Cow Milk vs Buffalo Milk: In India, most families include milk as a staple food item, but there always remains confusion in deciding between cow milk and buffalo milk. Both are nutrient-dense foods but differ in taste, texture, and even their nutritional profile. Knowing and understanding these differences will help you in making decisions that are fit for your health needs.
Cow milk is very light and easy to digest because it contains low fat (3-4%) compared with buffalo milk, which is richer and creamier due to its content of fat (6-7%). Hence cow milk is suitable for weight-watchers as well as for people who have sensitive stomachs.
Buffalo milk is energy-rich, containing higher levels of calcium and protein, making it a good choice for people who partake in bodybuilding or other workout regimens and want their diet to provide a more nourishing source.
Cow milk has less casein as well as fat and hence is easier to digest. It is especially suitable for infants and elderly people. Buffalo milk takes more time to digest and is also unsuitable for people with lactose intolerance and with digestive issues.
While cow milk is often preferred for direct drinking, making tea, or feeding children, buffalo milk is used almost exclusively for making paneer and khoa and compounds of rich dairy sweets.
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Buffalo milk is also having a longer shelf life as compared to cow milk due to higher peroxidase activity. This peroxidase activity makes it better for producing fermented products like yogurt and ghee.
If you are looking for something lighter and easy to digest, go for cow milk. But if you need more calories, protein, or making traditional Indian sweets, opt for buffalo milk. It all boils down to your dietary needs, lifestyle, and positive preferences.