World Milk Day 2018: Theme, Significance And Tips

There is a reason why your mother hands you a glass of milk every morning before you head for school. Milk is perhaps one of the healthiest food items of your daily diet. It is enriched with nutrients like calcium, protein, vitamin B2, potassium, iodine, etc. However, some people do not address the benefits of this beverage the way it deserves to be. For this, the Food and Agriculture Organization of WHO marked the 1st of June as World Milk Day. The first time World Milk Day was observed in the year 2001 and started with an aim to reiterate the need and importance of milk in people's daily diet.

But that's not all, here are some of the primary objectives of World Milk Day:

1. To spread information about the need and importance of milk in a person's life.

2. To celebrate the different aspects of the day by organizing a range of activities for the same.

3. To promote and celebrate the contribution and importance of milk and dairy products in various industries, the economy and people's lives.

Also read: Health Benefits Of Vitamin B12: Here's All You Need To Know All About This Vitamin

World Milk Day: Milk is enriched with nutrients like calcium, protein, vitamin B2, potassium, iodine
Photo Credit: iStock

Also read: 6 Best Non-Dairy Substitutes For Milk

World Milk Day 2018 theme in India

Interestingly, the World Milk Day is an event which does not follow a specific theme worldwide. Instead, different countries, governments and non-governmental organizations get to pick a theme of their own. World Milk Day 2018 theme in India is, "Drink Move Be Strong".

India is the largest producer of milk. While our country celebrates the World Milk Day on June 1 each year, it also celebrates National Milk Day on November 26th. This day marks the birth anniversary of Verghese Kurien, the Father of White Revolution in India.

Also read: Which Is The Most Healthy Milk For You?

This day is when activities and events are organized all over the country to establish the importance of milk for a person's overall health. All the nutrients required in a healthy and balanced diet are contained in this white drink. And it's not just milk, many other products made from milk like ghee, cottage cheese and yogurt satisfy the taste buds and add essential nutrients to the body as well. These products give people the motivation to include dairy foods in their diet which is a nutrition-dense blessing in disguise for them. Milk is the first food of a person and it is an important part of a child's diet for better health and growth. Until and unless a child is lactose intolerant, milk must not be excluded from a person's daily diet.

 

World Milk Day is an event which does not follow a specific theme worldwide
Photo Credit: iStock

Also read: Can I Have Milk And Dairy Products If I Have Acid Reflux?

World Milk Day significance

The significance of World Milk Day lies in the fact that this day celebrates the importance of milk in a person's life. It is the first food a child after birth and is perhaps the one food a person consumes throughout life. And not just humans, milk is the first food any living creature in the world is fed. Yes, that's how important milk is. Every single nutrient which the human body needs on a daily basis are contained in milk like protein, calcium, healthy fat, iodine, potassium, vitamin B2 and B12 and phosphorus. And it is not just the nutritional value of this drink, milk and milk products are a million dollar industry in the world which feeds humans and the economy as well. Thus, it also celebrates the efforts of the people involved in this industry and their efforts to meet the dairy needs of people in the country. This is relevant for India as the country recently became the largest producer of milk in the world.

Also read: 6 Healthy Foods That Are Rich In Iodine

Happy World Milk Day!

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.