Baby and cow's milk. Is cow's milk okay for children? Should they drink it in its pure form? At what age and in what form can children be given milk?

All adults and children, with rare exceptions, know the common and cheerful saying - “Drink milk, children, you will be healthy!”... However, nowadays, thanks to many scientific research, the positive overtones of this statement have faded significantly - it turns out that not all adults and children actually benefit from milk. Moreover, in some cases, milk is not only not healthy, but also dangerous to health! So can children have milk or not?

Dozens of generations have grown up with the conviction that animal milk is one of the “cornerstones” of human nutrition, in other words, one of the most important and healthy products in the diet of not only adults, but also children almost from birth. However, in our time, many black spots have appeared on the white reputation of milk...

Can children have milk? Age matters!

It turns out that each human age has its own special relationship with cow’s milk (and by the way, not only cow’s milk, but also goat’s, sheep’s, camel’s, etc.). And these relationships are regulated primarily by the ability of our digestive system to efficiently digest this very milk.

The point is that milk contains a special milk sugar- lactose (in the precise language of scientists, lactose is a carbohydrate of the disaccharide group). To break down lactose, a person needs a sufficient amount of a special enzyme - lactase.

When a baby is born, the production of the lactase enzyme in his body is extremely high - thus nature “thought out” so that the child could receive maximum benefits and nutrients from breast milk your mother.

But with age, the activity of production of the lactase enzyme in the human body greatly decreases (by the age of 10-15, in some adolescents it practically disappears).

This is why modern medicine does not encourage the consumption of milk (not fermented milk products, but the milk itself!) by adults. Nowadays, doctors agree that drinking milk does more harm to human health than good...

And here a reasonable question arises: if in a newborn baby and a baby up to one year old, the production of the lactase enzyme is maximum for its entire future life, does this mean that, if it is not possible, it is healthier to feed infants “live” cow’s milk rather than from a can?

It turns out - no! Drinking cow's milk is not only not good for the health of young children, but moreover, it is fraught with a lot of dangers. Which ones?

Is milk allowed for children under one year of age?

Fortunately or unfortunately, in the minds of a large number of adults (especially those who live in rural areas) V last years There is a stereotype that if a young mother does not have her own milk, the baby can and should be fed not with formula from a can, but with diluted village cow or goat milk. Like, it’s more economical, and “closer” to nature, and it’s healthier for the growth and development of a child - after all, this is how people have acted since time immemorial!..

But in fact, the consumption of milk from farm animals by infants (that is, children under one year old) carries a huge risk for children's health!

For example, one of the main problems of using cow's milk (or goat, mare, reindeer - it doesn't matter) in the nutrition of children in the first year of life - in almost 100% of cases.

How does this happen? The fact is that rickets, as is widely known, occurs against the background of a systematic lack of vitamin D. But even if the baby is, in fact, given additionally this invaluable vitamin D from birth, but at the same time feed him cow’s milk (which, by the way, itself is a generous source of vitamin D), then any efforts to prevent rickets will be in vain - the phosphorus contained in milk, alas, will become the culprit of constant and total loss of calcium and that same vitamin D.

The table below of the composition of human breast milk and cow's milk clearly illustrates which of them is the undisputed champion in calcium and phosphorus content.

If a baby under one year of age uses cow's milk, he receives almost 5 times more calcium than he needs, and phosphorus - almost 7 times more than normal. And if excess calcium is eliminated from the baby’s body without problems, then in order to remove significant excess phosphorus, the kidneys have to use both calcium and vitamin D. Thus, the more milk the baby consumes, the more acute shortage vitamin D and calcium are tested by his body.

So it turns out: if a child eats cow's milk for up to a year (even as complementary foods), he does not receive the calcium he needs, but on the contrary, he loses it constantly and in large quantities.

And along with calcium, it also loses invaluable vitamin D, against the background of which deficiency the baby inevitably develops rickets. As for infant formulas, all of them, without exception, are deliberately removed from all excess phosphorus - they are, by definition, healthier for feeding infants than whole cow's (or goat's) milk.

And only when children outgrow the age of 1 year, only then do their kidneys mature so much that they are able to remove excess phosphorus without depriving the body of the calcium and vitamin D it needs. And, accordingly, cow’s milk (as well as goat’s and any other milk of animal origin) From harmful products in the children's menu it turns into a useful and important product.

Second serious problem which occurs when infants are fed cow's milk -. As can be seen from the table, the iron content in women's breast milk is slightly higher than in cow's milk. But even the iron that is still present in the milk of cows, goats, sheep and other farm animals is not absorbed by the child’s body at all - therefore, the development of anemia when fed with cow’s milk is almost guaranteed.

Milk in the diet of children after one year

However, the taboo on drinking milk in a child’s life is a temporary phenomenon. Already when the baby passes the one-year mark, his kidneys become a fully formed and mature organ, electrolyte metabolism substances are normalized and excess phosphorus in milk becomes no longer so dangerous for him.

And starting from the age of one year, it is quite possible to introduce whole cow’s or goat’s milk into a child’s diet. And if in the period from 1 to 3 years its quantity should be regulated - daily norm fits into about 2-4 glasses of whole milk - then after 3 years the child is free to drink as much milk a day as he wants.

Strictly speaking, whole cow's milk is not vital for children and must-have product nutrition - all the benefits it contains can be obtained by the child from other products.

Therefore, doctors insist that drinking milk is determined only by the baby’s preferences: if he loves milk, and if he does not experience any discomfort after drinking it, then let him drink for his health! And if he doesn’t love you, or worse than that- feels bad from milk, then your first parental concern is to convince your grandmother that children can grow up healthy, strong and happy even without milk...

So, let’s briefly repeat which children can enjoy milk completely uncontrollably, which should drink it under the supervision of their parents, and which should be completely deprived of this product in their diet:

Children from 0 to 1 year: milk is dangerous to their health and is not recommended even in small quantities (since the risk of developing rickets and anemia is extremely high);
Children from 1 to 3 years: milk can be included in children's menu, but it is better to give it to a child in limited quantities (2-3 glasses per day);
Children from 3 years to 13 years: at this age, milk can be consumed according to the principle “as much as he wants, let him drink as much”;
Children over 13 years old: after 12-13 years in the human body, the production of the lactase enzyme begins to gradually fade away, and therefore modern doctors insist on extremely moderate consumption of whole milk and the transition to exclusively fermented milk products, in which the fermentation processes have already “worked” to break down milk sugar.

Modern doctors believe that after the age of 15, in approximately 65% of the world's inhabitants, the production of the enzyme that breaks down milk sugar decreases to negligible levels. Which could potentially cause all sorts of problems and diseases in the gastrointestinal tract. This is why drinking whole milk adolescence(and then in adulthood) is considered in terms of modern medicine unwanted.

Useful facts about milk for children and more

In conclusion, here are a few little known facts regarding cow's milk and its consumption, especially by children:

1 When boiled, milk retains all proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as calcium, phosphorus and other minerals. However, they are killed harmful bacteria and vitamins are destroyed (which, to be fair, has never been the main benefit of milk). So if you doubt the origin of milk (especially if you bought it at the market, in the “private sector”, etc.), be sure to boil it before giving it to your child.
2 It is advisable not to give a child aged 1 to 4-5 years milk whose fat content exceeds 3%.
3 Physiologically human body It is quite possible to live your entire life without whole milk, while maintaining both health and activity. In other words, there are no substances in animal milk that are essential for humans.
4 If, then immediately after recovery, milk should be completely excluded from his diet for about 2-3 weeks. The fact is that for some time the rotavirus in the human body “turns off” the production of the lactose enzyme - the same one that breaks down milk sugar lactase. In other words, if a child after suffering from rotavirus is fed dairy products (including breast milk!), this is guaranteed to add several digestive ailments to him in the form of indigestion, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea, etc.
5 Several years ago, one of the most respected medical research centers in the world - Harvard Medical School - officially excluded whole milk of animal origin from the list of products beneficial to human health. Research has accumulated confirming that regular and overuse milk has a positive effect on the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, as well as on the occurrence of diabetes and even cancer. However, even doctors from the prestigious Harvard School explained that moderate and periodic consumption of milk is completely acceptable and safe. The point is that milk has long been mistakenly considered one of the most important products for human life, health and longevity, but today it has lost this privileged status, as well as its place in the daily diet of adults and children.

To answer these questions, let's compare the composition of one hundred grams of human breast milk with one hundred grams of cow's milk.

Squirrels. 3.2 g in cow's milk and 1.2 g in women's milk. The difference is three times. Protein is a building material necessary for growth. A calf doubles its weight in a month and a half, a baby in six months. The baby's body cannot absorb such an amount of protein. In addition, the composition of proteins is very different.

Human milk contains only about 30% casein. Cow's milk contains 80% casein. This protein, when curdled, forms large, coarse flakes; it is difficult for the child to digest and can cause digestive disorders.

Consumption of whole cow's milk can cause microhemorrhages in the intestines and, as a result, anemia in the child.

Excess protein overloads the child's kidneys, which are still immature. But the most important thing is that excess protein consumption contributes to the formation of more fat cells in the first year of life. Which significantly increases the risk of developing obesity and diseases associated with it, such as diabetes And cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, in the absence of breast milk, the most close attention A caring mother should pay attention to the level of protein in the child’s diet.

Fats. 3.5 g in cow's milk and 4.3 g in human milk. It seems to be a close indicator, but the composition of fats is very different.

Linoleic acid occupies 13.6% of all fats in human milk and only 3.8% in cow's milk. But linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid; it is not synthesized in the body. Many mothers know this acid by its commercial name Omega-6; it is vital for proper development brain and metabolism.

Carbohydrates. 4.5 g in cow's milk and 7 g in women's milk. A significant portion of carbohydrates is lactose. There are two types of lactose. Cow's milk contains more easily digestible α-lactose. The female contains more β-lactose, it is absorbed more slowly and due to this it reaches the large intestine, where it serves as food for beneficial bacteria.

Calcium and phosphorus. The amount of calcium in cow's milk is 120 mg and 25 mg in women's milk, and phosphorus is 95 mg in cow's milk and 13 mg in women's milk. Why is there so much calcium in cow's milk? The calf grows quickly and needs calcium to build its skeleton. For the absorption of calcium from food, it is extremely important in what ratio it is with phosphorus.

Breast milk has an optimal ratio of 2:1. This means that for every 2 molecules of calcium there is 1 molecule of phosphorus. Therefore, calcium is well absorbed from breast milk. In cow's milk the ratio is almost 1:1. Therefore, despite the fact that there is a lot of calcium in cow's milk, it is poorly absorbed. A large number of calcium is not absorbed, but remains in the intestinal lumen, which makes the child’s stool very dense. The result is sad: constipation, microflora disorders, rickets, osteoporosis, dental problems.

Vitamin E. 0.18 mg in cow's milk and 0.63 mg in human milk. A lack of vitamin E reduces immunity and increases the risk of disease. Necessary for proper formation nervous system and the baby's brain.

Potassium, sodium and chlorine. There are almost three times more of them in cow's milk than in women's milk. Excess minerals overload the kidneys and cause swelling.

Iron, magnesium, sulfur, manganese and zinc. Their content in cow's milk is several times lower than in women's milk. Lack of iron causes anemia.

Cow's milk is a valuable food product, an essential source of calcium, minerals, vitamins. However, it is not absorbed in the same way by all people. Drinking milk sometimes causes indigestion and allergies even in adults. Cow's milk is very different in composition from women's milk, and the child's digestive organs and kidneys are not so developed to cope with the full processing of all its components (proteins, fats, minerals). It is necessary to accustom a child to a new product carefully, taking into account the peculiarities of physiological development.

The calcium content in cow's milk is 4 times, and phosphorus - 3 times more than in women's milk. These elements are necessary for development bone tissue, teeth, formation nerve cells, but their excess is just as harmful as their deficiency. In order to remove excess from the body, the child’s kidneys must work in an enhanced mode.
The proteins contained in the drink are less digestible than the proteins in mother's milk. They accumulate in the body, irritating the intestinal mucosa. The child develops abdominal pain, constipation, or diarrhea. An allergic reaction occurs.
When consuming cow's milk, young children may develop anemia (anemia, lack of hemoglobin in the blood). This also applies to older children (up to 2 years old). Anemia is caused by poor absorption of cow's milk by the child's body. Gastrointestinal bleeding often occurs due to damage to small vessels by undigested food. At the same time, the level of hemoglobin and the concentration of red blood cells in the blood decrease. To eliminate bleeding, you must stop taking the product completely. The child requires treatment with iron supplements.
In some children's bodies there is insufficient output lactase (a special enzyme that breaks down milk sugar - lactose). When consuming cow's milk, due to the inability to fully assimilate it, the child may have poor digestion of food, which leads to the appearance of various types of dermatoses, as well as unpleasant odor from mouth.

The whole product should not be given to children under 1 year of age, even in diluted form. If breast-feeding is not produced, then you can use special infant formulas, the composition of which is close to the composition of human milk (the content of phosphorus and calcium is normal, the content of iron, zinc, iodine and other microelements is increased).

Video: Dairy nutrition. Benefits and harms for children, says Dr. Komarovsky

Types of milk

Based on fat content, the product is divided into the following types:

full-fat milk (contains from 3.2 to 4% fat);
low fat (2%);
removed.

You can give cow's milk to your baby when he turns 1 year old. Until 2 years of age, it must be fatty, since it contains quite a lot of amino acids that affect the development of nervous tissue and the brain. After 2 years, you can use a low-fat product, yogurt, kefir.

What is the child's body need for milk?

After 1 year, it is one of the main suppliers of calcium to the child’s body. Kidneys and digestive system already developed enough to cope with the processing of cow's milk. At the age of 1-1.5 years, a child should drink 400-450 ml of the drink per day, and from 1.5 to 3 years, up to 600 ml can be given (taking into account adding it to porridge and consuming fermented milk products).

What kind of milk can be given to children?

Children should not be given raw or new milk. It contains microorganisms that cause such serious illnesses, like tuberculosis, brucellosis. In its raw form, it can cause dysentery and other intestinal infections. At the same time, when boiling, the value of the product is significantly reduced, as many vitamins are destroyed. Therefore, pasteurized cow's milk is the healthiest and safest for children.

For children with a lack of lactase in the body, a special drink is produced to which this enzyme is added. You can make this product yourself. To do this, lactase is added in the form of tablets or drops. If there are allergies, it is recommended that children be given substitutes (soy, rice milk) containing sufficient amounts of vitamins and proteins. However, their calorie content is low.

Disadvantages and advantages of goat milk

In terms of its nutritional properties, goat's milk is not inferior to cow's milk. Percentage of irreplaceable fatty acids, which are necessary for a person, but are not contained in the body, are higher in it. The fats contained here are easier to digest. It doesn't cause allergic reactions. Therefore, the product is recommended for children suffering from cow's milk allergies.

The disadvantage of goat's milk is that it contains too little folic acid, which is necessary for the absorption of vitamins, as well as for the formation of red blood cells. This is fraught with the appearance of anemia. Products sold in stores are usually labeled "with added folic acid" on packaging. If there is no label, then when drinking this drink you should give it to your child. folic acid separately.