World Milk Day: Ideal Requirement Of Milk As Per Age

Every year, 26 November is observed as National Milk Day in India. India, the largest milk-producing country celebrates this day to demonstrate the importance of milk. National Milk Day was established in 2014 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation to commemorate Dr. Varghese Kurien, who is the father of India's White Revolution.

The nutritional and health benefits that come with the drinking of milk on a daily basis are plenty. Milk is rich in vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin D, calcium, protein, carbohydrates, phosphorous, magnesium and zinc.

Though the benefits are plenty, there has been a lot of confusion over the ideal quantity of milk that needs to be consumed by different age groups to attain its maximum benefits.

There is a general tendency among all of us that we drink it as and when we feel like and administer the same to kids as well.

Also Read: Best Time To Drink Milk According To Ayurveda

Milk is the ultimate source of calcium that helps you to get rid of several health ailments. It is considered as one of the best sources of calcium that is required for bone health, healthy teeth, rehydration, skincare and for reducing acidity.

Studies have also concluded the fact that milk helps in terms of treating cancer as well. Drinking milk right from childhood was found to help reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

On the contrary, it should also be noted that consumption of excess milk and milk products also has an adverse effect on our health.

Also Read: Foods That Are Alternative Sources To Milk

Hence, it is essential to know the ideal quantity of milk to be consumed by everyone, according to their age group, in order to get the maximum health benefits.

On this World Milk Day, Boldsky points out the ideal age-wise milk consumption requirements per day. Have a look:

1. 0-12 Months:
For infants and babies less than 12 months of age, drinking cow's milk is not recommended. Breastfeeding is best for them to get a sufficient amount of the required nutrients.

2. 1-10 Years Of Age:
For children in the age group of 1-3 years, 360 milligrams of calcium is required per day. To meet this need, they should at least drink about 100 mL of milk and about 100-125 g of milk products like yoghurt and cheese. For those in the age group of 4-10 years, 130-150 mL of milk is ideal to meet the requirement of 450-500 milligrams of calcium per day.

3. 11-18 Years Of Age:
To meet the sufficient requirement of calcium (about 800-1000 milligrams), for those in the age group of 11-18 years, they should drink at least 200-250 mL of milk. In addition to milk, they should take other milk products such as yoghurt (about 200 g) and cheese (about 30-40 g).

4. 19-50 Years Of Age:
For those in the age group of 19-50 years, they should drink about 200 mL of milk every day along with consuming other milk products such as yoghurt (150 g) and cheese (about 30 g) to meet the ideal calcium requirement.

5. 50 Years And Above:
To get an adequate calcium supplement, those above 50 years of age need to drink about 200 mL of milk every day along with having other milk products like yoghurt (150 g) and cheese (30 g). Further, for those above 70 years of age, milk intake needs to be increased to about 230-250 mL per day.

On A Final Note...

If you have doubts, discuss with your paediatrician as to what is best for your baby's health.