One thing in a fridge worries us more than anything: milk. Do I need to reheat it? Has the milk gone bad? What if it is not properly heated? The very mention of milk can trigger so many questions. However, there is a quick solution to all this.
Milk powder is a less expensive and relatively non-perishable alternative to dairy milk. If we talk about nutrients, milk powder offers calcium and protein. According to Allied Market Research, the global milk powder market is expected to reach $38.08 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 4.4% from 2018 to 2025. That’s because of changes in eating habits and the demanding lifestyle and growth of the retail network in developing countries.
However, if you research a bit about milk powder on the Internet, you would come across a term oxidized cholesterol. Many websites claim that powdered milk is bad for health as it contains the worst kind of cholesterol i.e. oxidized cholesterol. On the contrary, many studies contradict this statement.
So, let’s have a closer look at the pros and cons of having powdered milk.
What is Milk Powder?
Powdered milk is made by evaporating regular milk, as milk has a limited shelf life, it is a bliss for those who hardly get a regular supply of fresh milk. By reducing milk to its powder form, it also saves the cost of transportation. Unlike regular milk, if milk powder is stored in air-tight containers, it can last for days.
Powdered milk is typically used in the form of infant or baby formula. But it’s also known for the manufacturing of chocolates and several Indian sweets.
You’d be surprised, nowadays people prefer powdered milk to regular milk as it may contain impurities as powdered milk offers the same nutritional composition.
Who Can Opt for Milk Powder?
The major reason why milk powder made its way in the global market is its low lactose powdered milk formula.
If you are lactose intolerant, you know how grateful you would be to have a cup of coffee. According to research, those who suffer from lactose intolerance can use this powder that has low lactose milk formula.
Why Choose Milk Powder?
Milk powder’s versatility and cost-effectiveness make it a must-add-ingredient to the grocery list. You can use milk powder as a medium to store milk for a long time or for occasions such as camping.
But of course, if you want to be lazy for a week and want to extend your milk supply so you don’t have to run toward a supermarket, milk powder is your friend.
Milk powder is also proven to be useful to improve the color of sauces, soups, and to even out the flavor in a variety of food products. Plus, it improves the texture of a variety of sweets and prepared foods.
Apart from the dietary reasons, milk powder saves space as well. In fact, only 3 cups of nonfat dairy milk powder are required to make 16 cups of reconstituted skim milk.
Does Milk Powder Have Oxidized Cholesterol?
Oxidized cholesterol is the cholesterol that is a bit rough around the edges and that’s why is especially irritating to blood vessels.
This irritation could trigger the formation of plaques, which could be the first step toward chronic heart diseases. This type of cholesterol molecules can oxidize the cholesterol present in the body and can set off a chain reaction.
Does powdered milk contain oxidized cholesterol? Yes, it does. Unfortunately, in order to increase the shelf-life of milk powder, artificial substances are often added to it including oxidized cholesterol.
What Does Milk Powder Taste Like?
If you are a picky person (or more clearly, just obsessed with) taste and texture, having milk powder is a bad idea. For some, it hardly makes any difference if it is regular milk or milk powder. On the other hand, some people say that they hate the taste or texture of milk powder even after blending it in water.
Instead of using milk powder for coffee and tea, use it for making cereal or baked goods.
Is Dried Milk Added to Low-Fat and Skim Milk?
The Internet is an overwhelming place to find truth among half-truths and outright fallacies. Same with knowing whether packages add dried milk to fresh milk or not.
Let’s make it clear once and for all. It is true that packages could add the fresh milk and dried milk and never mention such a mixture in the ingredient list. However, it is a misconception that all skim and low-fat milk contains dried milk.
In fact, you can test it if you want just by looking at the Nutrition Facts label. If the milk powder contains more than 9 grams of protein per one-cup serving, know that the packagers have added dry milk powder to it. Otherwise, they have not.
Having said that, milk powder is a most-convenient alternative to regular milk and perfect for the fast-paced lifestyle of millennials.
However, you must choose the right product and its intake should go hand in hand with your routine diet. More importantly, take extra care if you feeding it to children.
You might be interested in our other dairy or milk articles too.
1 thought on “Is Milk Powder a Good Alternative to Regular Milk?”
My favorite part about this article is that if you are lactose intolerant, opting for milk powder can be a great solution. Recently, I’ve been feeling uneasy after drinking some milk, but I haven’t paid much attention to it. I will try this option to see how I feel about it. I appreciate the information on how milk powder has a low lactose formula.