Is it okay for adults to drink baby milk powder?

Children are breastfed when they are young, and as their bodies develop, they can be given some complementary foods, and feeding them milk powder is a very common situation. Milk powder contains a lot of protein and trace elements that are good for babies, etc., but some parents make too much milk powder for their children. In this case, adults will drink the milk powder. So is it good for adults to drink children's milk powder?

1. Can adults drink children's milk powder?

Generally, adults find it difficult to accept the taste of children's formula milk powder, which has a strong fishy smell and is even difficult to swallow. Moreover, some adults may experience gastrointestinal discomfort after drinking children's formula milk. But of course, if there happens to be a baby at home and the baby formula is not finished, it is not a bad idea for an adult to drink it up to avoid wasting it. Try drinking a small amount first, don't make it too strong. If you have a strong ability to digest lactose and do not feel any discomfort, you can gradually increase the amount you drink. If you really feel uncomfortable, don't force yourself to drink it. You can use the milk powder for cooking, such as making pancakes, or put it in soup, porridge, or paste. After diluting it before eating, it will not be easy to have lactose intolerance reaction.

2. Why can’t adults drink children’s milk powder?

First of all, it is generally difficult for adults to accept the taste of children's formula milk powder, which has a strong fishy smell and is even difficult to swallow.

Secondly, when adults drink children's formula milk, it will cause gastrointestinal discomfort. This is a digestive disorder caused by the mismatch between the proportion of milk powder ingredients and the nutritional needs of adults. The protein content in children's formula milk is about 1/3 of that in fresh milk, but the lactose content is very high. Children's main source of energy comes from lactose. Their stomach and intestines have a strong ability to digest lactose, but a relatively weak ability to digest protein.

Adults, on the contrary, are far less capable of digesting lactose than children. They mainly need to supplement protein and vitamins. Therefore, when adults drink children's formula milk with a high lactose content, not only will they fail to absorb nutrients, but it will also cause lactose indigestion, manifested as symptoms such as abdominal distension and diarrhea.

3. Nutrition of children's milk powder

Children's milk powder is much more expensive than ordinary milk powder. It is marked that many nutrients are added in it. The nutritional value must be higher than ordinary milk, which means it is more nutritious. This idea actually shows a misunderstanding of the ingredients of children's milk powder.

The main ingredients of infant formula are formulated to simulate the composition of human breast milk. Because children's liver and kidney functions are not fully developed, the protein and calcium content in breast milk is about one-third of that in cow's milk. The protein content in breast milk is only about 1.2%, while that in high-quality milk is over 3.0%. For adults, the protein content in breast milk is too low to provide sufficient nutritional benefits like pure cow's milk. Children's milk powder simulates the protein concentration in breast milk, so its protein content is also much lower than that of ordinary milk powder.