Milk – The Source of Life
Milk is considered as the best and most complete food among all. It is secreted by the animals to serve as the sole wholesome food for their sucking pets or babies. The milk is composed of many nutrients.
The carbohydrate in all types of milk is lactose or milk sugar. It is less sweet than cane sugar and is readily fermented by lactic acid bacili. Animal milk contains nearly three times as much protein as human milk. Milk proteins contain all the essential amino acids. Milk is also having almost all known minerals which have an important role to maintain the health. The minerals include sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium etc.
In ayurveda, milk is considered as well balanced and complete food for infants of all mammals. Milk promotes all the life processes including growth, development, complexion, strength and energy. Milk is good for both healthy as well as sick person leaving some of the diseases like cholera and diarrhea. Milk is included as ‘Jeevaniya’ in Ayurveda meaning ‘one who gives life’. It brings down the pitta and vata dosha and is considered to be nourishing for all dhatus (vital bodily tissues) in the body.
It is best rasayana and vajikarana dravya (material). It increases the libido in the human being and also purifies the quality of ‘shukra dhatu’ – the semen. With the combination of ghee (butter oil) or shatavari (an Indian herb named Asparagus officinales) this works as aphrodisiac.
