Many Americans have milk in their refrigerator, but what types of milk
are they drinking? There are different types of dairy milk to fit every
age and lifestyle — whether it’s organic, flavored, or lactose-free,
there are a variety of fat and calorie levels to choose from.

The primary options available are whole milk (3.25 percent), reduced-fat
milk (2 percent), low-fat milk (1 percent), and fat-free milk (less
than 0.2 percent). These percentages, which tell how much milk fat is in
the milk by weight, are indicated on the label and designated by
different cap and label colors.

Every variety of dairy milk, whether low-fat or fat-free, contains nine
essential nutrients, including eight grams of high-quality protein per
cup. Measuring milk fat percentages by weight can seem confusing, but
the different types of milk only differ in calories and fat grams, not
nutrients. Here’s more information about the different types of milk:

Whole milk
Whole milk contains 150 calories with eight grams of fat per eight-ounce
glass and is actually 3.25 percent milk fat by weight, which is not as
much as many people think. Many Americans are concerned about consuming
fat, but a growing body of research suggests that not all saturated fats
are the same, and there may be health benefits from consuming the
saturated fats found in dairy. While more research is needed on the
potential benefits of dairy fats, many experts agree on milk’s important
role in a healthy diet, no matter the kind of dairy milk.

Reduced-fat milk
Reduced-fat milk, or two percent milk, contains 120 calories and five
grams of fat and has the same nine essential nutrients as every other
type of dairy milk. The percentage does not mean that the glass of milk
contains two percent fat but that the milkfat is two percent of the
total weight of the milk.

Low-fat milk
Similar to reduced-fat milk, low-fat milk has one percent milk fat of
the total weight of the milk. It contains 100 calories and 2.5 grams of
fat in an eight-ounce glass.

Fat-free milk
If you want to get the same nutrients as whole milk while cutting
calories and fat, fat-free milk is a good choice. The fat is skimmed,
leaving zero grams of fat and 80 calories per cup. Many people believe
that fat-free milk is just watered down whole milk, but that is not the
case — no water is added, and all nine essential nutrients remain
intact.

No matter the fat percentage, dairy milk makes a great smoothie base.
Try this recipe to incorporate milk’s nutrients into your day.

For more information and recipe ideas, visit www.milklife.com.

Sources upon request

Protein-Packed Berry Burst Smoothie

Servings: 1
Ingredients:
1 packet plain instant oatmeal
1/2 cup low-fat or fat-free milk
1/2 cup strawberries, hulled and chopped
1 Tbsp honey
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp walnuts, chopped

Directions:
In carafe of blender, combine oatmeal, milk, strawberries, honey, and cinnamon. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, blend mixture until smooth. Top with chopped walnuts.

Nutritional information per serving:
280 calories; 7 g fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 10 g
protein; 50 g carbohydrates; 5 g fiber; 80 mg sodium; 250 mg calcium
(25% of daily value). Nutrition figures based on using fat-free milk.