Is Pregnancy Milk Powder safe?

Pregnancy can be one of the most delicate period of a woman's life. You have to take every decision carefully to ensure the safety and well-being of you and the your child. Eating healthy is one of them. Receiving the vital nutrients is very essential for the growth and development of the baby.

A maturing fetus need good amount of proteins to develop healthy new cells. If you are vegetarian than getting enough protein becomes even more crucial. Consuming milk become essential in such scenarios. As we dearly care about the tasty food craving during the period of pregnancy, milk powder with a variety of flavours can be your option!

Milk protein is viewed as a complete protein as it includes all vital amino acids required by the human body.

What exactly are Milk Powders?

According to research, raw milk on average compromises

• 87.3% water,
• 8.8% non-fat milk solids (milk sugar, minerals, proteins, and so on) and
  
• 3.9% milk fats.
  

The raw & pasteurized milk is evaporated till a solid milk powder is left without the moisture content. It may be further processed with additives and flavors.

The milk powder is inexpensive , non-perishable substitute for milk.

Types of milk powders

1. Non-fat Dry Milk Powder:

This is usually found packaged in a variety of forms- starting from low calories (that are sweetened artificially) to relatively high-calorie products containing ingredients like cocoa mix, malted milk and added sugars.

The key ingredient is dry milk, so these products must be bought and stored accordingly.

2. Whole Milk Powder:

As the name suggests whole milk powder is obtained from whole milk along with all of its fat content, its shelf life is shorter than the non-fat counterparts. Besides that, it can be used in exactly the same way as non-fat dry milk.

Another concern with dry whole milk is the oxidised cholesterol (a harmful variant of cholesterol). There is chance of oxidised cholesterol being produced during heating of the whole milk to produce the milk powder. 

Side effects of Milk Powder

It is always a good idea to consult your dietitian or gynaecologist before consuming dry milk powder. As there are several types of dry milk, you never be sure which one is appropriate for your body.

Milk powder is relatively cheap and if not the same, it's comparable to the level of nutrients such as calcium and protein to that of fresh milk. 

The following is the list of some of not so serious side-effects that can be caused due to the unsupervised consumption of dry milk.

• Increased bowel movements
• Nausea
• Thirst
• Bloating
• Cramps
• Reduced appetite
• Tiredness
• Headache

It should be noted that these are not general symptoms, it can take place exclusively due to the medical history of the consumer, such as past medical operations or allergy.

So, the real question is,

How safe is it to consume dry Milk Powder?

Powdered versions of milk have almost comparable nutritional values as regular raw milk except for the fact that raw milk aggregates slightly better on aroma, flavor, and some of the vital nutrients like selenium, phosphorous, and B-complex vitamins. 

If used in correct proportion and correct way (while mixing with water) milk powders are considered safe during pregnancy.

Though, there are some points which you need to keep in mind before switching to milk powders:

1. Taste

One of the major concerns with milk powders is the taste and its texture.

So, it would be a good idea to try some milk powder sample before switching.

2. Oxidised Cholesterol

There is chance of whole milk powder to have oxidised cholesterol. Oxidised cholesterol is a harmful variant of cholesterol.

Hence, it would be a better idea to avoid whole milk powder even if the amount of oxidised cholesterol might not be too significant.

3. Nutrient Deficiency

According to research, most people tend to add the wrong ratio of water:dry milk powder, which results in the deficiency of nutritional value in it. This becomes crucial when you are trying to replace milk completely with powdered milk.

However, the right ratio is clearly mentioned behind the packaging of the dry powder. If one diligently follows the instruction printed behind, it is as good as normal raw milk glass. 

4. Nutrient Surplus

When you are consuming milk powders with milk and other vitamin and mineral supplements, there is chance of over consuming some of the nutrients.

So, it is best to consult your physician in case of doubts.

5. Added Sugar

It must also be noted that some of the dry milk powders manufacturers tend to add sugar and other sugar derivatives. 

So, if you are someone who is suffering from gestational diabetes you need keep an additional eye on sugar intake apart from overall calorie intake. 

Precautions while using Milk Powders

Some of the precautions that you can take while using powdered milk would include:

1. Cholesterol oxidation depends on the temperature used during processing, so look for low-heat powdered milk.

2. Once opened powdered milk should be stored in cool, dry place in air tight container to minimise exposure to air.

3. Check the expiry date of the product before using. Expired product might have more oxidised cholesterol.

4. Once mixed with water, consume immediately or follow the instructions as per the pack.

5. Prefer low-fat or nonfat powdered milk to decrease the intake of oxidised cholesterol and saturated fats over whole dry milk.

How to make milk powder at home?

Milk Powder Brands Available

Conclusion

Overall, dry powdered milk allows a convenient alternative to regular raw milk.

However, as it's noted above, it is crucial that you chose the right product and consume it as per the nutritional information mentioned on the pack, this is extremely essential, especially when it is indirectly being fed to your baby.

Happy Pregnancy!