16 Amazing Benefits of Milk – A Complete food

It helps to build muscles yes it is milk a complete food for health. When you work hard or exercise, milk benefits to recover that lost energy and repairs the muscles (1).

It is a great appetizer and a healthy snack. Add a glass of it to your dinner or drink it with a fruit. Women who drink skimmed or low fat milk lose more weight easily.

At the end of the day, a glass of lukewarm milk benefits in reducing stress and relaxing the nerves.

Milk nutrition as a whole mostly known for improving the calcium levels. It promotes bone growth in children, while also maintaining the bone strength in adults. One of important benefits of milk (2).

• Lowers high blood pressure and, thus, reduces the risks of strokes.
• Reduces the production of cholesterol by the liver.
• Gives good eyesight.
• Lowers the risk of cancers (3).

Skin benefits of Milk

It is great for improving the complexion. All you need to do is apply raw milk for skin whitening all over your face and neck and leave it for 10 minutes. Rinse off with fresh water. This will make your skin fairer and softer within minutes. You can also prepare a face pack by mixing 2 tbsp of it, 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Apply this on clean skin and allow it to dry for ten minutes. This face pack acts as a mild bleach for your skin.

Raw milk is an excellent cleanser. Dip a cotton ball in It and wipe your face with it. Rinse off your face with fresh water after 5 minutes. Doing this daily will provide you with a squeaky clean skin from the inside out, besides making it fair and supple. Can also make a cleanser by blending 2 slices of papaya with it. Apply this mixture all over your face and neck and wash off with cold water after some time. This will make your face clean, fresh and fair.

The combination of milk and honey works wonders on your skin. Mix 2 tbsp of powdered milk with 1 tbsp honey and 2 tbsp of warm water. Apply this all over your face and neck and allow it to dry. Rinse off with warm water after a while. Apart from this, the daily consumption of milk can beautify your skin naturally. It is loaded with vitamins, minerals and proteins that can make your skin fairer and radiant internally.

For this prepare a facial and body scrub by mixing a cup of It with 3 tbsp of oatmeal. Apply it as a scrub on your face and body. Allow it to dry and then rinse off with warm water. Using this regularly will make your skin softer and smoother.

Using it on your skin removes dead cells, thus giving a natural glow. For this dissolve some salt in boiling water and add 4 cups of instant non-fat milk to it. Soak for 20 minutes in lukewarm water and do the scrubbing.

Make a smooth paste by mashing half a banana with a few tsp of raw milk. Apply it on clean and damp skin and leave it for 15 minutes. Wash off with water. This mask will help smoothen the fine lines and impart a natural glow as well.

It is a great aid for sunburnt or sun tanned skin. Just apply some buttermilk directly on your skin to soothe and heal the sunburn.

Milk benefits in keeping your skin moisturized throughout the day. You can take some raw milk along with its cream. Dip a washed cloth in it such that it is fully saturated allow it to dry for about 5 to 15 minutes. Now scrub your face gently with the wash cloth for 3 to 5 minutes. This will restore the natural moisture of your skin, improve its elasticity and make it smooth and supple such that your skin looks fresh and glowing.

Hair benefits of Milk

Benefits of Milk for hair growth is a boon for dry and rough hair. Rubbing it on your scalp can nourish your hair from the inside out. Just apply some milk all over your scalp and wash off after a few minutes. This will make your hair naturally soft and silky.

It can be a great conditioner for your hair. Just fill a spray bottle with some cold milk. Spray your hair thoroughly with this milk. Comb your hair gently and wash off after 30 minutes. You will not require a conditioner as the milk has already conditioned your hair.

Using coconut milk on your hair makes it soft, shiny and manageable. Milk based products are also available that are meant for making your scalp healthy.

Ways to have Milk in diet

Cottage cheese (Paneer)

Ingredients:

1L whole or semi-skimmed milk
juice of 1 lemon

Method:

• Rinse a large non-reactive saucepan with cold water and then drain. The reason for this the milk doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan quite as tightly and it is much easier to clean afterwards.
• Bring the milk to the boil in the saucepan. Remove from the heat. Add the lemon juice. Stir well. Set aside.
• After about 5 minutes, the milk will begin to separate into curds and whey (a watery liquid), although it may take longer than 5 minutes.
• Once the curds have completely separated from the whey, strain through a sieve, reserving the whey.
• Don’t pour the acid whey down the drain. There are lots of things you can use it for, from making a tart and refreshing lemonade or adding it to your bread dough, to making ricotta cheese or using it in a marinade.
• Rinse under a cold tap to cool the curd. Push down to squeeze out as much water as possible. Cottage cheese is now ready to eat.
• Making paneer takes the cheese-making process one step further. Once you have squeezed out the excess water, put the curds in a clean cotton tea-towel or muslin cheesecloth. Twist and squeeze the cloth to remove excess liquid. Put the cloth over a sieve and leave for 3 to 4 hours to drain further.
• Put the cloth and paneer on a plate or chopping board. Top with another plate or board. Add heavy weights. The weights pressing down compress the cheese and squeeze out those final drops of liquid and will get a firm cream cheese.

Use the paneer as required in various dishes or in some sweet recipes.

Khoya

Ingredients:

Full fat milk – 1 ltr

Method:

• Heat milk in a heavy bottomed vessel on medium flame. Bring to a boil and reduce flame to low and continue to boil milk.
• Keep stirring every few minutes and remove the top layer that forms. Continue stirring at regular intervals so that the milk does not burn at the bottom. Once in a while, scrape the milk solids that collect at the sides of the vessel.
• You will find that the milk will appear grainy as it continues to boil. This will occur after approx 30min of boiling of the milk. Keep stirring and scrap the sides of the vessel.
• Slowly the milk will turn semi-solid from its thick liquid form. Continue stirring and it will take another 30min for it to turn solid with hardly any moisture left.
• At the end of approx 1 hours, it will begin to leave the sides of the vessel. Turn off flame and remove the khoya to another vessel. Bring to room temperature.
• You can use the khoya right away or store in an air tight container and refrigerate it for 4 to 7 days. Alternately, you can freeze for a couple of weeks.

Thandai

Ingredients:

Almonds – 1/3 cup

Cashew nuts – 2 tbsps

Poppy seeds – 1 tbsp (khus khus)

Melon seeds – 2 tbsp (magaz)

Fennel seeds – /2 tsps (saunf)

Green Cardamom – 5 (elaichi)

Black peppercorns – 3/4 tsp (kali mirch)

Sugar – 8 tbsps

Milk – 1 1/2 ltr

Water – 3/4 cup

Rose essence – 1/2 tsp or Dried rose petals (1 tsp)

Saffron – few strands (kesar)

Pistachios – for garnishing, crushed

Method:

• Soak almonds in water for 2 hours. Soak melon seeds in water for 2 hours, Soak poppy seeds in water for 2 hours.
• Boil milk, add sugar and allow to dissolve. Once the sugar is dissolved, turn off heat and allow to cool. While milk is boiling, peel almonds and place in a bowl.
• To this bowl, add the drained melon seeds, drained poppy seeds, cashew nuts, fennel seeds, pepper corns and green cardamom.
• Grind all these ingredients to a paste. Add 1/4 cup of water and grind further to a smooth paste.
• Add the ground paste to the milk-sugar mixture and mix well. Place lid and leave aside for 15 min.
• In a large bowl, strain the mixture. Keep the strained liquid aside. To the residue (almond spice mixture) add 1/2 cup water and strain again into the large bowl.
• Add saffron strands and dried rose petals or rose essence to the strained liquid and mix. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
• At the time of serving, pour into serving glasses. Top with crushed pistachios, slivered almonds and one or two saffron strands.
• Serve thandai chilled.