In a product so consumed throughout history, it is not surprising that numerous false beliefs have arisen related to the consumption and properties of milk. Some have survived to this day.
It is beneficial for the skin.Our ancestors linked the consumption of milk with the rejuvenation of the skin, observing that the one of the lactating children was soft and smooth. The reality is that, although milk has certain protective properties, since in fact it has been used a lot in cosmetics, consuming it more frequently does not achieve a real and important effect on the dermis.
It is dangerous to take it after breastfeeding.For some years now, there has been a current of opinion that considers milk a negative product. Proponents of this theory argue that no mammal ever tests it again after weaning and that the baby’s digestive system is prepared to digest breast milk only during lactation, since the enzymes that metabolize it naturally disappear later. These are false claims. Animals do not consume milk because they are not farmers; in fact they do not despise it when we offer it to them. It is true that people or social groups who do not drink milk regularly lose the enzymes that digest it, especially milk.lactasa, but only to stop using it. Thus, in the Nordic countries it is rare to see lactase intolerances, while in Africa the opposite phenomenon occurs. In Spain, this problem could affect up to 20% of the population.
You always have to boil it.The only milk that must be cooked is the one that is bought raw, that is, the one that has not undergone any process ofpasteurizationOsterilization. If it is boiled in excess, the milk loses part of its nutritional value, so it is not necessary to abuse the intense heating. Another thing is to heat breakfast with the microwave, since this does not imply any nutritional loss.
It should not be mixed with fruits.It is popularly accepted that milk should not be combined with fruit or citrus juices. In reality, there is no serious study that has found a single reason not to do this combination. Perhaps it can be justified by the fact that when mixing, for example, orange juice and milk, the milk is usually cut. And there is a misconception that milk is unhealthy. Milk is altered due to the growth in it of microorganisms that break down lactose and produce lactic acid. When the concentration of this begins to be high, the main proteins of the milk, thecaseins, are unable to stay in solution and precipitate. This is what is commonly known ascut or curdled milk. These acidifying bacteria can be dangerous to your health. Returning to the mixture of orange juice and milk, the acid is provided by the fruit. The effect is the same, since we have acidified the milk, but the consequence is quite different. There is no danger to health, since the cause is not microbial, but merely physical.
On top of the milk, pour nothing.According to this popular saying, after drinking milk you should not ingest anything, especially fruit juice, as it causes it to cut in the stomach, which is dangerous for health. It has no justification. You can ingest fruit or juices at the same time as milk, before or after, without having to be specifically bad.
The more expensive, the richer.Milk prices are highly variable and highly dependent on manufacturers. There may be many brands, but manufacturers, that is, dairies that guarantee the supply, there are very few. In many cases, these are brands that create competition in the market. Thus, between a white brand whole milk, which is presented with the supermarket’s name, and the same with a specific commercial brand there may be a difference of 10 euro cents, and this same difference is maintained between different dairy products of different brands. In this sense, the price difference is not justified. It is a question of brands and image, which also has a price, but not so much for the quality of the product itself.
If it tastes rotten, the milk is poor quality.Although the heat treatment of milk is conservative with respect to the composition of the product, it happens relatively frequently that heat causes an alteration known as gelling of preserved milk. This occurs because microorganisms are destroyed, but not their components, and especially their enzymes, which can attack milk proteins and milk fat. As milk has a long shelf life, these enzymes act slowly and partially destroy these components of the feed. The consequence is that when you open the container, be it a carton or a bottle, you notice a very unpleasant rotten taste. Normally it tends to greatly alarm the consumer, although it has no consequences.
