Milk can be a comforting accompaniment to peanut butter sandwiches and breakfast cereals; a refreshing addition to hot cocoa, tea or coffee; or the base for puddings and custards. Acidophilus milk contains the nutrients present in regular milk, along with Lactobacillus acidophilus bacterial cultures, which may provide additional benefits. Avoid this dairy product if you are allergic to milk or if you have a weakened immune system.
Probiotics
Acidophilus, or Lactobacillus acidophilus, is the name of the probiotic bacterial culture in acidophilus milk. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that can live in your gut, and they may prevent diarrhea and strengthen your immune system. According to the University of Maryland, other common food sources of acidophilus cultures include yogurt and fermented soy products such as miso and tempeh. The potential health benefits of probiotics are not certain, so it is best to consult with your doctor if you have any health conditions.
Calorie-Providing Nutrients
Protein and carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram, and fat provides 9 calories per gram. A cup of nonfat acidophilus milk has 83 calories, 0 grams of fat and 8 grams of protein. The protein in milk is high quality, which means it includes each of the amino acids you need to get from your diet. Each cup of milk has 12 grams of carbohydrates from lactose, which is the natural sugar in milk. A cup of whole milk has 8 grams of fat.
Minerals
Fat-free acidophilus milk has 299 milligrams of calcium, or 30 percent of the daily value, per cup. Adequate calcium intake is essential for building and maintaining strong bones to prevent osteoporosis and a high risk for bone fractures. The milk has 1 milligram of zinc, or 7 percent of the daily value. It is naturally low in sodium, with 103 milligrams per cup, and 7 micrograms of selenium, or 10 percent of the daily value.
Vitamins
Milk is not a natural source of vitamin D, but most milk is fortified with this vitamin. A cup of vitamin D-fortified nonfat milk contains 115 international units of vitamin D, or 29 percent of the daily value. Milk fortified with vitamin A provides 500 international units of vitamin A, or 10 percent of the daily value, per cup. The 1-cup serving has 0.4 milligrams of riboflavin, or 25 percent of the daily value, and 1.2 micrograms of vitamin B-12, or 10 percent of the daily value.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dairy and Egg Products
- MayoClinic.com; Are Probiotics and Prebiotics Important for Health?; Katherine Zeratsky; Sepember 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Acidophilus (Lactobacillus Acidophilus); August 2011
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010; January 2010
- University of Maryland; Lactobacillus Acidophilus; Steven Ehrlich
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