Nutrition Carabao’s Milk Essay

Carabao’s milk contains protein, fat, lactose, vitamins, minerals and water making it the â€Å"most complete food†, according to the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC). Carabao’s milk is richer and creamier compared to goat’s and cow’s milk due to its high content of milk fat which is a good source of energy that unknowingly among Filipinos, this dairy product produced by carabao could be the solution to the alarming malnutrition problem among their children, it said in a statement reaching here over the week. The Senate Economic Planning Office (SEPO) estimates that today, the number of underweight children is about eight million, up tremendously from 6. 68 million in 2001. Of the 2001 SEPO figure on Filipino children’s malnutrition, 3. 67 million of these kids belonged to the five years old and below bracket and 3. 07 were aged between six and 10 years old. The PCC said that the carabao’s milk can be of great help in eradicating malnutrition. â€Å"Nutrient-wise, it is better compared with the array of cola and other commercial drinks in the market. In drinking carabao’s milk, we are not only getting the needed nutrients for our bodies but we are also supporting our local dairy industry. † Nutritionists claim it contains riboflavin or vitamin B2 needed for normal growth, the agent against skin swelling, inflammation of the lining of mouth and tongue, and dizziness. Its vitamin A content is good for clearing eyesight while the vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus are valuable for strong teeth and bones. Like most fresh milk, carabao’s milk also spoils easily. As such, the PCC recommends three steps to maintain the freshness of carabao’s milk. The first thing to do is to store the fresh milk inside an ice box or refrigerator immediately after milking. Then, the fresh milk must be pasteurized or cooked to kill the microbes and for it to be safe to drink. Finally, it must be stored properly. If not consumed completely, fresh milk must be stored in an ice box or refrigerator to control the spread of microbes that are not killed during the pasteurization process. Carabao’s milk can also be processed into chocolate-flavored milk, pastilles de leche or milk candy, kesong puti (white cheese), milk-o-jel, condensed milk, cheese spread, ice cream, mozzarella, or rennet (coagulated milk).