Should you really boil packet milk? Doctor explains why you may be ruining its nutrition

Do you really need to boil packet milk? Experts say pasteurised milk is already safe and boiling may destroy nutrients (Image: Pinterest)

It’s been a tradition in many Indian households to boil packet milk as soon as it is brought home. This has been blindly passed down and followed by generations without questioning its validity. Whether it’s one brought from a supermarket or ordered online, it is always put in a pan to boil. However, with pasteurised and ultra-pasteurised milk, the necessity to boil the milk is eliminated.

While milk packets often come with labels, they are rarely understood by most consumers. Taking to his Instagram account, Dr Manan Vora explained why boiling milk doesn’t make sense and how even our grandmothers and mothers have been doing it wrong.

Also Read: Benefits of milk: When and how to enjoy this nutrient-packed beverage

“Most Indian households still believe this: Doodh aaya… pehle ubaal. But this is one place where our moms, dadis, nanis were actually wrong. Packet milk today is pasteurised, which means it has already been heated at a high temperature where all harmful bacteria are destroyed.”

He clarified that boiling the milk has no connection with safety, and most Indians do it out of habit. “Today’s processes and quality checks are way ahead. If the packet is fresh, not bloated, and storage is correct, then scientifically it doesn’t need to be boiled. By the time it reaches your home, it has already passed multiple safety checks,” he added.

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A post shared by Dr. Manan Vora (@dr.mananvora)

In fact, he cautioned that overboiling may ruin its taste and damage the nutrients. If you want to make tea or coffee, just heat it until it’s lukewarm and it’s more than enough. He also said that in Indian households many things are done merely out of habit, but this one can be let go of.

Many people supported the doctor’s opinion, calling it a very informative video with useful points; others shared how their mothers won’t stop the practice. A user also wrote, “My wife still doesn’t listen. I have a PhD in food and dairy technology.” Another joked, “Mummy ko bheja, mummy ne bola AI hai,” and a third wrote, “Malai kaise niklegi?”

Also Read: This simple food can strengthen your bones more than milk, say experts

Others had serious concerns about the quality checks and safety measures in India and how it’s hard to trust what they get. Plus, it helps in getting the cream. “You never know the quality of products in India. Better to be safe. Because if something happens, neither the company nor influencers promoting not to boil milk will take any responsibility. Usually milk is boiled to get the fats out in the form of malai to later convert it into ghee,” a user shared.