28Feb 2018

MYTHS AND FACTS OF COW’S MILK AS AN INFANT’S NUTRITION.

  • M.D.Scholar in Deptt.of Kaumarbhritya at Rishikul P.G Ayurvedic Collage,Haridwar,UK-249401,India.
  • Associate Prof. in Deptt.of Kaumarbhritya at Rishikul P.G Ayurvedic Collage, Haridwar, UK-249401,India.

Discussions and debates have recently emerged on the potential positive and negative effects of cow’s milk in the pediatric community, also under the pressure of public opinion. Although feeding cow’s milk to an infant is more than thousand year old tradition in India, it is unsafe practice in modern context. There seems to be significant compromise being made on infant’s health as mother’s milk is being substituted for variety of reasons in the 1st year itself, when the child is most vulnerable to infections noted by experts. Nutrition experts are worried that infants in the country may be silently suffering from reduced nutrient content in their milk due to common household practices such as boiling, adding water, removing the layer of milk cream, strip milk of its essential nutrients and vitamins. The most important of these is in some infants cow’s milk may be sensitive and sometimes strains the digestive system of babies. Ayurveda gives lots of importance on good nutrition at every stage of child’s life, in order to preserve their health. To make the most health benefits of cow’s milk and to boost its digestive properties in children, one should recommend aushadhasiddhadugdha (herbs infused milk) to infants. Milk when digested properly, nourishes all the tissues, promote balanced emotions and help to balance all the doshas in child as well as in an adult.


Kaur Inderjeet
Deptt.of Kaumarbhritya at Rishikul P.G Ayurved Collage,Haridwar, UK-249401,India.

Share this article