There’s no denying that milk is extremely nutritious. It’s a good source of calcium, which is important for healthy bones and teeth. To keep healthy and fit, doctors recommend drinking milk every day. But, if you have to choose between cow and buffalo milk, which is the better option? Both forms of milk have their advantages and disadvantages. Let’s have a look at the main differences between the two.
The fat content of the milk is what determines its consistency. When compared to buffalo milk with 7-8% fat, cow milk has a lower fat content that is 3-4% making the former thicker in composition. Because buffalo milk is thick, it takes longer to digest and keeps you satiated for longer. In spite of being thicker, cow milk is preferred over buffalo milk in a number of cases. Following are the reasons:
- Cow milk fat and protein are more easily absorbed than buffalo milk fat and protein.
- Cow milk also contains a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals.
- Buffalo milk is harmful to children’s development, and only cow milk is beneficial. Buffalo milk is high in fat, which is difficult for infants to absorb leading to stomach ailments and diarrhea.
- Cow milk fats and buffalo milk fats have different digestion characteristics.Cow ghee has a higher amount of volatile and soluble acids, making it more easily digestible.
- Cow milk is better for patients than buffalo milk since it is more easily absorbed.
- Cow milk is beneficial to children’s intellectual development.
Every individual requires water, thus if you want to enhance your water intake, choose cow milk. Cow milk contains around 90% water and is a good source of hydration.
Buffalo milk is higher in protein than that of a cow by 10-11 percent. It can withstand higher temperatures. Newborns or the elderly should not consume buffalo milk due to its high protein content.
Both types of milk have different cholesterol levels. Buffalo milk has a low cholesterol content, making it a good pick for persons suffering from PCOD, hypertension, kidney issues, and obesity.
Because buffalo milk is heavy in protein and fat, it naturally includes more calories. A cup of buffalo milk has 237 calories and a cup of cow milk has 148 calories.
In comparison to cow’s, you can store buffalo milk for a longer amount of time. This is due to the high peroxidase activity of buffalo milk, which is an enzyme. You must consume cow milk within 1-2 days from its procurement.
Do you know, milk is good for your Brain. Read this to know how milk helps in brain functionalities.
Buffalo milk is creamy white, while the same from cow is yellowish-white. The beta-carotene pigment in buffalo milk transforms to colorless Vitamin A, making it less yellowish than the other variant. This happens in cow milk as well, albeit in less amounts.
If you want to have a nice night’s sleep, drink buffalo milk. You can use the buffalo milk to make khoa, dahi, paneer, kheer, payasam, malai, kulfi, and ghee. Because it is less creamy and thick, sweets are preferably made from cow milk. Do you know the benefits of Ghee? Read this to know about it!
The nutritional content of both is virtually identical. Buffalo milk is beneficial to bone health, dental health, cardiovascular health, and weight gain. Cow’s milk is good for healthy bones, teeth, and obesity reduction in youngsters, as well as thyroid and heart protection. So the choice is yours. Make the choice wisely based on your requirements and health conditions.
