Cow’s milk has been a classic component of a balanced diet for centuries. But now there are more milk options on the milk aisle at the grocery store than ever before.
With all the milk alternatives available, you may be wondering which milk is best to drink.
Noelle Park, clinical nutritionist at OSF HealthCare, explained which milk is healthiest to drink and which milk alternatives are best for people who may not be able to consume dairy products.
Reasons to avoid dairy products
Some people avoid cow’s milk and cow’s milk products for various reasons.
Milk allergy
People with allergies may develop a rash or eczema after drinking milk.
Lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance is the inability to fully digest sugar in dairy products. People with mild lactose intolerance may experience bloating, cramps, diarrhea, or bloating after consuming dairy products.
For people with lactose intolerance, there are some solutions that allow consumption of dairy products.
“We have lactase pills that help provide the enzyme to digest the lactose,” Park said.
Celiac disease or irritable bowel syndrome
People with celiac disease or irritable bowel syndrome need to be careful about the foods and drinks they consume. They need to be particularly careful with their diet and avoid certain things in order to get their symptoms under control.
Chronic kidney disease
People with chronic kidney disease should be careful about how much cow’s milk they drink because of its high phosphorus and protein content.
Milk options
Plant and nut milks are available as dairy-free alternatives to cow’s milk. The nutritional value of dairy-free and vegan milk options varies depending on the type.
Cow’s milk or dairy products are rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus and protein.
Fat-free from skimmed milk (fortified with calcium)
One cup of fat-free or skim milk contains:
- 86 calories
- 4 grams of protein
- 504 mg calcium
- 250 mg phosphorus
- 410 mg potassium
- 12g sugar
- 44g total fat
2% milk
- 122 calories
- 05g protein
- 285 mg calcium
- 229 mg phosphorus
- 366 mg potassium
- 461 IU Vitamin A
- 3g sugar
- 8g total fat
Whole milk
- 146 calories
- 86g protein
- 276 mg calcium
- 222 mg phosphorus
- 349 mg potassium
- 249 IU Vitamin A
- 12g sugar
- 93g total fat
All of these are important nutrients for your diet. Therefore, milk is a great way to get the most nutritional value out of milk. Milk usually contains more calories and sugar.
Achieving good nutritional value through dairy substitutes for cow’s milk can be a compromise.
I am milk
Benefits: Rich in protein and vitamin A
Cons: No significant source of calcium
- 127 calories
- 10g protein
- 23g sugar
- 93 mg calcium
- 135 mg phosphorus
- 304 mg potassium
- 1499 IU Vitamin A
- 7g total fat
Almond milk (unsweetened and fortified with calcium)
Advantages: Low calories, high calcium
Cons: No significant source of protein
- 39 calories
- 1g protein
- 2g sugar
- 482 mg calcium
- 6 mg vitamin E
- 5g total fat
Rice and oat milk
Pros: Low in fat and calories
Cons: Low protein and nutrient content
- 115 calories
- 7g protein
- 288 mg calcium
- 9g sugar
- 4g total fat
Coconut milk
Benefits: Rich in phosphorus and potassium
Cons: No significant source of calcium or protein, high fat content
- 445 calories
- 5g protein
- 40 mg calcium
- 216 mg phosphorus
- 497 mg potassium
- 0 IU Vitamin A
- 48g total fat
Other nut milks
Cashew, walnut, hazelnut and macadamia milk are less common nut and plant-based milk alternatives.
Typically, nut milk is high in fat and calories, but it also contains many essential nutrients such as iron and vitamins E and D (if fortified).
These milk options are not suitable for everyone.
“These lactose-free dairy products were actually designed for people who cannot tolerate cow’s milk due to allergies, lactose intolerance or other reasons,” Park said.
The healthiest milk to drink
Ultimately, cow’s milk is the healthiest to drink if you can tolerate it. It has the highest nutritional value.
Cow’s milk has many health benefits, such as helping to improve muscle mass and bone health. For regular milk drinkers, three cups per day is the standard. You can also find this equivalent in other dairy products such as cheese and yogurt.
Low-fat milk, skim milk or 1% cow’s milk are healthier options compared to 2% or whole milk. They contain less fat.
“If you can’t drink cow’s milk, soy milk and rice milk are often the healthiest milks for gut health — especially for people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disease that can cause inflammation,” Park said.