Milk is the best beverage to consume in the world. There, I said it. Water, soft drinks and energy drinks got nothing against milk, according to me. Growing up, I would drink almost a liter of milk of every day (at this rate, I’m going to be lactose intolerant very soon but we’re not going to talk about that). Every day my mom would actually put in the effort of buying milk but now in college things are different. I am extremely lazy and broke, all the damn time. My craving for milk may be strong but my sheer laziness trumps it all. I have also learned to ration the milk I buy so it lasts for roughly two to three days because I don’t have the time or money to buy milk every day. Oh, how I miss my mom!
Milk is not only beneficial in terms of its nutritional value but personally I feel like milk has a lot of other advantages. This is why I am going to tell you the three main reasons why milk is my favorite and an absolutely underrated beverage.
- Milk is EXTREMELY nutritious:
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Growing up in a South Asian household, milk was a mandate. My mom would force my sister and I to drink a glass of milk every morning hoping that we would “grow tall,” as height is not really my family’s strong suit. I loved milk so it wasn’t really a punishment for me, but my sister dreads it. She used to (and still) gags every time she thinks of/has to drink milk. I sometimes wonder how the both of us are related but are on opposite ends of the milk spectrum.
Going back to my mom’s theory, milk is extremely rich in nutrients. It is loaded with calcium, potassium and Vitamin D which is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system and bone health. It also contains nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Phosphorus and Riboflavin which can be hard to incorporate in a daily diet hence milk is a great alternative that has it all. Milk is considered to be the top source of Calcium and Potassium both of which are nutrients that are missing in Americans’ diets but supplemented through milk. This is a great advantage of milk! It is literally a natural supplement for several nutrients. Obviously, this does not mean that one should solely rely on milk as a vitamin and nutrient source.
- Milk is my substitute for water:
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Only during my meals.
During the day I drink a lot of water, but during my meals I only want milk. If I am having meals at home, regardless if it is in my college room or at home, I tend to drink milk with my meal. The cuisine doesn’t matter, my beverage does. Obviously, when I go out to have my meal, I’m not going to beg and plead for milk; but if it were an option, you best believe I would have ordered it. I think milk can complement any and every dish because it doesn’t really have a particular taste, but it is very palatable and refreshing which brings me to my third point.
- Milk is very refreshing and cool:
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After a long day of hustling, milk literally tastes like Ambrosia – food of the Greek Gods. A friend of mine, Advay Rajguru, stated that “milk just has this really nice plain flavor and it’s really smooth.” I completely agree with this. It is extremely refreshing without having a strong flavor or taste that overpowers the smoothness. I know practically any other beverage served cold is also refreshing but milk just has this unique taste that is not overbearing, is relatively low on calories while being extremely smooth.
I have several friends and family members that absolutely despise the taste of milk. They feel it has a funky smell and taste that can only please a few people and I understand this perspective, but I could never second it. Everyone has different tastes and views which is exactly why some people like milk, and some don’t. Through this article I could not have possible convinced anyone who doesn’t like milk, like my sister, but I sure do hope that all your haters out there try milk again with a more open mindset. If worse comes to worst, try drinking milk with the hope that your gaining some essential vitamins and minerals. However, I in no sense mean that milk should be used as the primary way of gaining these vitamins and minerals. Eats your veggies, exercise, stay healthy and drink milk, kids :)