You might be curious about how boiling might alter milk if you heat it for health or culinary purposes. In actuality, the nutritional composition and health advantages of boiled milk differ from those of milk consumed directly from the carton. The nutritional advantages of boiled milk are examined in this article, along with reasons why you may or may not choose to boil your milk before drinking it.
- Why Should You Boil Milk?
- How Boiling Changes Nutrition Levels in Dairy Milk?
- Merits and Demerits of Boiling Dairy Milk
- What is the best way to Boil Milk?
- Wrapping Up
Why Should You Boil Milk?
Cow’s milk reaches a boiling temperature of around 203°F (95°C).
Because of this, adding milk to a recipe that will be cooked or baked, like one for pudding or cake, will theoretically cause the milk to boil.
In order to eradicate bacteria and avoid foodborne illnesses, some people additionally boil milk. But that’s not essential.
Commercially manufactured dairy milk is already pasteurized. It’s not necessarily boiled, but heated to a temperature high enough to destroy any dangerous pathogens, typically 161°F (71.7°C) for 15 seconds.
So, unless the milk is raw, or unpasteurized, you don’t need to boil it for safety concerns. If so, bringing it to a boil or just below a boil will effectively remove most bacteria levels.
How Boiling Changes Nutrition Levels in Dairy Milk?
An extremely nutrient-rich food is milk. It has a well-balanced ratio of excellent protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
It also provides a wealth of essential vitamins and minerals. Whole milk in a 1-cup (237-mL) serving has the following benefits:
- Calories: 146
- Protein: 8 grams
- Carbs: 11.4 grams
- Fat: 8 grams
- Calcium: 300 mg (23% of the Daily Value (DV))
- Riboflavin: 0.337 mg (26% of the DV)
- Vitamin D: 2.68 mcg (13% of the DV)
- Phosphorus: 246 mg (20% of the DV)
- Vitamin B12: 1.32 mcg (55% of the DV)
Regular pasteurization temperatures did not significantly alter the nutritious content of milk, according to research comparing changes in vitamin and mineral concentrations in raw vs heated milk.
However, pasteurization at extremely high temperatures (UHT) alters the number of numerous vitamins. Through this technique, milk is heated to 275–302°F (135–150°C) over its boiling point. Milk proteins are also changed by boiling. Whey and casein are the two main proteins found in milk.
In milk, casein makes up around 80% of the protein, whereas whey makes up about 20%. Even at boiling temperatures, the casein in milk is largely stable. Even before reaching the boiling point of milk, heating whey protein will alter its structure. Lactose, the main carbohydrate found in milk, is heat-sensitive. When milk is heated to a boil, some of the lactose transforms into non-digestible sugar lactulose and other substances.
Additionally, milk lipids are slightly altered by boiling. Various short, medium, and long-chain fatty acids can be found in milk. Boiling makes the total fat level steady, however certain long-chain lipids could change into short- and medium-chain fats.
Merits and Demerits of Boiling Dairy Milk
Boiling milk has advantages and disadvantages. What you hope to gain from drinking milk will determine whether you should boil it.
Adds on Fat Content
Boiling milk may add extra short and medium-chain fatty acids that have health advantages.
For the cells in your stomach, short-chain lipids are a crucial source of energy. They lessen the risk of colon cancer and are linked to greater gut health. According to certain research, short-chain lipids may also contribute to healthier blood pressure, blood sugar, and body weight.
Medium-chain fats are metabolized by the body in a different way than other fats. The body swiftly absorbs them and converts them into energy, as opposed to conserving them. According to some research, switching to medium-chain fats from long-chain fats in your diet may somewhat enhance your calorie burn and aid in weight loss (9Trusted Source).
Increases Tolerance
People with milk protein allergies or lactose intolerance may find it easier to digest milk because of the changes in protein and lactose that take place when milk is boiled.
364 proteins were found in milk according to a study on heat treatments and milk proteins. 23 of the proteins were significantly reduced after boiling. It may be for this reason that some studies have found that children with milk allergies can occasionally eat cooked or baked dishes containing milk.
According to a study of 134 milk-allergic kids, 69% of them could tolerate some types of cooked milk. Boiling milk also reduces some of the lactose content in milk. Boiling transforms it into various acids and lactulose, a sugar type that humans cannot absorb.
However, it’s vital to be aware that boiling milk might not make enough of a difference for people with lactose intolerance or a milk protein allergy to safely eat milk.
Reduces Nutritional Value
Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, B6, and B12 are among the B vitamins that are sensitive to heat and light. In one investigation, the vitamin content of milk after boiling was examined. According to the study, heating milk causes levels of all B vitamins to drop by at least 24%. Folic acid levels dropped by 36%.
With the exception of the B vitamin riboflavin, milk is not a substantial source of B vitamins in the diets of the majority of people, despite the fact that this is significant. Together with other B vitamins, riboflavin helps your body turn the food you eat into energy. Since you may receive riboflavin from numerous meals, it is uncommon to have a deficiency.
Even yet, milk is a significant source of riboflavin, particularly in the diets of kids. Milk loses 27% of its riboflavin concentration when it is boiled.
Additionally, the body digests and retains less protein from milk due to structural changes in specific milk proteins. In one study of 25 participants, it was discovered that those who drank UHT pasteurized milk retained 12% less protein than those who drank standard pasteurized milk.
Boiling milk may result in you getting less protein than you’d want if you rely on it as a source of protein.
Change in Taste and Quality
Boiling milk can cause the Maillard reaction, which results in a small change in flavor and darker color. When food is cooked, proteins and carbohydrates combine in a chemical reaction.
If you flavor your milk or use it in cooking, the changes in flavor and color might not be discernible. Your milk may taste and appear slightly different after it has been cooked if you choose to drink it straight.
Therefore, boiling milk has benefits and drawbacks. Less riboflavin and digestible protein will be consumed, while additional short- and medium-chain fats may be advantageous. Those who are lactose intolerant and/or allergic to milk may be able to tolerate boiled milk better.
What is the best way to Boil Milk?
Although boiling milk may seem straightforward, whether you plan to drink it or use it in a recipe, there is an art to boiling milk properly that involves both science and math.
Water, lipids, carbohydrates, and protein make up milk. When heated, the other ingredients start to separate and the water begins to evaporate.
It can burn the sugars and curdle the whey protein if it is brought to a boil too rapidly. This makes the bottom of your pan scorch and the top of your pan develop skin. The foam that rises on top of boiling milk can soon spill over and leave your cooktop in a very burnt mess.
It’s preferable to warm milk gradually over medium heat, stirring it while it does so.
It’s better to heat milk gradually over medium heat while stirring it throughout the boiling process. Milk’s water, carbohydrates, fat, and protein are held together by gentle heating and stirring.
Turn off the heat as soon as you notice bubbles beginning to form around the pot’s rims and a few in the center.
The likelihood that you may denature the proteins in the milk and induce curdling increases with the temperature of the milk. You’re also more likely to observe flavor and color changes caused by the Maillard reaction while cooking at a higher heat.
When your milk starts to cool, keep stirring it. That should stop the milk from developing skin on top of it. If it does form, eating it is completely safe. However, you can skim it off and remove it if you don’t like the chewy texture.
Wrapping Up
It’s not always safer to consume pasteurized milk after boiling it. The nutritional advantages of boiling milk may outweigh the downsides.
These have a greater amount of short and medium-chain fats, which may aid in the promotion of weight loss and improved gastrointestinal and metabolic health.
There is a possibility that those with lactose intolerance and milk allergies may be able to take it better than conventional pasteurized milk straight from the carton because it has less lactose and some of the proteins have been inactivated. It’s not a given, though.
On the other hand, boiling milk can have certain unfavorable consequences. In particular, it offers less protein and B vitamins.
Therefore, the answer to the question “what do you need from milk?” will be the guide as to whether you should boil milk or not. So, check your health requirements before putting the pan or milk on the oven!
