Table of contents:
- What is UHT milk?
- Does the UHT process reduce the nutrients in milk?
- Can UHT milk be consumed by children?
- Can pregnant women drink this milk?
- Tips for choosing safe UHT milk
There are many types of milk on the market. One that many people love is UHT milk. This milk is widely liked because it offers a variety of appetizing flavors. Not only that, this milk is also considered safer because it is processed with high technology. Come on, see the full review of the following UHT milk.
What is UHT milk?
Ultra High Temperature or more familiarly known as UHT is a method of processing cow's milk using high-level heating technology in a short time. The fast heating process in UHT products is also familiarly referred to as pasteurization.
In the process, cow's milk will be heated to a temperature above 138 degrees Celsius in 2-4 seconds. Now, after going through this process, the milk will be immediately packed in sterile cartons or cans. Compared to other types of milk, UHT milk has a longer shelf life. With a note, the packaging is not open.
Ideally, this type of milk can last up to 9 months without needing to be stored in the refrigerator. However, the length of the consumption period for milk is valid as long as the packaging is not opened. If the packaging has been opened, the shelf life can only last for 3-4 days.
Does the UHT process reduce the nutrients in milk?
Since this milk is processed by a high-level heating process, many people are worried about the nutritional content in UHT milk. The good news is, the process of making UHT milk does not affect nutrition or reduce the nutritional value of milk.
The heating process with high temperatures and in a short time actually aims to kill harmful microorganisms while preserving the nutrients in the milk.
Even so, the high heating process may change the fat and protein content in milk. However, there's no need to worry. The changes that occur are usually only slight, so they do not affect the intake of nutrients that will be absorbed by the body as a whole.
Can UHT milk be consumed by children?
Your child can be given UHT milk as long as the digestive system is perfect and able to digest cow's milk. UHT milk is cow's milk which has high protein and mineral consumption. If your baby's digestive system is not ready, it will only burden the kidneys that are not fully ripe.
Not only that, the imperfect lining of the digestive tract can also experience irritation due to cow's milk protein. If you have this, your little one will be more at risk of developing anemia because their digestive system has not been able to absorb food properly.
Furthermore, you must be wondering, when is the right time to give UHT milk to children. According to Rusell Harton, DO, a pediatrician at Banner Health Center in Queen Creek, Arizona told Bump that cow's milk can be given to children when they are one year old and over.
The age of 1 year is considered ideal because in general, a child's digestive system is perfect, so they are able to digest the various ingredients in cow's milk. However, not all children have the same development. Some children may not be able to digest cow's milk properly even though they are over 1 year old because they have a cow's milk allergy.
So, therefore, you should consult your doctor first before giving UHT milk to your little one.
Can pregnant women drink this milk?
Not a few expectant mothers are wondering, can they consume UHT milk? This concern sounds natural. Given that pregnancy is the most vulnerable period, many expectant mothers are more selective in choosing the foods and drinks they consume.
The good news is that pregnant women can consume this type of milk. With a note, you do not consume the milk in excess. This is not without reason. Consuming too much milk can increase calorie intake and make you gain weight. Now, if you are overweight, you will be more prone to developing gestational diabetes. Therefore, consume milk and other food products within reasonable limits.
Not only UHT milk, actually pregnant women can also drink pasteurized milk or low-fat milk. On the other hand, pregnant women are warned to avoid unpasteurized milk (raw milk). The reason is, this type of milk still contains many bacteria and microbes that are feared to infect the baby and the mother.
If you are still in doubt, you should consult your doctor first to determine what type of milk is good for you to consume during pregnancy.
Tips for choosing safe UHT milk
There are many UHT milk variants on the market, from full cream, skim milk, to low fat. The flavors offered are varied and of course tempting the taste buds.
Actually you can consume any type of UHT milk. However, make sure the milk you consume does not contain added sugars and naturally identical flavors of milk. Natural identical flavor of milk is a chemical compound to give a taste similar to compounds from natural ingredients.
Before buying this type of milk, you can pay attention to the nutritional label printed on the packaging so that you know what content I have in the milk. Apart from checking nutrition labels, it's also important to pay attention to the expiration date of the milk.
Even though it has a long shelf life, UHT milk also has an expiration date. Do not let you consume expired milk. So, pay close attention to the expiration date of the milk.
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