Milk is having a moment. From dairy farm influencers and celebrity endorsements to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s professed love of raw milk and that scene in the Nicole Kidman movie Babygirl, milk is making headlines in addition to already being a popular beverage choice for many Americans.
Humans have been drinking milk from other animals for thousands of years, beginning around 10,000 years ago when farmers in early Western Europe drank the milk of domesticated cows as a new source of crucial nutrients. Adults didn’t naturally produce the enzyme needed to be able to digest the lactose in milk, but gradually many of us evolved to be able to tolerate it — with milk eventually becoming a staple in many Western diets.
Today, there are a lot of different options available, and which type of milk you choose can vary depending on your health choices and personal circumstances. Here’s what to know before you buy.
Things to consider before you buy milk
Experts say you should keep a few things in mind before heading to the grocery store.
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Nutrition. Different milks either naturally contain or are fortified to have certain nutrients, and even among the same type of milk no two brands may be exactly alike. So make sure whichever milk you choose matches your health goals. “Look for options rich in protein, calcium and vitamin D, especially if choosing plant-based milks,” Amy Goodson, a registered dietitian, tells Yahoo Life.
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Dietary restrictions. Many people have allergies to certain types of milk, such as dairy or soy. If you’re vegan or environmentally conscious, you may also be on the lookout for milks that have a lower carbon footprint or don’t contain animal products.
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Fat content. Amy Reed, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells Yahoo Life that while whole milk is recommended for children under age 2, most adults should opt for low-fat milk.
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Additives and sweeteners. Try to avoid added sugars and sweeteners, including flavored dairy milk such as chocolate milk, which Reed says detract from the nutritional value.
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Personal preferences. Some milks are creamier, while others are less heavy. Go with what you like, when it comes to taste and texture. “Some milks work better in coffee, cooking or cereal based on personal preference,” Goodson says.
Again, there’s a lot of variety across milk brands — especially when it comes to plant-based milks — but the nutritional information below will give you an idea of how different kinds of milk stack up.
Pasteurized cow’s whole milk
In terms of health benefits, pasteurized cow’s whole milk packs a powerful punch.
“Cow’s milk is highly nutritious, containing 13 essential nutrients that support overall health,” Goodson says. “It’s a rich source of high-quality protein, which helps build and repair muscles. It provides calcium for strong bones and teeth, vitamin D to enhance calcium absorption, iodine for thyroid function and B vitamins like B12 for energy and red blood cell production. Other nutrients include potassium for heart health and phosphorus for bone maintenance, making it a well-rounded option for many.”
It’s also easy to find and relatively inexpensive, compared to many plant-based milk options.
“Milk is about 25 cents per 8-oz. serving,” registered dietitian Roxana Ehsani tells Yahoo Life, “making it an affordable beverage.”
However, whole milk tends to be higher in saturated fat compared to some plant-based options (with about 8 grams of total fat per 1-cup serving), and can be intolerable for those with milk protein allergies.
PROS: Higher calcium and naturally nutrient-dense. Higher protein. Readily available at a good price.
CONS: Higher calories. Higher total fat. Not good for those who are lactose intolerant or trying to avoid animal products.
Pasteurized cow’s fat-free milk
Pasteurized cow’s fat-free milk has all the health perks of whole cow’s milk — “providing 15% of your daily needs in one glass,” according to Ehsani — without the high fat content, and nearly half the calories.
It’s as accessible as whole cow’s milk, but also not good for those trying to avoid animal or dairy products.
PROS: No fat. Moderate calories. Higher calcium and naturally nutrient dense. Higher protein. Readily available at a good price.
CONS: Not good for those who are lactose intolerant or trying to avoid animal products.
Raw cow’s whole milk
If you hadn’t heard of raw milk before, it’s likely come on your radar recently thanks to promotion from social media influencers and RFK Jr., who tout its “all-natural” benefits.
Raw cow’s milk has all the same nutritional benefits as the cow’s milk you’re used to seeing at the grocery store, except it hasn’t been pasteurized. Pasteurization is a process that sterilizes milk, heating it at high temperatures to kill off harmful pathogens such as E. coli, salmonella, H5N1 (aka bird flu) and more. The Food and Drug Administration warns against drinking raw milk, as it can make you sick — and can be especially harmful and even deadly for some people, including the elderly, children and pregnant women.
It’s also less readily available, since many states limit how or where unpasteurized milk can be sold.
PROS: The same high calcium, high protein and naturally nutrient-dense benefits as pasteurized milk.
CONS: Not pasteurized, meaning it may contain harmful pathogens. Less readily available. Higher calories. Higher fat content.
Pasteurized goat’s milk
Like cow’s milk, pasteurized goat’s milk is extremely nutrient-dense but has even more protein and calcium, packing in 327 mg of calcium and 9 grams of protein per 1-cup serving — making it the highest protein option of the milks we looked at.
It has slightly lower total sugar than cow’s milk but higher calories and higher total fat; the brand we looked at had 170 calories and 10.10 grams of fat.
Some also say it can be easier to digest than cow’s milk, though lactose intolerance issues may still arise, and, of course, it’s still unappealing for those trying to avoid animal products.
“Milk that comes from animals such as cows and goats contains a good source of complete protein, bone-building calcium and is often fortified with vitamin D,” Lisa Moskovitz, founder of NY Nutrition Group and author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan, tells Yahoo Life. “The downside will mostly relate to digestion issues, as many people struggle with lactose intolerance or the potential effect that animal fat has on blood lipid levels.”
PROS: High protein. Less total sugars than whole cow’s milk. Pasteurized like store-bought cow’s milk to remove harmful pathogens. Naturally nutrient dense.
CONS: Higher calories and total fat. Not good for those who are lactose intolerant or trying to avoid animal products.
Oat milk
Oat milk and other plant-based milks are good options for vegans, those who are lactose intolerant and people who want to enjoy milk with a smaller carbon footprint.
“The fact that there are so many choices and varieties of plant-based milk is a benefit,” Reed says. “Many of these plant-based milks have been fortified with calcium and vitamin D at the same levels as cow’s milk or higher. While cow’s milk is low in iron, most plant-based milks have slightly higher iron contents — but a person will still need to consume other iron-rich foods.”
Plant-based milks are also lower in calories and saturated fat compared to animal milk; the brand of oat milk that we looked at had 0 grams of saturated fat (and just 1.5 grams of total fat) and 90 calories — the equivalent of fat-free cow’s milk.
However, dairy milk tends to cost less than many plant-based milks, and Goodson points out that the nutrient content of plant-based milks can vary significantly by brand and type, depending on fortification.
Unlike animal milk, plant-based milks may also contain added sugars or thickeners for taste and texture. The brand of oat milk we looked at, for example, contains less total sugar than the dairy milks we compared it to, but did have 3 grams of added sugar per 1-cup serving, whereas cow’s and goat’s milk only contain natural sugars.
“Some plant-based milks are more processed and bring along additional problematic preservatives such as carrageenan, which is linked to digestion issues, among other things,” Moskovitz says.
She adds: “The issue is most plant-based milks, especially almond, oat and coconut-based milks, naturally don’t provide the same amount of protein as cow’s milk. That said, you can easily make up for that by consuming more protein-rich foods throughout the day.”
PROS: Fortified with high calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients. Less fat. Moderate calories. Better for the environment than dairy milk. Good for those who want to avoid dairy or animal products.
CONS: Low protein. Includes additives. Plant-based milks tend to cost more than dairy.
Unsweetened almond milk
Unsweetened almond milk, like other plant-based milks, is lower in fat, calories and total sugars than dairy milks. The brand we looked at was especially low in calories — containing just 30 calories per 1-cup serving — with no added sugars and 3 grams of fat, none of which are saturated fats.
It has very little protein (1 gram per 1-cup serving) and contains additives such as gellan gum but is a good option for anti-dairy milk lovers.
“If you need something light, lower-calorie and more easily digested, unsweetened almond milk may be a better option,” Moskovitz says.
PROS: Fortified with high calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients. Low calories. Low total sugars. Better for the environment than dairy milk. Good for those who want to avoid dairy or animal products.
CONS: Low protein. Includes additives. Plant-based milks tend to cost more than dairy.
Unsweetened coconut milk
While other plant-based milks contained a little protein (albeit considerably less than dairy milk), the unsweetened coconut milk we looked at had 0 grams of protein and the least calcium of the bunch, at just 40 mg of calcium per 1-cup serving. It was a lower-calorie option at 40 calories per serving, but higher in saturated fats at 4 grams per serving, or 20% of your daily recommended intake.
PROS: Lower calories. Better for the environment than dairy milk. Good for those who want to avoid dairy or animal products.
CONS: No protein. Lower calcium. Higher saturated fats. Plant-based milks tend to cost more than dairy.
Soy milk
Unlike other plant-based milk, soy milk has a high protein content similar to cow’s milk. The brand that we looked at had 8 grams per 1-cup serving — equivalent to a cup of whole or reduced-fat cow’s milk.
“According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, fortified soy milk is the nearest to cow’s milk in nutrient content and recommended to be the first option when cow’s milk is not part of the diet,” Reed says.
It also has more calcium than cow’s milk and several other plant-based options.
But while soy milk has half the total sugars of cow’s milk, 5 grams are added sugars (whereas cow’s milk has no added sugars).
It also has the most calories of other plant-based options, at 110 calories per serving.
PROS: High protein. High calcium. Fortified with lots of nutrients. Better for the environment than dairy milk. Good for those who want to avoid dairy or animal products.
CONS: Includes additives. More calories than other plant options. Higher added sugars. Plant-based milks tend to cost more than dairy.
How to get the benefits of milk — without the milk
One of the biggest reasons people turn to milk is for the calcium content. Reed says teenagers are recommended to get 1,300 mg of calcium per day, and adults should get at least 1,000 mg (for women aged 51 to 70, it’s 1,200 mg/day).
If you don’t want to drink a glass of milk to get that calcium, an easy alternative is to turn to other dairy products such as yogurt and cheese — which are beneficial in other ways too.
“Research suggests that dairy foods can help play a role in preventing type 2 diabetes as well as help decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke,” Goodson says.
If you’re opting for plant-based milks other than soy milk, which have little or no protein, Reed says you should be sure to get protein from other sources such as meat, legumes, tofu, nuts and eggs.
And if you’d rather go completely dairy- and plant-based-milk-free, you can get those nutrients from other sources — but it may take some planning.
“To match the calcium in three cups of cow’s milk (around 900 mg), you’d need to eat approximately 10 cups of cooked spinach,” Goodson says. “This can be unrealistic for most people.”
She adds: “To replicate the nutrient benefits of cow’s milk without drinking it, one must carefully select and combine a variety of foods and may need fortified products. This requires more effort and planning, particularly for individuals with higher nutrient needs, such as children, pregnant women or athletes.”
