Which vitamin in milk?

Milk is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium. It has an important role in bone health. Nutritionists recommend that people have milk and other dairy products, such as yoghurt and cheese, every day as part of a balanced diet.

The Australian Dietary GuidelinesExternal Link recommend that people over the age of 2 years have mostly reduced fat products to lower the amount of energy (kilojoules) while still getting all of the other nutritional benefits from dairy foods.

Milk and milk products have a good balance of protein , fat and carbohydrate and are a very important source of essential nutrients, including:

Milk products also have ‘high-quality proteins’ that are well suited to human needs. For example, having milk (or yoghurt) with cereal can provide amino acids that may be lacking in the cereal product.

There are many myths about the negative impacts of milk on health. Changing how much milk you drink because of these myths may mean you are unnecessarily restricting this highly nutritious drink.

Australians often restrict dairy foods when they try to lose weight, believing them to be fattening. While dairy products naturally contain fat, there are many reduced fat products available.

Dairy foods like milk, yoghurt and cheese (particularly reduced-fat products) are not a threat to good health if had as part of a well-balanced nutritious diet.

Research has shown:

Many people in Australia believe that nasal stuffiness or increased mucous is related, in part, to how much milk you drink. However, there is no evidence to support this theory. Milk doesn’t encourage extra mucous production.

Milk is an important source of nutrients for children. A glass of milk with a small amount of flavouring (such as one level teaspoon of chocolate powder) is a healthier option for children than other sugar-sweetened drinks such as soft drinks, flavoured waters, fruit drinks and cordials. However, if you choose to give your child flavoured milk, this should be in moderation.

As children move into their teenage years, the time when they need the most calcium, they tend to drink less milk and more sugary soft drinks. As milk is a healthier choice, it’s worth encouraging teenagers to drink reduced-fat flavoured milk rather than soft drinks.

Water and plain milk are the best drinks for children and teenagers.

Milk and milk products are thought to protect against tooth decay. Eating cheese and other dairy products:

Most milk on the market is pasteurised (heat treated then cooled). While pasteurisation reduces the amount of some vitamins, such as vitamin C, it also kills bacteria.

Never drink unpasteurised or raw milk, as you have an increased risk of gastrointestinal illness from pathogens (bugs, germs, bacteria).

There are many types of pasteurised milks on the market, including:

When shopping for milk, you might have seen the word ‘permeate’ on the label. Permeate is the term used in the dairy industry that refers to the lactose, vitamin and mineral content that has been extracted from milk using ultrafiltration – it is not an addition of anything to milk that was not already there.

The quality and composition of milk varies between different breeds of cows, different farms and at different times of the year. Because of this, sometimes manufacturers use permeate to ‘standardise’ the milk, to ensure a consistent product is produced year-round.

An allergy to cow’s milk and related dairy products affects one in 50 babies and is different to lactose intolerance. Very few adults are allergic to cow’s milk. People who are allergic to cow’s milk can also be allergic to milk from other animals such as goats, sheep and buffalo.

If a person has an allergic sensitivity, it’s usually because of one or more of the proteins in milk. The proteins in goat’s milk are closely related to those in cow’s milk, so replacing one type of milk with the other usually doesn’t help.

Milk allergies are more common in very young children and most tend to grow out of them or build up a tolerance to milk.

Lactose is a type of carbohydrate or sugar that naturally occurs in milk from any mammal, including humans. Normally, an enzyme in the small intestine called lactase breaks down lactose so it can be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Some people don’t produce enough lactase. When they drink milk, undigested lactose is broken up by the bacteria in their large intestine causing gas, bloating, pain and diarrhoea. This condition is called ‘lactose intolerance’.

You can be born lactose intolerant or develop it later in life. If you think you may be lactose intolerant, see your doctor.

Milk and milk products are highly nutritious, so people who are lactose intolerant should not give them up entirely. If you have been diagnosed with lactose intolerance, try using lactose-free milk, or continue to have standard milk but in lower quantities.

Most people with lactose intolerance can handle small amounts of lactose such as a glass of milk, which contains 8 to 10 grams of lactose. Natural yoghurts are usually well tolerated because the bacteria have their own lactase that breaks down the lactose in the milk.

Some dairy foods contain less lactose than others and may be better for people who have lactose intolerance. For example:

Foods that contain lactose are better tolerated if eaten with other foods or spread out over the day, rather than being eaten in large amounts all at once.

There are many plant-based milks and plant-based milk products (such as custard, cheese and yoghurts) available to buy. These include soy, rice, oat, coconut and nut milks such as almond and macadamia.

These ‘milks’ are all lactose-free and suitable for people following vegan diets. However, they don’t all provide the same nutrient types and amounts as regular cows’ milk, so it is important that you read their labels closely.

Whole cow’s milk contains about 87% water. The remaining 13% contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Processing techniques remove fat to produce lower fat varieties: “reduced fat” contains 2% milkfat, “lowfat” contains 1% milkfat, and “nonfat” or “skim” has virtually no milkfat. Cows are often pregnant while they are milked, so dairy milk contains hormones like insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), estrogens, and progestins. Some cows are given additional hormones to increase milk production.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends including three 8-ounce servings of milk daily (or equal portions of other dairy foods like cheese or yogurt), which is justified to increase calcium intake and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Marketing efforts such as the iconic “Got Milk?” campaign with celebrities donning milk mustaches spread this message as well. However, research has not shown a consistent benefit on bone health with high intakes of milk, and furthermore has suggested potential harm with certain conditions like prostate cancer. [1]

Research on milk often produces contrary findings. Some reasons may be the wide range of different nutritional qualities in milk and how milk intake is measured, as seen in the following factors:

Bottom line: The health benefits of dairy foods appear to be stronger for fermented types like yogurt, which play a role in the gut microbiome. Milk possesses several individual nutrients that can affect blood pressure and bone health, but some of their health-promoting effects may be weakened by whole milk’s high saturated fat content. Although popular media articles have speculated that whole milk is not less healthful than skim milk, research has not supported this statement in regards to diabetes and heart disease, and a high intake of any type of milk can lead to weight gain due to the extra calories.

The production of dairy foods places considerable demand on land, water, and other natural resources, and dairy-producing ruminant animals like cattle, sheep, and goats generate methane—a powerful greenhouse gas. In identifying a dietary pattern both healthy for people and sustainable for the planet, the “planetary health diet” sets the target for dairy foods at 250 grams per day (with a range of 0 to 500 grams per day), which is about one (8-ounce) cup of milk.

Milk is often sold in cartons or opaque containers because too much exposure to light can cause a loss of vitamin A and B2. Choose a carton with the latest sell-by or use-by date (indicating it is the freshest). Most milk sold in supermarkets is pasteurized and homogenized, processing techniques that use heat to kill most of the bacteria present and break down fat molecules so that texture of milk remains smooth and creamy.

Milk requires refrigeration at a temperature below 40 F. If it has been stored at room temperature for two hours or longer, it is recommended to discard it. Although pasteurization kills much of the bacteria in milk, any remaining bacteria can grow quickly in milk at room temperature or warmer. Once milk is opened, it will last about 3-5 days after the sell-by date on the label. Spoiled milk has a strong, sour odor and lumpy texture caused by excess bacteria producing lactic acid, which curdles the protein in milk and produces off odors.

Store milk towards the rear of the refrigerator rather than the front or side shelf door, where the temperature varies the most. Don’t forget to close the carton or recap the bottle to prevent the milk from absorbing the odors and flavors of other foods in the refrigerator.

Lactose-free milk undergoes pasteurization and the addition of an enzyme lactase, which breaks down the milk sugar lactose, so it generally lasts longer than regular milk. If refrigerated properly, lactose-free milk can last about 7 days after the sell-by date once it is opened.

Milk is not just for drinking by the glass or splashing onto cold cereal. Adding milk to foods can boost one’s intake of calcium, vitamin D, protein, and other nutrients.

Several other animals produce milk including sheep, goat, and yaks. These types of milk are more popular in European, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries than in the U.S. Sheep’s milk can be made into various cheeses like feta and ricotta, and goat’s milk produces a popular cheese called goat cheese or chevre.

How do they compare nutritionally? Sheep, goat, and yak milks contain about the same if not more calcium than cow’s milk. The amount of protein and carbohydrate are about the same. They all contain some lactose but less than found in cow’s milk, so they may be easier to digest for people with lactose sensitivity.

Last Reviewed July 2021

• calcium.
• riboflavin.
• phosphorous.
• vitamins A and B12.
• potassium.
• magnesium.
• zinc.
• iodine.

Milk contains nutrients important for bone health: calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, and protein.