Commercially available milk is a nutritious dairy product that provides high levels of calcium, a necessary nutrient for bone health. Milk comes in a wide range of types, with different fat levels, nutrient fortification and specialty options such as lactose-free or raw milk. Milk can be drunk alone or used to make a wide range of other dairy products such as yogurt, sour cream and cheese.
Calories and Fat
Milk is typically sold in four varieties, designated by the amount of fat they contain. Whole milk has 3.25 percent fat and one cup, approximately 244 g, contains 149 calories and 8 g of fat. Reduced fat milk contains 2 percent milk fat, about 5 g of fat per cup. There are 138 calories in a cup of reduced fat milk. Lowfat milk has 1 percent fat, about 2 g per cup, and 102 calories per serving. Skim milk, or nonfat milk, contains the lowest level of fat, less than 1 g of fat per serving and 83 calories per cup.
Macronutrients
A one-cup serving of whole, reduced fat, lowfat or skim milk contains about 8 g protein and 12 g carbohydrate. There are 24 mg cholesterol in whole milk and 20 mg cholesterol in reduced fat milk. Lowfat milk has about 12 mg cholesterol and skim milk has 5 mg cholesterol in a cup. There are about 105 mg sodium in a cup of any variety of milk. Protein-fortified reduced-fat, lowfat and skim milk contains about 9.7 g protein and 13 g carbohydrates per serving. Most of the carbohydrates in milk are made up of the sugar lactose.
Micronutrients
Milk is high in calcium, with all types providing about 300 mg per cup, about 28 percent of the daily recommended amount. Milk is also naturally high in riboflavin, vitamin B-12, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and pantothenic acid. Other nutrients in milk include thiamine, magnesium, zinc, niacin, folate, betaine, choline and vitamins E, B-6 and K. Milk is also frequently fortified with vitamins A and D. Fortified milk usually provides about 5 percent of the daily recommendation for vitamin A and about 25 percent of the daily vitamin D recommendation.
Allergies and Intolerances
Some people have problems drinking milk because they lack the enzyme necessary to break down the milk sugar lactose. This enzyme, called lactase, can be artificially added to milk products or taken as a supplement to help people digest milk. A lactose intolerance can cause intestinal bloating, abdominal pain, gas and diarrhea. Other people have an allergy to the proteins, such as caseins, in milk. Allergies usually take the form of itching or a rash around the mouth, gastrointestinal distress or respiratory problems.
Raw vs. Pasteurized
Most milk sold in the United States is pasteurized, heated to high temperatures to destroy pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella. Some small dairies sell raw milk locally, but federal restrictions require that all milk sold across state lines must be pasteurized. According to MayoClinic.com, many people prefer raw milk because of its taste and potential health benefits, but the FDA maintains that any health benefits remain unproved, while the safety benefits of pasteurization are well established.
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