This document compares cow's milk and buffalo milk. It discusses the nutritional composition of each, with buffalo milk having higher fat, calories, and protein than cow's milk. Buffalo milk is considered heavier and harder to digest, especially for children and the elderly, due to its higher fat content. Cow's milk is recommended over buffalo milk for infants, children, older individuals, and those on calorie-restricted diets due to its lighter and more easily digestible composition. The document also provides various uses and health benefits of cow's milk according to Ayurveda.

1. Cow’s Milk or buffalo’s milk?
Confused…….. ?
Dr. SHAILENDRA RAGHUWANSHI
Tropilite Food Pvt. Ltd.
Davar Campus, Tansen Road Industrial Estate
Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh - 474002, India

2. Human first learned to regularly consume milk in Neolithic Revolution or invention
of agriculture around 7000-9000 BC. Now milk is a coveted food for 7 billion people.
It is the first food we taste in this world. The world dairy farms produce 710 million
tons of milk annually. India is the largest consumer as well as producer of milk
59,210,000 tons; Pakistan is at number second with 20,372,000 tons and China
stands at third position with 2,900,000 tons.
Milk is abundantly used food. It is the best single food. It’s exceptional value is due
to the fact that it contains essential food ingredients, lactose, lacto protein in
colloidal suspension, fat in emulsion, Vitamin A, B, C, D, K, etc. and minerals like
calcium, copper, zinc, chlorine, cobalt, magnesium, manganese, sodium, potassium,
iodine, iron, phosphorous, chloride, citrate, etc. ferments (enzymes) as well as
antibodies, cells, gases and water. That is why it is termed as complete food.
Buffalo and cow is both large domesticated animal of bovine subfamily, but differ in
their tribe and genus. Buffalo and cows are widely used as source of milk. Cows are
female of any bovine animal, especially of domestic, specie (Bos Taurus). While
buffalo are oxen, especially of three: Babalus bubalis of Asia, Syncerus caffer of
South Africa and Bison bison of North America.
Buffalo and cow both give milk unquestionable the best food. However, people often
questions; which one is the best? So the objective of comparison is to find out which
one is more valuable?

3. There are many negatives and positives of both
the types of milk. When we talk about cow’s
milk it is understood to be very lighter and
buffalo milk is considered to be heavy in sense of
digestion.

4. Now what’s behind being heavy and light?
What is really making the difference in the quality of milk? When a
baby is born and top feeding of milk has to be started we usually hear
our elders saying that cow milk is good for baby’s digestion and it’s
also lighter for the baby.
Composition of milk.
Nutrient Cow Buffalo Human
Water, % 88.0 84.0 87.5
Energy, kcal 61.0 97.0 70.0
Protein, % 3.2 3.7 1.0
Fat, % 3.4 6.9 4.4
Lactose, % 4.7 5.2 6.9
Minerals, % 0.72 0.79 0.20
*The first point of comparison is of nutritive value of buffalo milk and cow milk.

5. BUFFALO MILK COW MILK
Nutrition
Buffalo milk is extremely rich in
calcium, and is a good source of
minerals like magnesium,
potassium, and phosphorus.
Cow's milk is rich in a variety of
minerals, vitamins, and proteins, It is
also an excellent source of calcium.
Cow’s milk is extremely rich in iodine. It
has good amount of minerals like
Calcium and Phosphorus.
Health benefits
Less cholesterol, more fat, more
calories. It is good for healthy
bones, dental health,
cardiovascular health, and weight
gain.
Cow’s milk is beneficial for healthy
bones, dental health, obesity reduction
in children, protection from thyroid
problems, and a healthier heart.
Ghee prepared from buffalo milk
increases Kapha
Cow milk – ghee calms Pitta and
increases digestion power.
Top consumers
and producers
Buffalo milk is popular in South
Asia (India, Pakistan) and Italy.
Cow's milk is consumed all over the
world, including regions that also
consume buffalo milk.
Buffalo milk has 25% less sodium and 36.36% less potassium; 42.8% less chloride and less
iodine.
The fat and casein of cow milk are more easily digestible than those of buffalo milk.
The cow milk has also greater amount of vitamins than buffalo milk. These qualities affect
children and adults equally, but an adult can digest buffalo milk while a child cannot.

6. Differences
Fat content: First line of difference is the fat present in both the milk. It makes the
consistency of milk differ. Cow’s milk has low % of fat in it hence it is of thin
consistence and thereby called to be lighter by a layman.
Buffalo’s milk is high in fat % and is thicker than cow’s milk and hence called heavy. As
we know that a fatty food takes time for digestion and absorption and it stays in the
stomach for a longer time giving us a feeling of heavy stomach or stomach fullness
similarly buffalo milk has high fat and hence it takes time for digestion. So cow’s milk
is recommended over buffalo’s milk especially for infants and elders.
Protein content: Proteins present in buffalo milk is higher than that of cow’s milk by
approximately 11%. Buffalo milk protein is more heat resistant. Same like fats even
proteins are difficult to digest for infants and older population. So even here the
choice of milk is cow’s milk.
Calorie Content: 100ml of cow’s milk contains 70Kcals whereas 100ml of buffalo’s milk
contains 100Kacls. It is obvious that buffalo milk has more fat and proteins so it will
have more calories. So people who are on calorie restricted diet are again here
advised to have cow’s milk to cut down the calorie consumption in the diet.
Water content: Cow’s milk contains less milk solids as compared to buffalo’s milk.
Because of high non solid % cow’s milk is sometimes denoted as watery milk. It helps
in hydrating the body. Approximately 90% of milk is water.

7. 1. The buffalo milk is rich in fat, which children cannot digest. On account of
indigestion they suffer from Diarrhoea.
2. The acids in the undigested fat draw up salts from the body which are necessary
for the building of bones and the lack of which is responsible for rickets.
3. The percentage of volatile and soluble acids is greater in cow ghee, and
consequently it is more easily digested.
4. Buffalo milk is injurious to the development of children and only cow milk is, in
the absence of mother's milk, useful to them.
5. Cow milk, being easily digestible, is more beneficial to patients than buffalo milk.
6. Cow milk is useful for intellectual growth mainly of children.
7. If, instead of rearing up buffaloes, cows are kept in the city, it will produce a
beneficial effect on the general hygiene of that city with less expense."
Cow’s Milk or buffalo’s milk?

8. Cow Milk Benefits
According To Ayurveda
Various products of cow are used in innumerable ways in Ayurveda. Cow milk stands first in
them. Cow milk benefits are innumerable.

9. • Sweet in taste (Swadu paka), heavy to digest, has coolant effect on the body (and mind).
• improves Ojas – Ojas is considered as the factor responsible for the immunity of the
body. (Ojovardhaka)
• Nourishes the body tissues (Dhatu vardhaka)
• Acts as natural aphrodisiac.
• Does rejuvenation, increases life expectancy.
• Improves intelligence, strength
• Increases breast milk in the feeding mother.
• Assists in easy movement (peristalsis) of intestines.
• Relieves tiredness, dizziness, excessive thirst and hunger.
• Useful in diseases like severe debility, relieving stage of fever, diseases related to urinary
system, bleeding disorders such as nasal bleeding, heavy menstrual bleeding etc,
Cow milk for newborn – Cow milk is the next best thing to breast milk for the newborn.
Cow milk benefits

10. Cow milk uses as per Charaka Samhita Sutrasthana 27
स्वादु शीतं मृदु स्स्िग्धं बहलं श्लक्ष्णपिस्छिलम्|
गुरु मन्दं प्रसन्िं च गव्यं दशगुणं ियः||२१७||
तदेवङ्गुणमेवौजः सामान्यादभिवधधयेत ्|
प्रवरं जीविीयािां क्षीरमुक्तं रसायिम्||२१८||
Cow milk has ten poprties viz,
Swadu – Sweetness,
Sheeta – cold
Mrudu – soft
Snigdha – unctuous, oily
Bahala – density, thick
Shlakshna – smoothness,
Picchila – slimeness, stickiness
Guru – heavy
Manda – slowness
Prasanna – calming, clarity.
These are also the properties of Ojas. So milk having identical properties is
conducive to thee promotion of Ojas, thus milk is an elixir per excellence (Rasyana)

11. Cow milk uses as per Ashtanga Sangraha text book:
अथ गव्यं तु जीविीयं रसायिम् । क्षतक्षीणहहतं मेध्यं बल्यं स्तन्यकरं सरम ् ।
श्रमभ्रम मदालक्ष्मी श्वासकासातततृट् क्षुध: । जीणधज्वर मूत्रकृ छर रक्तपित्तं च िाशयेत्
॥
अ. स. ६/५२
Jeevaneeya – enlivening
Rasayana – rejuvenating, anti aging
Medhya – Brain tonic, improves intelligence
Balya – improves strength and immunity
Stanya – improves lactation
Sara – laxative, promotes movement of liquids in channels
Indicated in –
Kshataksheena – chest injury
Shrama – tiredness
Bhrama – dizziness, psychosis
Mada – intoxication
Alakshmi – inauspiciousness
Shwasa – asthma, respiratory disorders involving difficulty in breathing
Kasa – cold, cough
Trut – excess thirst
Kshudha – excess hunger
Jeernajwara – end stage of fever
Mutrakrichra – dysuria, difficulty to pass urine
Raktapitta – bleeding disorders like nasal bleeding, Ulcerative colitis and menorrhagia

12. 1. Milk with herbs:
When we wish to use certain herbs with pungent and hot properties in children, or in
person with less strength, those herbs are processed with cow milk. This serves three
purposes
a. The herbal remedy gets the extra nutritional quality of milk
b. The pungency and the strength of the herb is lowered. Thus the herbal formula is made
suitable for patient with less strength.
c. Milk acts as a fat and water soluble media for the active principles in the herb.
Example: Garlic processed with milk, used in digestion problems.
2. Cow milk in Ayurvedic oils :
In processing many oils, where the oil is desired to have nourishing and rejuvenating
effects, milk is added and processed along with oil and other herbs.
This is especially beneficial in Ayurveda oils that are
• used for massage against degenerative diseases like Osteo arthritis,
• used to calm burning sensation,
• used to heal nerve irritation and nerve pain.
• used to nourish and strengthen muscles and ligaments.
Example: Ksheerabala Taila.
Most of the herbal oils, which are used for nasal instillation or for internal
administration are processed along with milk.
Various uses of cow milk in Ayurveda

13. 3. Shirodhara with Cow milk:–
Shirodhara is a procedure, where continuous stream of liquid is directed uniformly
over the forehead region. Milk is used in cases where Vata and Pitta are involved.
Like – headache and dizziness, which mainly have Vata and Pitta imbalance.
4. Cow Milk in Basti: –
Basti is a Panchakarma procedure, it is a type of enema. Milk processed with herbs
is used for Basti in many acid peptic disorders, in Ayurveda.
5. Cow milk for gargling:–
To relieve burning sensation and to relieve oral ulcers.
6. Milk a source of calcium:–
Milk is a rich source of calcium. A study conducted by researchers at Institute of
Aging Research, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, has found that regular
intake of milk and yogurt is associated with higher bone mineral desnity in the hip.
The study also suggested that choosing low-fat milk / yogurt over cream can
increase intake of protein, calcium and vitamin D while limiting intake of saturated
fats.

14. 7. Cow milk in anti ageing – rejuvenation procedures:-
Cow milk is administered as the only diet throughout the day, while administering
some of the anti ageing recipes such as Shilajeet Rasayan
(reference: Charaka Samhita Chikitsa Sthana 1.3/52-55.)
Cow milk along with cooked rice is the diet of choice while administering many other
rejuvenation medicines such as Bramha Rasayan and Chyawanprash.
Its nutritious qualities support the anti ageing qualities of the Rasayana medicines.
It also nullifies the hot physical effects that may be generated due to long
term administration of above medicines.
8. Cow milk for purification of poisonous materials:-
Milk is used in detoxifying many herbal and mineral Ayurvedic ingredients such as
Gunja – Abrus seeds
9. Cow milk recipe for sexual strength:-
Reference: Charaka Samhita Chikitsa sthana 2.3
Cow’s milk can be taken after boiling or even without it by adding sugar, honey and
ghee. This is an excellent diet to promote virility.
10. Effect of cow milk on Tridosha:-
Cow milk calms Vata and Pitta. Increases Kapha.

15. College going kids who don’t consume at least three servings of milk / dairy daily are three
times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome than those who do,as per the research
conducted by University of Illinois. In the study, 339 Mexican college applicants filled out a
food frequency questionnaire and were then evaluated for metabolic syndrome risk factors.
The livestock expert to the Government of Bombay, says that buffalo milk is hard to digest by a
person of any age, because the excess fat in buffalo milk when it forms soap in the intestine, is
hard to digest with usual amount of salts, and it takes the deficient quantity of the mineral
salts from bones, which are consequently weakened. This does not occur in the digestion of
cow milk.
The experiment which Prof. Sahasrabuddhe (Agricultural College, Poona,) has made also proves
that the casein in cow milk is digested in the stomach more easily than that in the buffalo milk.

16. WHY…….PURALITE

17. LOCAL DAIRIES / SUPPLIERS ORGANIZED MILK FARM
FEED &
FODDER
1.No Balanced ration and nutrients leading
to weak immune systems
2. Feed mostly stored in open conditions
resulted fodder spoilage and fungal
contamination.
3.Feed/ fodder may be contaminated with
pesticides, insecticides, fungicides,
fumigants, pathogenic agents, aflotoxin and
Heavy metals
1. Provided balanced green fodder, dry fodder,
essential nutrients and minerals to dairy
animals.
2. Feed ingredients are stored in moisture-free
conditions to avoiding fungal contamination.
3. Feed and fodder are free from pesticides,
insecticides, fungicides, pathogenic agents,
aflotoxin as well as heavy metals.
ANIMAL
HEALTH
Local dairies don’t have any routine
examination leading to contaminated milk
Herds are routinely examined for bovine
contagious diseases like FMD, TB, Brucellosis etc.
and mastitis.
HYGIENIC
MILKING
Dirty milking equipment is one of the main
sources of infection of milk
Equipments are routinely cleaned via SIP/CIP
systems
Micro organism may enter to milk during
hand milking
Automatic milking machines operates, which
reduces the chances of any contamination
EQUIPMENTS &
STORAGE
Various adulterants like soaps, hydrogen,
other harmful chemicals are being added to
avoid milk spoilage
Milk cooled to a temp below 5°C in a refrigerator
to preserve its keeping quality,
MILK QUALITY
Chances of having contaminants, pathogenic
microbes, antibiotics, alfatoxins, along with
manually added buffers, soaps, chemicals
Fresh milk is supplied to the society without any
risk of toxins, antibiotics, bacteriocins, or any
other additives
WHY AVOID MILK PURCHASING FROM YOUR LOCAL DAIRIES / SUPPLIERS