Is cow’s full fat organic milk healthy for toddlers?

Time and again, someone will put up this question to you – Is cow’s full fat organic milk healthy for toddlers or one should opt for double toned milk nutrition? Some people may also enquire about the applicability of plant based milk products in comparison to full cream milk for toddlers. Conventional wisdom definitely favors cow’s full cream milk, but one should not stop there, and rather, look at what science has to say about the debate.

Recent scientific studies have revealed that cow’s full fat organic milk is rich in natural calcium, Vitamin D, protein and healthy fats. A glass of cow’s milk contains nearly 40% of the daily recommended calcium intake for 1-3 year old kids and nearly 20% of the recommended Vitamin D. There’s ample amount of proteins and healthy fats as well. According to guidelines issued by the US Department of Agriculture, toddlers need to consumer around 2-3 cups of milk or milk products on a daily basis.

On the other hand, if we look at plant based milk products such as almond milk, soy milk, etc., studies have revealed that these contain added sugar, which can create health risks for toddlers. Currently, there’s a worldwide campaign against sugar and added sugar in food products, as it has been linked with increased risk of metabolic disorders such as heart disease, hypertension and obesity. Something that is not good for adults is likely to have negative consequences for toddlers as well.

As can be seen from above research findings, cow’s full cream milk for toddlers is still the best choice in terms of nutrition. You can ignore conventional wisdom, but it would not be wise to overlook scientific research findings that prove the health benefits of cow’s milk. As a country, we have known the benefits of cow’s milk since ages and now we have science on our side to substantiate our claims.