Countries Who Drink the Most Milk

Milk is obtained from the mammary glands of mammals. The word milk is derived from Old English word meoluc, Dutch word melk, or the German milch. Milk contains protein, calcium, iodine, vitamins B2 and B12, phosphorus, and potassium. India is the largest global producer of milk and the biggest exporter of skimmed milk powder. Approximately 85% of the milk produced worldwide is sourced from cows and the other 15% from goats, sheep, buffalos, camels, horses, and donkeys. Milk is processed to get some products which include cheese, yogurt, butter, ghee, condensed milk, powdered milk, and ice cream. The recommended daily milk intake is three glasses a day. Until 2016, Russia and China were the world's biggest importers of milk. A closer look at the milk consumption of countries globally reveals that Finland tops the list.

Countries Who Drink The Most Milk

Finland

The 2007 milk consumption per capita in Finland was 361.19kgs, with milk consumption per person at about 34.34 gallons per year. Finns consume a lot of dairy products as it is part of their food culture. Most Finns take a glass of piima, which is equivalent to buttermilk, with their meals. Some of the dairy products in Finland include piima (sour milk), viili (curd milk), leipajuusto (bread cheese), and kotijuusto (home-made cheese). Ice cream, cheese, and yogurt are also popular dairy products in the market.

Sweden

The average milk consumption per capita among Sweden’s population was 355.86kgs in 2007. As of 2012, Sweden had a total of 4,022 dairy farms, though there has been a decline in the number in recent years. The Swedish love milk and milk products and consume them in large quantities. Some of the most popular dairy products are their cheeses. Prästost is one of the oldest Swedish cheeses, historically made to pay church taxes. It is said to always be made with Swedish milk.

The Netherlands

Dairy products in the Netherlands are part of the staple foods making a significant part of the country's exports and are also national symbols. In the Netherlands, there are about 18,000 dairy farms which are home to more than 1.6 million cows, and there are 23 companies with 52 processing plants. The Dairy sector in the Netherlands provides employment to about 44,700 people. The Netherlands produces about 12 million tones of milk and 800,000 tons of cheese in a year. Cheese is mostly consumed in the country, a cheese sandwich and yogurt or milk make up an average Dutch breakfast.

The Benefits Of Milk

The top ten milk loving countries are located in Europe. Switzerland, Greece, Montenegro, Lithuania, Denmark, Albania, and Romania are part of the top ten. Milk has several benefits to the human body; it builds and maintains healthy bones and teeth, helps in keeping healthy blood pressure, serves as a source of energy, protein, minerals, and also supports body’s immune system.