Don’t skim on milk, the nutritious option that will never leave you feeling sour

LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – It is often the first thing we look for when opening the fridge and it is one of the most natural food products around.

But it is also something that many of us take for granted. That is a great pity, because milk has many uses and qualities.

Indeed, milk is drunk in countries the world over and is perhaps second only to water in terms of its importance and popularity.

It has come to be known as the ‘breakfast food’, finding its place amidst bread, cereals, tea and coffee.

Although often used in baking and cooking, it is also found in dairy-based products such as butter, cheese, yoghurt, ice cream, smoothies and chocolate, or of course, added to cereal, tea and coffee.

When it comes to cooking, milk can be used in just about everything sweet and savoury.
It is a staple ingredient of soup, scrambled eggs, custard and porridge, cakes and even some sweets.

Not many are aware of this, but thawing frozen fish in milk infuses it with a rich flavour.
It is often said that milk is beneficial for health and with good reason – it is filled with nutritional goodness.

For example, it contains calcium, which helps to keep bones healthy.

It is also packed with the power of protein with all the essential amino acids and it comprises potassium which is necessary for muscle growth, repair and body function.
Interestingly, milk can also help reduce stress and aid sleep.

A glass of warm milk before bedtime is a long-standing tradition for many and it is also an energy-booster.

A balanced diet is always essential for health and making milk part of it will assist in achieving that harmony.

The settling down of historic nomadic tribes had a lot to do with the resulting agriculture revolution that led to the domestication of cattle and livestock.

Animals such as cows were kept mainly for their milk and, if the occasion called for it, their meat.

The methods of collection and usage of milk have changed over the years and have both improved and multiplied as better technologies came to the fore.

Milk has often also been used as a key ingredient in beauty products such as soap and still is to this day.

This is because of its rich and creamy base. Soaking or applying milk on the hands has a softening effect on them because of its moisturising properties.

In ancient Egypt, of course, it was reserved for royalty and the very wealthy, no doubt for all those milk-laden beauty baths.

The good news is that these days, milk is readily available in most supermarkets and stores and local, long-life brands such as Zammilk can be bought for as low as K12.

Here are some further uses of milk:

1. Easing the after-effects of hot or spicy food.
2. Soothing the effects of sunburn and insect bites.
3. Dispelling unwanted kitchen odours by adding a drop or two of vanilla essence to a pan of boiling milk. The best part is you can safely drink it afterwards!
4. As a natural fertiliser – those with green fingers should dilute one part milk and one part water and then spray sparingly to plant.

A recent trend is the rise of products such as flavoured milk, where the taste of banana, strawberry or chocolate are added.

Milk’s many uses can be overlooked, but with some imagination and careful storage, it is coming into its own, and not just in the breakfast bowl or coffee cup.

With all these other benefits that it offers, there is no excuse not to reach for that little bit extra next time you visit the supermarket!

Dairy cows at Zambeef’s Kalundu Farm	Zamzip being made at Zambeef’s state-of-the art processing plant
Zammilk: the best start to the day

About Zambeef Products Plc

Zambeef Products Plc is the largest integrated cold chain food products and agribusiness company in Zambia and one of the largest in the region, involved in the primary production, processing, distribution and retailing of beef, chicken, pork, milk, eggs, dairy products, fish, flour and stockfeed, throughout Zambia and the surrounding region, as well as Nigeria and Ghana.

The Group is also one of the largest cereal row cropping operations in Zambia, with approximately 7,787 hectares of row crops under irrigation which are planted twice a year, and a further 8,694 hectares of rainfed/dry-land crops available for planting each year.

The company slaughters around 78,000 beef cattle, 7.3 million chickens and 60,000 pigs per annum, while also processing 19 million litres of milk, producing 154,000 tons of stockfeed, 69 million eggs, 68,000 pairs of shoes and processes 100,000 hides in its tannery per year.
It has 195 retail outlets throughout Zambia and West Africa.

Zambeef employs over 7,000 people with a total of K357 million paid in remuneration and benefits in the last year.

More information is available at www.zambeefplc.com