Human milk as compared to cow’s milk is: March 2011,March 2013 (b)
Correct Answer: Rich in lactose
Description: Ans. A: Rich in lactose Lactose content of human milk is 7.4g/100 gm whereas that of cows milk is 4.4 g/100 grams Human milk The initial milk produced is often referred to as colostrum, which is high in the immunoglobulin IgA, which coats the gastrointestinal tract. This helps to protect the newborn until its own immune system is functioning properly, and creates a mild laxative effect, expelling meconium and helping to prevent the build up of bilirubin (a contributory factor in jaundice). During the first few days after delivery, the breasts produce colostrum. This is a thin yellowish fluid that is the same fluid that leaks from the breasts during pregnancy. It is rich in protein and antibodies that provide passive immunity to the baby (the baby's immune system is not fully developed at bih). Colostrum also helps the newborn's digestive system to grow and function properly. After 3 to 4 days, breasts will begin producing milk that is thin, watery, and sweet. This quenches the baby's thirst and provides the proteins, sugar, and minerals that the baby needs. Foremilk, the milk released at the beginning of a feed, is watery, low in fat, and high in carbohydrates relative to the creamier hindmilk, which is released as the feed progresses. The breast can never be truly "emptied," since milk production is a continuous biological process. The level of Immunoglobilin A (IgA) in breast milk remains high from day 10 until at least 7.5 months post-paum. Human milk contains 1.1% protein, 3.4% fat, 7.4% carbohydrates, and 0.1% ash (minerals). Carbohydrates are mainly lactose. The fat fraction contains specific triglycerides of palmitic and oleic acid (0-P-0 triglycerides), and also quite a large quantity of lipids with trans bonds. They are vaccenic acid, and Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) accounting for up to 6% of the human milk fat. The principal proteins are casein (homologous to bovine beta-casein), alpha-lactalbumin, lactoferrin, IgA, lysozyme, and serum albumin. In an acidic environment such as the stomach, alpha-lactalbumin unfolds into a different form and binds oleic acid to form a complex called HAMLET. Non-protein nitrogen-containing compounds, making up 25% of the milk's nitrogen, include urea, uric acid, creatine, creatinine, amino acids, and nucleotides. It is now universally recognized that there is no commercial formula that can equal breast milk. In addition to the appropriate amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat, breast milk provides vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, and hormones - all of the things that a growing infant will require. Breast milk also contains antibodies and lymphocytes from the mother that help the baby resist infections. The immune function of breast milk is individualized, as the mother, through her touching and taking care of the baby, comes into contact with pathogens that colonize the baby, and, as a consequence, her body makes the appropriate antibodies and immune cells. This is the reason why breast milk contains very little iron, as iron is an essential precursor to the activation of micro bacteria and gut flora; providing iron in the milk would lead to infection. However, the internal iron supplies of the infant, held in the hepatic cells of the liver, are exhausted at 4-6 months, hence this is the time that complimentary feeding is introduced, as to prevent anemia (recommended by WHO). Whole cow's milk It does not contain sufficient vitamin E, iron, or essential fatty acids, which can make infants fed on cow's milk anemic. Whole cow's milk also contains excessive amounts of protein (3.2 g/ 100 gram), sodium, and potassium, which may put a strain on an infant's immature kidneys. In addition, the proteins and fats in whole cow's milk are more difficult for an infant to digest and absorb than the ones in breast milk. A significant minority of infants are allergic to one or more of the constituents of cow's milk, most often the cow's milk proteins. These problems can also affect infant formulas derived from cow's milk.
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