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Cow’s Milk

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Young parents are often unsure whether babies are allowed to drink cow’s milk. We will show you whether cow’s milk is suitable for infants.

Can infants drink cow’s milk?

The first year of life for an infant consists of three feeding phases:
At first, your baby only feeds on breast milk or industrially produced infant formula.
In the course of this, the mashed food or complementary food also follows.
Finally, the toddler gradually participates in the family dinner.

Caution: Infant formula should not be made from cow’s milk or other types of milk.

Note: Make sure you only give your baby pasteurized or highly heated cow’s milk. As in pregnancy, you should bear in mind that raw or processed milk can contain dangerous germs for the child’s immune system.

Can baby food contain cow’s milk?

Children need numerous important nutrients for healthy development – including sufficient calcium, protein and iodine suppliers. Numerous plant-based foods, but also milk and dairy products can provide these nutrients. With supplementary food, you can use small amounts of cow’s milk or yoghurt, up to 200 milliliters per day, to prepare a milk-cereal porridge. Of course, you can also prepare the porridge with breast milk or formula milk.

Note that cow’s milk does not replace breast milk or infant formula, even during complementary feeding. Babies and children can be allergic to cow’s milk, if in doubt consult your pediatrician or midwife.

Note: When buying cow’s milk, pay attention to the organic seal or the seal for mother-tied calf rearing. In this way you ensure that the calves are also supplied with the necessary nutrients through their own breast milk.

Cows are destroying the climate and soy is destroying the rainforest. Cow’s milk makes you fat and soy milk causes allergies. Or? Anyone who wants to consume milk responsibly or is looking for alternatives will encounter many rumours. We did our research: is soy milk healthy, sustainable, animal-friendly compared to cow’s milk and other milk alternatives?

Milk is one of the most common foods and one of the most controversial at the same time – for several reasons. While for decades it was considered essential for our health, today many people doubt the health benefits of milk or are even convinced that it is unhealthy. Others want to do without milk because of their poor climate balance or because they find animal husbandry unacceptable.

But how healthy soy milk (correct: soy drink) is is also the subject of wild debates. The popular milk substitute not only has fans: in addition to possible health side effects, the environmental impact of cultivation and transport and the use of genetic engineering are also criticized.

In the following, we will therefore take a very close look at soy milk and cow’s milk – and also show how healthy soy milk is in comparison to other milk alternatives.

Which is healthier: cow’s milk or soy milk?

From “cow’s milk is important because of the calcium” to “cow’s milk causes allergies” to “soy milk is so healthy that it helps against cancer” – there are tons of claims, rumors and half-truths circulating about the health effects of cow’s milk and soy milk. Some things are true, some aren’t.

Calcium: Is it missing in the soy drink?

Cow’s milk is actually high in calcium (or: calcium). Calcium is a very important substance for building and maintaining our bone mass. A lack of calcium can lead to or worsen osteoporosis. Sufficient calcium intake is particularly important for growing children.

However, we do not depend on milk for this. Calcium can also be obtained from other foods. There is a lot of calcium in green vegetables such as kale, broccoli, rocket, chard and spinach as well as in beans (including soybeans) and some nuts and seeds such as hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and sesame.

Conclusion: Soy milk contains less calcium than cow’s milk. However, there are alternative calcium-fortified soy drinks and other plant-based foods that help meet calcium needs.

Vitamin Content: Is Soy Milk Healthy Enough?

Both cow’s milk and soy milk contain some important vitamins. However, soy milk lacks the important vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 occurs naturally almost exclusively in foods of animal origin – and is very important for our bodies. A vitamin B12 deficiency can have serious health consequences.

However: Many soy drinks and other plant-based milk alternatives contain the additive vitamin B12 (also found on the labels as cyanocobalamin or cobalamin).