January 11 is National Milk Day – What Milk Do You Prefer?
Did you know the January 11 is National Milk Day here in the U.S.? What’s more, Global Milk Day is celebrated on June 1. It would appear as though milk has worldwide appeal despite having so many sources, which leads us to ask another question: what kind of milk do you prefer?
For classification purposes, milk can be described as either animal or plant-based. Animal milks come from the mammary glands of mammals. We are talking cows, goats, etc. Plant milks are derived by processing the plants from which they come. Examples include rice, soy, almond, and coconut milk.
More About Animal Milk
As you most probably know from school, females of every mammal species produce milk. In fact, the ability to do so is one of the characteristics that defines what a mammal is. Having said that, most of the animal milk sold commercially (85%) comes from cows.
That doesn’t necessarily mean cow milk is good for every person. Indeed, some people are allergic to it while others cannot drink cow milk due to lactose intolerance. Fortunately, there are other animal milks that consumers can buy, though the availability of which may vary from one region to the next. The most commonly bought milks after cow milk are buffalo, goat, camel, sheep, and yak milk.
Animal milk is also processed into a variety of dairy products including butter, cream, and cheese. It is interesting to note that the European Union passed regulations in 2013 prohibiting manufacturers of plant milk products from using dairy associated terms like ‘butter’ and ‘cheese’ to describe their products. The FDA has considered a similar ban here, but no action has been taken as of yet.
More About Plant Milk
Unlike animal milk, which can be obtained simply by accessing the mammary glands of the animal in question, plant milk must be made by combining the chosen plant material with water. The process is fairly simple though. You could even make your favorite plant milk at home if you really wanted to.
Among the many types of plant milk, three of the most popular right now are soy, almond, and coconut. Soy milk is similar to cow milk in its appearance, thickness, and texture. Its taste varies somewhat based on the cultivar of soybean and the production process.
Almond milk is the most popular of the plant milks, probably due to its variety. It can be purchased as unsweetened, sweetened, and flavored (e.g., vanilla and chocolate). As for coconut milk, it is naturally sweet and loaded with healthy fats and oils. It’s great straight up or as an ingredient for cooking.
Galaxie Coffee is more than happy to supply our customers with a variety of milk products. If you are not yet using a coffee service for your office, we invite you to contact us today to learn more about our services and products. Otherwise, we wish you well and encourage you to celebrate National Milk Day on January 11 with a tall, cold glass of your favorite milk.