Milk is a major part of our daily meals. Often described as a complete food, a milk can contain necessary nutritional values that every individual needs. Milk is also a key ingredient for many courses, desserts, drinks, and a whole lot more. When you turn you attention into the shelves of the milk aisle, you tend to think about which milk to get as there would always be three or more choices for you to choose. Generally, not all kinds of milk serve the same purpose, some are made for drinking alone, some are only for mixing, among others. There are kinds of milk that come from different animals. If you are having a little hard time to make some choices, let us help guide you through the different types of milk that you can find in the market today.
Pasteurized. This is what most of us would likely be buying in a supermarket. This kind of milk undergoes a some pasteurization process that heats up the milk to a certain point, killing any potential bacterial growth. This will also help keep the milk fresh for a day to two while keeping it in a cold temperature in the refrigerator. Pasteurized milk is usually consumed by drinking, can be used in cooking, and added to a bowl of cereals.
Unpasteurized Milk. This is the kind of milk that is fresh, raw and did not undergo any pasteurization or sterilization process. There has been a debate as to whether raw and unpasteurized milk is safe to consume. Some experts say that raw milk and be a place for many pathogens to grow, while some claim that it depends on how hygienic the milk was obtained.
Sterilized Milk. Like the pasteurized milk, sterilized milk also undergoes some sterilization process to keep the milk lasting longer than the usual. It is a tougher process as compared to pasteurization. It is usually used for lots of whole, semi-skim/skimmed and skim/skimmed milks in the market.
Whole Milk. The term speaks for itself. It literally means whole fresh milk that is obtained from the cow. Nothing has been added or taken from it, but it normally undergoes a pasteurization process. Whole milk can contain lots of saturated fat and cholesterol, making some health buffs to somehow avoid having this kind of milk.
Flavored Milk. This is the kind of milk of which additional and different flavors are being added. This is usually the kind of milk that we see in grocery stores, bottled or in a box. Flavored milk is a kind of milk with additional sugars, artificial flavorings, and colorings. They come in different flavors such as orange, banana, lime, strawberry, apple, and many more. This term can also be used to describe milkshakes with real fruits in it, giving the regular milk some additional natural flavor.
Skim/Skimmed Milk. The fat contents of milk can be trimmed down to a much lower scale, and the end results refer to skim/skimmed milk. Because the fat is toned down 0.5%, its calories also decrease. Skim/skimmed milk can have a very watery and less creamy appearance than the regular milk. Although not everyone likes to have a glass of skim/skimmed milk, it is still being sold widely in the market for other uses.
Semi-Skim/Skimmed Milk. If you are a milk lover and you still want that little creaminess texture in your milk, you must be looking for the semi-skim/skimmed one. Semi-skim/skimmed milk contains only 1.7% of fat, a little higher than the full skim/skimmed milk, but is still considered as low-fat in quality. Some health buffs go for the semi-skim/skimmed milk because it is more creamy and healthy in a way that is yummy to the tummy.
Organic Milk. These are milk that came from cows that feed on greens or the pasture of which no fertilizers or chemicals are being sprayed on. There are certain standards before you can label your milk as organic. Once the milk is obtained from the cow, it undergoes pasteurization to kill any potential bacterial growth. Organic milk also contains high levels of Omega-3 poly unsaturated fatty acids which is healthy for the body. This kind of nutrient can be obtained from plants.
Homogenized Milk. This is the type of milk that has undergone a treatment to break fat particles and evenly distribute them to the milk. It mixes milk in big amounts in a high pressure to evenly break the fat. This process is important in the milk industry as it helps prevent the formation of fat concentration and different levels of flavor in the milk.
Dried Milk. This is what we also usually find in the supermarket. Dried milk is in the form of powdered milk where the water or liquid element is removed and the end product can be kept in cans, plastic bottles, or packs for a longer period of time. It can also be in the form of whole milk or can skimmed off from fat.
Evaporated Milk. This kind of milk has a very high level of concentration, even doubling that of the regular milk. Evaporated milk involves processes such as standardizing, heat treating, and letting the milk evaporate. Once it is over, the milk is then put to homogenization. All these processes make the evaporated milk flavor distinct, something that resembles a cooked flavor. This is often used for making desserts, milkshakes, among others.
Condensed Milk. This is probably the sweetest kind of milk that you can find in the market. Condensed milk undergoes the same process as that of the evaporated milk, only that is thicker and richer in form and texture because of the sugar content being added in the process. It is widely used for desserts and other sweet treats, but not mainly for drinking as it has a very thick concentration.
The milk industry certainly has lots of things to offer. Each one serves a different purpose, a different nutritional value, a different flavor, and different level of creaminess. Know the kind of milk that you are looking for, so you wont be making the same mistakes and buy the right milk that you need. The milk aisle is definitely a collection of different types of milk that can confuse you.