Cow milk healthier and cheaper than formula milk, says ‘Which?’

Britain’s top consumer body ‘Which?’ has come up with the assertion that cow’s full cream milk for toddlers and cow’s full fat organic milk is healthier and cheaper than toddler formula milk. This also applies to cow’s double toned milk nutrition. The leading consumer rights watchdog has said that formula milk is usually marketed with the promise of increased vitamins and minerals, which may be misleading. The agency said that such nutrients can easily be derived through natural food sources and there was no need to opt for chemically created compounds added to toddler formula milk. Long term effects of such chemicals have not been properly tested, so it makes sense to go for natural food items such as cow’s milk.

Providing the details, a spokesman from ‘Which?’ said that toddler formula milk has been found to be insufficient in meeting the daily calcium needs of growing children in the age group of 1 to 3 years old. In laboratory tests, calcium in such products have been found to be just 86 mg per 100 ml, which is much less than cow’s full cream milk for toddlers and cow’s full fat organic milk that has 122 mg of calcium per 100 ml. As such, cow’s milk is better suited for toddlers who need calcium for healthy growth of their bones and teeth and several other important functions inside the body. If we look at cows double toned milk nutrition, we see that it too has more calcium than formula milk.

Another significant benefit is that cow’s milk is a lot cheaper than formula milk. ‘Which?’ studied the consumption patterns and costs associated with formula milk and cow’s milk and found some important insights. At the recommended daily consumption of 500 ml of formula milk, the cost worked out to be £1.63 a day or £593.53 a year. In comparison, the cost for cow’s full cream milk for toddlers and cow’s full fat organic milk at the government-recommended consumption of 300 ml per day worked out at just 17p a day or £62 a year. This translates into cost savings of around £531 (~INR 46,000), which is a significant amount.

Consumer watchdogs have known it for a long time that formula milk is just a formula to fool unsuspecting customersand make loads of money. People are often swayed by misleading claims and fancy product marketing. The truth is that cow’s full cream milk for toddlers and cow’s full fat organic milk is the healthiest and cheapest option for your child.