In recent years, niche milks such as camel milk, jersey milk, and oat milk have become popular in the circle of friends. Many businesses have also said that they are nutritious, close to human milk, and easier to digest and absorb.

How about the nutrition of these niche milks?

Is it really better than milk?

Is it worth buying?

　　1. The nutritional composition of camel milk is similar to that of cow’s milk, so it cannot be given to infants under 1 year old.

　　Many merchants say that camel milk is "rich in active factors that are lacking in other milks" and "enhances human immunity".

　　But that's not the case at all.

　　From the nutritional analysis point of view, the composition of camel milk is actually similar to the milk we usually drink. Although the content of individual nutrients, such as protein, calcium, fat, etc., is slightly different, on the whole, this difference is almost negligible.

　　As for saying that it is better than breast milk and more suitable for babies, it is a complete lie.

　　In fact, camel milk is very different from human breast milk and cannot be given directly to infants under 1 year old.

For example, the ratio of casein to whey protein in human breast milk is about 1:2, while the ratio of camel milk is about 4:1.

The lactose content of human breast milk is about 6.6%, while other milks such as camel milk are usually only 4.5%-5%.

　　Therefore, camel milk is a good animal milk, but it is not necessarily much better than cow's milk.

　　2. Jersey milk "noble"?

only appearance

　　Jersey milk is often referred to as "high-end" and "queen of milk" by merchants. In fact, these are just appearances.

The so-called Jersey milk is the milk produced by Jersey cows.

The milk we usually drink mainly comes from "black and white cows". It is the cow that everyone often sees on major TVs and the Internet. Its name is Holstein cow.

　　Compared with ordinary Holstein cows, the milk of Jersey cows is characterized by thick milk quality, milk fat and milk protein content are higher than ordinary cows, and the milk fat rate can reach 4.6%. Fat content, Jersey milk is also higher in protein.

Therefore, the milk from Jersey cows is very suitable for making butter, cream, cheese and other products.

　　However, from the perspective of daily drinking to obtain nutrition, Jersey milk is not much higher than ordinary milk. After all, you only drink 1-2 cups of milk a day, and the difference between protein and fat is only a few grams. What a difference.

　　3. Oat milk is not milk in nature, and its nutrition is worse than that of milk

　　Oat milk is a plant drink made of oat milk. It is not milk in essence, but its texture and appearance are similar to those of milk, so it is called oat "milk".

From a nutritional point of view, oat milk is rich in B vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, but compared with milk, oat milk is still worse.

　　For example, oat milk is relatively high in protein, but still less than cow and soy milk.

The calcium content and absorption rate in oat milk are much worse than cow's milk.

So oat milk is not a complete substitute for cow's milk.

　　Oat milk is lactose-free and can be used as an alternative for those who are lactose intolerant.

However, milk products such as yogurt, cheese, and Shuhua milk currently on the market also do not contain lactose, and can also be used as a choice for people who are lactose intolerant.

　　From a nutritional standpoint, these niche milks aren't better, and they don't have more health benefits.

There is no need for us to spend a lot of money on some so-called nutritional functions. The money we save is to eat meat, eggs, vegetables and other foods, so that we can achieve the same health goals by eating a balanced diet.

　　Of course, for most consumers, the first choice should be the most cost-effective milk and dairy products.

No matter what kind of milk it is, it can be part of a healthy meal, so choose whichever appeals to your taste.

　　Text / Ruan Guangfeng

　　(Director of Science and Technology Department, Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center, Master of Nutrition and Food Safety, China Agricultural University)