Whole milk vs skimmed milk: which one is healthier for children?

Milk and milk products are rich in high-quality protein and calcium, which are very important for children's growth and development. Many parents will give their children milk every day.

But the fat in MILK has also become a concern for many parents. Some people asked: I think many people on the Internet say that whole milk is unhealthy, fat is too much, eating too much is easy to gain weight, and it will increase cardiovascular disease risk. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends to drink skim milk as much as possible and drink less whole milk. Should we drink skim milk or whole milk for children?

What is the difference between whole milk and skimmed milk?

Skimmed milk, as the name suggests, fat-free milk.

Generally speaking, the milk fat content of natural whole milk is between 2.8-4%. However, the modern food industry can remove fat from whole milk by centrifugation to obtain skimmed milk.

In China, the fat content of whole milk is about 3.1%; the fat content of not more than 0.5% is called skimmed milk, and the milk of fat content of not more than 1.5% is called low fat milk, that is, many people Said semi-skimmed milk.

The fat that can be found in whole milk is almost completely preserved. Because milk fat is rich in aroma substances, many people will find that whole milk is more fragrant and feels thicker.

Compared with full-fat milk, skim milk removes fat, the natural fat is much lower, its taste and flavor are not as full and full-bodied as full-fat milk, and the milk flavor becomes thin. At the same time, during fat removal, some fat-soluble vitamins (such as: Vitamin A, Vitamin E) are removed a lot; other beneficial ingredients (such as: conjugated linoleic acid) will also be removed.

Why is whole milk so unpopular?

Many believe that whole milk is unhealthy. Even in foreign countries, many healthy diet guidelines warn people to avoid whole milk and choose low-fat or skim milk as much as possible.

A large number of studies have found that fat is easy to make people fat; saturated fat increases blood cholesterol levels, which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Skim milk has about half the calories of whole milk and is naturally respected. In addition, now that the obesity rate of children is getting higher and higher, everyone has three more concerns about whole milk.

Does whole milk really make children fatter?

Actually not necessarily.Recently, a study review by the University of Edison Coventry (ECU) in Australia again proposed an analysis of the risk of whole milk and childhood obesity or heart disease. The researchers reviewed 29 studies from around the world that investigated the consumption of children ’s full-fat dairy products and found that there was no significant association between consumption of full-fat dairy products and children ’s weight gain, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure.
Some studies have even found that drinking whole milk can actually reduce childhood obesity.

Pediatricians at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, Canada, searched multiple databases for relevant literatures as of August 2019, and conducted a meta-analysis of the relationship between fat intake from milk and obesity in children aged 1-18. The results show that no study shows that children who drink low-fat milk have a lower risk of being overweight or obese. Of the 28 studies, 18 showed that children who drink whole milk are less likely to be overweight or obese. Children who drink whole milk (3.25% fat content) have a 40% lower risk of overweight or obesity than children who drink low-fat milk (0.1-2% fat content).

In fact, there are many factors leading to childhood obesity, the most important thing is to look at the overall dietary energy intake, rather than just blaming a certain food.

In conclusion

Whole milk tastes more fragrant and better, and may be easier for children to like and drink.
Whole milk retains fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, and E more completely, which is also more beneficial to children's health. Many studies have found that children who drink full-fat milk have higher levels of vitamin D than children who drink low-fat or skimmed milk.

In addition, some studies have found that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in milk fat has the effect of increasing the proportion of muscles in the body, fat can increase satiety, and drink less milk will eat other foods, weight control for children It is also a benefit.

More importantly, obesity is caused by a variety of reasons, and it doesn't have much effect with a glass of skim milk. Childhood obesity has a lot to do with the overall diet and energy intake. To control obesity, reduce other food intake, and control the total energy balance is the key. Except for innate factors, the vast majority of obese children eat too many sweets and do not exercise. Therefore, letting children eat desserts, drinking sweet drinks, and engaging in outdoor sports activities with their children are much more effective than choosing low-fat or non-fat milk.