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Milk plays a vital role in your day-to-day life. Be it for cheese, cottage cheese, coffee or anything else, the dependency on milk is inevitable. And since there are so many types of milk available in the market, people are confused between various forms of milk and if you’re confused between homogenized milk and whole milk, then this is the article you need to read.
Many have asked if homogenized milk and whole milk same and if not, what is the difference? Today, let us talk about the same in brief. Let’s get started.
Is Homogenized Milk Whole Milk?
No, homogenized milk is not whole milk as both of them are different forms of milk in which one contains full cream whereas the other one goes through a process of dispersing cream throughout the milk equally. Let us discuss both here in detail-
What is Homogenized milk?
Homogenized milk is actually milk that contains less fat and does not form a creamy layer on top as the milk cream will get sprinkled through the milk equally. It involves a process via which they break down the fat particle and scatter it evenly in the milk.
High pressure and temperature through a machine work for homogenizing the milk required to make the milk homogenized. It not only makes it less fatty but also increases its shelf life by up to 11 days.
What are the pros and cons of Homogenized milk?
Let us talk about the advantages and disadvantages of homogenized milk-
Pros of Homogenized milk-
- It increases its shelf life- When you’re using homogenized milk, you will find that the shelf life of the homogenized milk will be much more as compared to whole or full cream milk. You can use this form of milk for up to 11 days which is not the case with any other form of milk.
- Helps in digestion- If you have an upset stomach or digestion issues, most doctors will recommend you to have homogenized milk over any other one as it really aids in stomach issues and improves digestion.
- Work well for people on diet- If you’re on a keto or any diet that requires you to have less fat, then going for homogenized milk will work for you.
- Better taste- Although this point is completely upon the choice of the consumer as per a study, most consumers have reported that they prefer homogenized milk over whole milk due to its better taste and white colour.
- Works for various recipes- If you’re keen on making food at home, you would find that there are various recipes where you require using homogenized milk and not whole ones.
Cons of Homogenized milk
- Not good for health- If you compare homogenized and non-homogenized milk, you would find that in homogenized milk, you will find small particles that can easily go into the bloodstream while digestion and that could be very harmful to your health.
- Fewer nutrients- When the milk is being processed, they are adding preservatives to increase its shelf life and also reduce a lot of nutrients, vitamins and fat that are required for your body. Therefore, if you’re consuming it for better health, it might be concerning.
What is whole milk?
Whole milk is the most undiluted form of milk available in the market. You can also consider it as full cream milk which has around 87% of water and all the nutrients, vitamins, fats and calcium.
It is the natural milk taken out from the cow that does not go under any process of making it processed, skimmed or any other form.
You will find full cream, fat and everything that the milk is supposed to contain in it. In a nutshell, it can be concluded that whole milk is surely an unadulterated form of milk.
What are the pros and cons of whole milk?
Let us talk about the benefits and disadvantages you will have from whole milk-
Pros of Whole milk
- High in nutrients- As said above, whole milk is the purest form of milk that requires no fat removal process and thus, it is high in nutrients, rich in minerals and contains all the necessary fat that is required for your body.
- Good for calcium deficiency- If someone is going through a calcium deficiency, going for whole milk is beneficial for them as it contains enough calcium, and vitamin D required.
Cons of whole milk
- High in fat- Since it contains the most amount of fat, anyone who is on a strict diet or following a calorie deficit plan will struggle to consume it. It is undoubtedly healthy but not for someone who is struggling to lose weight.
- Expensive- Even though whole milk doesn’t go through any process of skimming, it is still expensive as compared to any other form of milk.
Which is better? Homogenized milk or whole milk?
If we talk about which is a better form of milk for health, then it won’t be wrong to say that going for whole milk will be the right thing for anyone who wants to have all the nutrients, minerals and vitamin D through it.
However, if someone is on diet, consuming whole milk would not be the right choice for them. In a nutshell, we can conclude that homogenized milk is good for various recipes and for a situation where you want a longer shelf life of milk.
Wrapping up,
We hope that your confusion between whole milk and homogenized milk is clear now. However, if you’re still confused and want to know anything else related to the same, please comment and let us know the same.
FAQ
1- Do we need to boil homogenized milk?
No, you do not need to boil the homogenized milk as this milk has gone through the boiling process under high pressure already and thus, even if you consume it directly, it is okay.
2- Which is expensive? Homogenized milk or whole milk?
If you compare the prices, homogenized milk is way too cheaper than whole milk as you would have all the nutrients and fat in the whole milk which can be used in making cottage cheese, cheese, buttermilk and more.
3- Which is better in nutritional value? Homogenized milk or whole milk?
When it comes to nutritional value, one should only go with whole milk as it is full cream milk with all the nutrients. Also, homogenized milk is hazardous to your health in the longer run.
