One of the most important parts of our body is our knees because they allow us to stand, walk, run, and jump. Knee pain is a common problem for people of all ages and usually, it happens due to wear and tear of knee joints.

Age, injury, and osteoarthritis are some common reasons that cause damage to knee cartilage. In this article, we’ll discuss how milk can be helpful in protecting our knees.

What is milk?

Milk is a nutrient-rich liquid produced by mammary glands of mammals. It’s a complete food for infants and young ones of mammals. Cow’s milk is the most popular milk consumed by humans.

It’s an excellent source of calcium, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Milk contains 80% water, 3.2% protein, and 4.6% carbohydrates. It’s also a natural source of sugar lactose.

How Calcium Helps Our Knees?

Calcium is an important mineral for the human body that helps to build strong bones and teeth, muscles, and nerves. It also plays a vital role in blood clotting, regulation of the heartbeat, and relaxation of blood vessels.

Bone is a living tissue that keeps reinventing itself throughout our lives. It builds new bone cells faster than it breaks down the old bone cells until our early 20s when we reach our peak bone mass. After that, our bone mass starts decreasing gradually.

How Milk Can Help Protect Our Knees?

Milk is one of the best dietary sources of calcium that can help to protect our knees from injury and osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become fragile and thin, making them more susceptible to fractures.

Drinking milk increases bone density and helps to prevent osteoporosis. Milk also contains many other essential nutrients like Vitamin D, Vitamin K, Phosphorus, and Magnesium that are important for bone health.

: Other Benefits of Drinking Milk for Knee Health

1. Reduces Inflammation: Milk contains anti-inflammatory substances like Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants that help to reduce inflammation and pain in the body. Knee pain is often caused by inflammation in the knee joints.

2. Builds Strong Muscles: Milk is a good source of protein that builds strong muscles and keeps them healthy. Strong muscles help to support our knees and prevent knee injuries.

3. Decreases Risk of Arthritis: Milk contains Vitamin D that helps to reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis is a common joint problem that causes knee pain.

4. Improves Knee Function: Milk is a natural source of Calcium that is needed for the proper functioning of knee muscles and joints. It improves knee flexibility and helps to reduce knee strain.

How Much Milk Should You Drink?

The amount of milk one should drink depends on various factors like age, gender, weight, and activity level. In general, it’s recommended to drink 2-3 cups of milk every day to maintain good bone health.

It’s important to choose low-fat or fat-free milk to avoid too much saturated fat intake.

: Other Food Sources of Calcium

While dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are the richest sources of calcium, there are other sources of calcium that can be added to the daily diet. Some non-dairy food sources of calcium are:.

1. Leafy Green Vegetables: include kale, collard greens, spinach, and turnip greens.

2. Nuts: include almonds, hazelnuts, and sesame seeds.

3. Seafood: includes salmon, sardines, and shrimp.

4. Fortified Foods: include orange juice, cereals, and tofu.

: Conclusion

Milk is a cheap and easily available source of calcium that should be included in our daily diet for good bone health. It can help to protect our knees from injury, inflammation, and osteoporosis.

However, it’s important to choose low-fat or fat-free milk to avoid the risk of obesity and heart disease. Milk, when combined with regular exercise and a healthy diet, can help to keep our bones and knees strong and healthy throughout our lives.