dilute it with water. It can also be added to tea or coffee to improve the taste. Milk powder, as a rule, requires a temperature from 0 to 10 degrees Celsius and air humidity reaching 85%.
It looks like a powder of a delicate light shade with a uniform structure. Powdered milk is completely dissolved in the liquid, leaving no sediment.
Whole milk powder is the most common, but there is also a fat-free version, which is designed specifically for those who have an individual intolerance to the product and are susceptible to allergic reactions. The main difference between the two varieties is the percentage of the substance. For example, in whole milk, the amount of fat is 25%, and in skimmed milk - 1%, that is, the second type contains 25 times less fat. And, on the contrary, the amount of proteins in the first case reaches 25.5%, and in the second - 36%. The same applies to the other components. The difference is small, but still present.
Whole milk is not stored as long as skim milk, because fat can deteriorate. If you mix whole milk powder and skimmed milk, you get instant product. It is usually purchased coffee shops for a quick drink.
Dry milk product has been actively distributed in cooking, as it helps to create a more dense texture of a particular dish, and also allows you to store creams and pastes for a long time. Often it is used in beverages. The powder is mixed with water, quickly forming liquid milk. Such a product is more often chosen to create infant formula, since it is more easily perceived by the developing organism. Some housewives mix powdered milk and liquid to give the product a greater thickness.
If there is a desire to eat the product in the form of a drink, then it should be diluted with clean heated water (45 degrees), keeping the ratio of one to three. Water is poured gradually, and the drink is constantly stirred to prevent the formation of lumps. When the fluid is fully infused, you need to leave the milk for a couple of minutes to dissolve the proteins, and the consistency becomes homogeneous. Honey, sugar, cinnamon or cardamom are added as desired.
Cold water for the preparation of the drink is not used, because in this case, the particles can not completely dissolve. Small crystals will remain unchanged and will be felt in the mouth. Boiling water is also not recommended to use, because high temperatures lead to the folding of dairy products. As for insisting, it is necessary, because otherwise a watery substance is formed, in which the undiluted protein will float. It is better to exclude the mixer, otherwise there will be too much foam.
If dried milk is used for making pancakes, then 100 grams or eight teaspoons of dry product will have to be diluted in a liter of warm water. In this case, you have to add water to the powder, then mix and wait for about fifteen minutes. To cook porridge on a dry product, you have to use a glass of water and 25 grams of powder.
Calorie content
Per 100 grams of milk powder accounted for 362 kcal.However, there is also a figure of 469.2 kcal, which is equivalent to 23.45% of the daily norm. This suggests that the calorie content of the product may vary depending on the manufacturer or on whether the product is whole, defatted or instant.
The rate of consumption of milk powder depends on the rate of consumption of liquid milk. As it is known, an adult and a sick person should daily consume from 500 to 800 milliliters of liquid. Given that usually a glass of water, containing from 200 to 250 milliliters, accounts for two tablespoons of powder, it can be calculated that from four to seven such spoons would be good to eat per day.
By the way, the mixture can be used even without dilution with water. For example, athletes eat it with a spoon, washed down with a liquid. In addition, the dry powder has a very satisfactory taste, which even some adults and children like. However, you should not get involved in this form of consumption. By itself, the powder is too heavy for the stomach and rather slowly digested.
Chemical composition and nutritional value
BJU per 100 grams of milk powder is as follows: the protein content is 33.2 g, fat - 1 g, and carbohydrates - 52.6 g. The sugar content reaches 38.4 g, and cholesterol - 97 mg. The product covers 35% of the daily protein intake, 32% of the daily intake of fat and 12% of the daily intake of carbohydrates.
The composition of powdered milk contains a large number of useful elements. In the presence of various vitamins of group B, vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin D, essential amino acids, as well as potassium, magnesium, chlorine, phosphorus and other elements. It is important to note that both fat soluble and water soluble substances are available in very decent quantities. For example, the amount of vitamin A covers 28.7% of the daily requirement, vitamin B2 - 92.7% of the norm, and B12 - as much as 135.4% of the norm. Of the minerals, phosphorus is represented in greater quantities - 110.9% of the daily norm.
What is useful?
It is believed that the benefits of dry product is only in the possibility of its long-term storage. In addition, the changed appearance simplifies transportation - the powder takes up much less space than the liquid. But in fact, this is ordinary milk that has lost water and can be used much longer. The composition of milk powder corresponds to fresh, so it can be considered a substitute. The product fills the body with calcium and vitamins, it is quite easily absorbed and causes a surge of strength. The presence of vitamin B12 helps people who refuse meat, to compensate for the lack of this element. According to experts, dry milk is allowed to drink to those who suffer from diabetes and some gastroenterological disorders.
The product has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system due to the presence of potassium, improves skin and vision due to vitamin A and helps with rickets. Milk powder is recommended for patients with anemia, as well as for those who want to clean the body. It is also worth mentioning another interesting feature of the product - the ability to save from heartburn. It is believed that if you dilute the powder and drink it in small sips, it can be helped. The main thing is not to swallow the whole volume at once, but to divide it into two parts and see how the body will react after the first half.
You can also recall that when creating a full-fledged drink from milk powder, it is not necessary to boil it, since the preliminary procedures destroy all bacteria. So the product is not only useful, but also easy to prepare.
Is there any harm?
For a start, it is worth mentioning that powdered milk is certainly harmful for those who have a fresh allergic reaction. It is also contraindicated for those who have lactose intolerance. Connoisseurs of dietary food will not be particularly enthusiastic, because the product has a fairly decent amount of calories, which can lead to weight gain. One should also be careful about whose body is prone to the deposition of calcium salts in blood vessels and kidney stones.
However, all of the above is only a small part of the possible harm. A large number of experts believe that powdered milk is in itself harmful, and therefore it should be banned, which, incidentally, has been done in some countries. The essence of the problem lies in the fact that drying at high temperatures leads to the formation of harmful elements that remain in the powder and have a bad effect on human health. Devices with hot heaters deprive powdered milk of a palpable part of vitamins. Finally, the problem of forging this product is widespread. Analogs are filled with soy, sugar, starch, which, naturally, does not add to their use.
How is it made?
The first production of powdered milk was created in 1832 by a specialist from our country. The basis of the product is taken the usual cow's milk, the process itself is a combination of several stages. First, the liquid must be brought to the desired fat content that meets the technological requirements for the preparation of the dry version. Before that, the milk is heated to 40 degrees, cleared of sand, grass and debris. Fat content is normalized by a separator capable of separating cream from product.
The product is then pasteurized to remove bacteria. Thickening is performed in special devices in which high pressure is established. After pasteurization, the mixture is slightly cooled. At the next stage, it is homogenized, that is, reduced to a homogeneous consistency. Then it goes to the drying chamber, which guarantees a temperature between 150 and 180 degrees of heat. The result should be a white solid. It should be noted that at the same time the product loses 85% of its volume, that is, all the available water.
The production of milk powder is carried out in accordance with GOST. As mentioned earlier, if you mix two types of powdered milk (whole and skimmed), you get an instant product. This mixture is moistened with steam, due to which it takes on the appearance of lumps, which are then again subject to drying.
How dry milk is produced, see the next video.
