Are niche milks reliable? Are they really nutritious or just a waste of money?

Are niche milks reliable? Are they really nutritious or just a waste of money?

Author: Ouyang Yu

The new version of the 2022 Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents recommends that people consume more milk and dairy products, thereby further optimizing the dietary structure of Chinese residents and enhancing the physical fitness of the nation[1]. As the living standards of Chinese people improve, people's demand for milk and dairy products has also changed from quantity to quality. Not only milk, but also some niche dairy products have entered our consumption field of vision. The more common niche milks include animal milks such as camel milk, yak milk, horse milk, donkey milk, and plant milks such as oat milk that are popular in the fat-loss circle.

Figure 1 Balanced Diet Pyramid for Chinese Residents

Is camel milk, which is expensive, really more nutritious than cow milk? Can oat milk really help you lose fat? Let's take a closer look today.

Table 1 Comparison of chemical composition between camel milk and other types of milk [2]

First of all, from the perspective of its composition, the average protein content in camel milk is 3.4%; fat 3.5%; lactose 4.4%; ash 0.79%, and water accounts for 87%. Of course, this composition content will fluctuate with the camel's physiological stage, feeding conditions, season, physiological changes, genetic composition and health status. In general, the protein content of camel milk is the same as that of cow's milk, but the composition is mainly casein and whey protein, lacking the main protein lactoglobulin in cow's milk that can cause allergic reactions. In this respect, camel milk has certain nutritional advantages.

Camel milk is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, long-chain fatty acids and high-molecular-weight triglycerides, which are most similar to the composition of human breast milk among common animal milks. In addition, the average size of the fat globules in camel milk is smaller and easier to digest. The lactose content is similar to that of cow milk.

Figure 2 Important differences between camel milk and cow milk [3]

In addition to the three major nutrients, camel milk contains more minerals than cow milk, such as sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, etc., especially the content of trace elements in camel milk is significantly higher. It also contains vitamins A, E, C and B1, among which the concentration of vitamin C is 2 to 3 times that of cow milk. Due to the higher content of vitamin C in camel milk, the pH value of camel milk is relatively lower, so it is more stable and can be maintained for a long time without forming a cream layer. In addition, the vitamin C content in camel milk is higher, so it has higher antioxidant activity. However, the content of vitamin A, E and B1 in camel milk is lower than that in cow milk, and it lacks the carotene contained in cow milk.

In addition, camel milk also contains various enzymes and protective proteins, such as lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, N-acetyl-β-glucosidase, peptidoglycan recognition protein, immunoglobulin and lysozyme. Therefore, camel milk has potential auxiliary therapeutic effects for certain diseases, such as antibacterial, antiviral, hypoglycemic or improvement of diabetes symptoms, anti-aging and anti-cancer, etc. The efficacy of bioactive peptides produced by camel milk protein digestion has also gradually attracted people's attention in recent years.

Table 2 Average concentrations of lactoferrin, lysozyme and immunoglobulin G in different types of milk (mg/l) [2]

Figure 3 Hydrolysis of camel milk protein and its antibacterial mechanism[3]

Looking back at the market price of camel milk, which is often hundreds of yuan, consumers can't help but wonder: Why is the price of camel milk so high? Today we might as well do a detailed calculation.

Camels give birth to calves every two years, and their lactation period can last for more than a year. Camels raised for milk production must also raise calves to achieve continuous milk production, which increases the production cost of camel milk. The purchase price of raw camel milk in China is about 10 times the price of raw cow milk. Affected by many factors such as labor costs, feed prices, climate change and a sharp increase in demand, the purchase price of raw camel milk in China has also shown an upward trend in recent years. The ex-factory cost of camel milk powder is as high as 512 yuan/kg[4].

Figure 4 China’s purchase price of raw camel milk from 2014 to 2019

In 2020, the total sales of camel dairy products in China reached 689 million US dollars. Due to market demand and the extremely high cost of raw camel milk, a few unscrupulous companies mixed cow's milk or goat's milk into camel milk to impersonate camel milk, reduce costs, increase profits, damage consumer interests, and disrupt market order. Behind the chaos in the industry is the lack of industry standards to strengthen management and purify the market. Therefore, when purchasing dairy products, pay attention to the difference between pure milk and formula milk, otherwise you will only become the "leek" to be harvested.

Why is "oat milk", another star in the milk circle, so popular among consumers in the market, and what is plant milk?

Figure 5 Common OATLY flavored oatmeal in the market

The entire production process of oat milk involves multiple steps such as grinding, enzymatic hydrolysis, homogenization, and compounding. The basic process flow is shown in Figure 6. Therefore, oat milk is just its popular name. Strictly speaking, it is just a kind of "cereal syrup" or "cereal beverage", not a traditional milk product.

Figure 6 Oat milk production process [5]

These cereal drinks differ from milk in many ways[6]. First, from a macronutrient perspective, these cereal drinks generally have lower protein content than milk, but are richer in dietary fiber and unsaturated fatty acids, and are cholesterol-free. Milk tastes better due to its naturally occurring lactose, while cereal drinks on the market often have sugar added to improve the taste (except for cereal drinks designed for fat loss). Although these cereal drinks contain higher levels of certain vitamins and minerals, their bioavailability is often lower. For example, the phytic acid in oat milk can prevent the absorption of minerals such as calcium, zinc, and iron. Therefore, from a nutritional perspective, cereal drinks are not as nutritious as milk and the cereal ingredients themselves. However, the emergence of these cereal drinks does provide an additional beverage option for people who are lactose intolerant, allergic to milk protein, or cannot choose milk due to cultural and dietary reasons.

So how should we choose among the various dairy products on the market?

First of all, we need to clarify the dietary significance of dairy products. The Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents recommends that we consume milk and dairy products in order to further optimize the dietary structure of our residents and enhance the national physique. As a dietary supplement, we cannot exaggerate the efficacy of dairy products, but should pay more attention to nutritional properties and choose dairy products that are suitable for us according to our needs. For example, people with "lactose intolerance" can choose plant milk and goat milk. Plant milk lacks lactose, while goat milk has a low lactose content and is rich in adenosine triphosphate, which can promote the conversion and decomposition of lactose. As a nutritionally comprehensive and balanced food, milk provides high-quality protein with an essential amino acid composition similar to that of the human body, which is conducive to human absorption. While being cost-effective, it can already meet the purpose of a balanced diet for most people.

In fact, a person's dietary pattern needs to be maintained for a long time. It is difficult to ensure physical health by simply strengthening the diet overnight. We need to focus on the nutrition and functionality of the product, and while pursuing more diverse sensory enjoyment and consumer experience, develop good habits of balanced and healthy eating, and be careful not to fall into consumer traps.

References:

[1] Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)

[2] Abrhaley, A., & Leta, S. (2018). Medicinal value of camel milk and meat. Journal of Applied Animal Research, 46 (1), 552-558.

[3] Swelum, AA, El-Saadony, MT, Abdo, M., Ombarak, RA, Hussein, EO, Suliman, G., ... & Abd El-Hack, ME (2021). Nutritional, antimicrobial and medicinal properties of Camel's milk: A review. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 28 (5), 3126-3136.

[4] Hu Dinghuan, Yang Weimin, Fang Cheng & Dong Xiaoxia. (2021). Economic and market analysis of camel dairy products in the world and China. China Dairy (08), 40-48.

[5] Feyza Aydar, E., Tutuncu, S., & Ozcelik, B. (2020). Plant-based milk substitutes: Bioactive compounds, conventional and novel T processes, bioavailability studies, and health effects. J. of Functional Foods, 70, 103975.

[6] Abramova, IM, Medrish, ME, Savelieva, VB, Romanova, AG, Gavrilova, DA, & Zhirova, VV (2021, February). The ionic composition of distilled beverages and its effect on their stability during storage. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science (Vol. 640, No. 6, p. 062026). IOP Publishing.

Reviewer: Mao Deqian, Researcher, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

This article is produced by Science Popularization China-Starry Sky Cultivation Program. Please indicate the source when reprinting