Today is National Milk Day, the birthday of Dr. Verghese Kurien, known as the father of the Indian white revolution. National Milk Day is an idea put forward by the Indian Dairy Association. National Milk Day has been celebrated all over India since 2014. Many dairy organizations, including Amul, hold public events and Verghese Kurien commemorations across the country on this day. The idea of celebrating National Milk Day came as a prelude to the World Milk Day which has been observed since 2001. Milk and dairy products are an important food source in our healthy life. By celebrating this day, the Indian Dairy Association aims to raise awareness of the importance of milk as a balanced diet.
The dairy sector is the backbone of the Indian agricultural economy. The dairy sector is a critical factor not only in the Indian economy but also in the world economy. There are many people working in this field as a livelihood. India has made many achievements in the field of milk production. But it was a Malayalee named Verghese Kurian who took the helm of the developments in the dairy industry. He was also able to further improve the functioning of co-operative societies in the region to ensure financial security for dairy farmers.
Today our country has an excellent marketing network to procure milk from rural areas through local co-operative societies and deliver it to the same milk processing plants to make value added products. Kerala produces 26.5 lakh tonnes of milk per annum. Kerala has become self-sufficient in milk production. The government is developing various schemes for this sector. Milk and dairy products should never be left out of our lives.
Milk Nutrition Facts
Milk and dairy products are full of nutrients. Milk contains calcium, iodine, phosphorus and vitamins B2,B12 which are essential for the growth of children. Drinking milk helps in good digestion. The tryptophan contained in milk, as serotonin, provides energy and rejuvenation to the body. Calcium in milk is good for bones and teeth. It is also good for eye health as it is rich in Vitamin A. The potassium contained in it keeps the blood pressure from rising. An adult should drink at least 150 ml of milk daily. 100 ml of cow's milk contains 87.8 g of water.
The milk contains 4.8 g of starch, 3.9 g of fat and 3.2 g of protein. It also contains 120 mg of calcium and 14 mg of cholesterol. (The presence of starch here is in the form of lactose). 100 ml of cow's milk contains 66 calories. Drinking a glass of warm milk before going to bed is good for health. Milk can be used to prevent even depression. Not only this, with the help of milk you can do wonders for your memory. So make glass of milk a part of your lifestyle though ..
