The benefits and drawbacks of drinking cold milk
Nov 13, 2024
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
Drinking chilled milk offers several benefits such as promoting digestion, moisturizing the intestines and relieving constipation, providing nutritional support, alleviating heat-related discomfort, and soothing the skin when used as a cold compress. However, it may also lead to certain adverse effects, including increased gastric acid secretion, abdominal discomfort, indigestion, triggering enteritis, or causing gastritis.
I. Benefits
1. Promotes digestion: Chilled milk can enhance gastrointestinal motility, thereby aiding digestion and improving symptoms of indigestion.
Drinking iced milk offers several benefits such as promoting digestion, moisturizing the intestines and relieving constipation, providing nutrition, alleviating heat discomfort, and serving as a skin coolant. However, it may also lead to adverse effects including excessive gastric acid secretion, abdominal discomfort, indigestion, intestinal inflammation, and gastritis. Therefore, it should be consumed in moderation. Specific details are as follows:
I. Benefits
1. Promotes digestion: Iced milk can increase gastrointestinal motility, aiding digestion and improving symptoms of indigestion.
2. Moisturizes intestines and relieves constipation: Iced milk enhances intestinal motility, helping to lubricate the intestines and relieve constipation.
3. Provides nutrition: Iced milk is rich in high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals. Moderate consumption supplies essential nutrients, supports bone growth and development, and helps boost immune function to some extent.
4. Alleviates heat discomfort: Iced milk accelerates dissipation of internal heat, helping to relieve discomfort caused by heat exposure and improving symptoms such as dry mouth.
5. Skin cold compress: Due to its low temperature, iced milk can be used as a cold compress. Applied to the skin, it constricts capillaries and reduces skin edema. It can provide emergency cooling after sunburn or burns, helping reduce skin damage and pain.
II. Drawbacks
1. Increased gastric acid secretion: Iced milk is relatively cold and may irritate the gastric mucosa, leading to increased gastric acid secretion and causing acid reflux.
2. Abdominal discomfort: Iced milk may stimulate the intestines, resulting in bloating and a sensation of coldness in the abdomen.
3. Indigestion: The low temperature of iced milk may impair digestive tract function, leading to indigestion symptoms such as bloating.
4. May trigger enteritis: Excessive consumption of iced milk may irritate the intestines, potentially causing congestion and inflammation.
5. May trigger gastritis: Iced milk may irritate the gastric mucosa, causing swelling and potentially leading to gastritis.
To maximize benefits and minimize risks, it is recommended to consume iced milk in moderation, adjusting the amount based on individual constitution and health status. Additionally, milk should be stored at low temperatures but not frozen, to avoid damaging the proteins and reducing its nutritional value.
