We all have a go-to type of milk that we keep stocked in the fridge. We reach for the same carton in the dairy aisle on our regular trips to the grocery store, so often we’ve probably committed it to muscle memory by now. Skim milk, 1%, 2%, whole…we know which type of milk we prefer, but do we really know the difference?
Whether you still drink the same milk you grew up with or you’ve just gotten into a habit of grabbing that same carton off the shelf, knowing the difference between all the various types of cow’s milk can help you better understand what you’re consuming, how it affects your diet and health, and whether there’s a better choice for you.
But before we get to the differences, there are a few things that remain the same when it comes to the four main types of dairy milk. Skim milk, 1% milk, 2% milk, and whole milk all contain 13 essential nutrients and roughly the same amount of calcium, protein, and carbs per serving. So whichever type of milk you choose, you’re getting a similar nutritional profile.
So what’s the difference between skim milk, 1% milk, 2% milk, and whole milk? While the have similar nutritional profiles otherwise, they differ on fat content, with skim having the least amount and whole milk the most.
Skim milk
Skim milk is fat-free milk. While it’s a common belief that skim milk is simply milk that’s been watered down, that’s not the case. It’s actually whole milk that’s had all of the fat removed – to do this, the milk goes through a process of separation and the cream (aka, fat) is literally skimmed off the top.
Because skim milk contains no fat (or technically, less than .3% by volume), it has the least amount of calories, at only 80 calories per cup. When the fat gets removed, some of its vitamins and minerals go with it – so skim milk fortified to add those nutrients back in.
And lastly, because it doesn’t contain fat, skim milk takes on a different taste and consistency than regular milk: it’s thinner, and usually doesn’t taste as naturally creamy or sweet. It’s a great option for those looking to lower their fat intake and/or those focusing on a protein-rich diet.
1% milk and 2% milk
1% milk is also known as low-fat milk, and 2% milk is known as reduced-fat milk. When you see milk labeled by percentage, it refers to the percentage of milk fat that the milk contains by weight – that means that the fat content makes up 1% or 2% of the overall volume of the milk (and not that each glass will contain 1% or 2% of fat).
Both 1% and 2% milk start off similar to skim milk: after pasteurization and homogenization, the fat is separated and skimmed off of whole milk. But with low-fat and reduced-fat milk, some of that fat is then added back into the milk until it reaches either 1% or 2% of the total volume. This amounts to 2.5 grams of fat and 1.5 grams of saturated fat per one-cup serving for 1% milk, and double that for 2% milk – about 5 grams of fat with 3 grams of saturated fat.
1% milk contains a little over 100 calories in one cup, while 2% milk contains around 120 to 130 calories. Again, since most milks are fortified, their nutritional value essentially matches that of the others. And as you’d expect, 1% milk and 2% are in-betweens as far as consistency; they are progressively thicker and creamier than skim milk, but less so than whole milk.
Whole milk
Whole milk is also referred to as regular milk. It’s “whole” in the sense that it’s the least modified type of cow’s milk – none of its fat content has been stripped from the milk, and its nutritional makeup remains as it came from the cow (without being altered or fortified). The total fat content in whole milk is 3.25%, which is 8 grams of fat and 4.5 grams of saturated fat per serving.
Even though whole milk is close to 150 calories per cup, some believe this is the most beneficial milk to drink because it retains all of its natural vitamins and minerals straight from the animal. And while the health impacts of saturated fat (and dairy in general) continues to be an ongoing debate, more and more evidence suggests that not all saturated fats are created equal, and full-fat dairy is likely more beneficial to your health than harmful.
Whole milk, as the fattiest, is also the thickest and creamiest of the bunch, with the most natural flavor and sweetness to it. It’s the golden standard for children because of its caloric and nutritional content, and it’s a versatile milk that lends itself well to baking and cooking.
Recap
Here’s the complete nutritional breakdown, based on the average amounts for an 8-ounce cup of each type of milk, so you can see where the differences stack up and decide which milk is best for you.
| Whole Milk | 2% Milk | 1% Milk | Skim Milk | |
| Fat (percentage) | 3.25% milk fat | 2% milk fat | 1% milk fat | 0% milk fat |
| Fat | 8 g | 4.9 g | 2.4 g | .4 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4.5 g | 3 g | 1.5 g | 0 g |
| Calories | 149 | 123 | 102 | 86 |
| Carbs | 12.3 g | 12.4 g | 12.7 g | 12.5 g |
| Calcium | 21% | 22% | 23% | 23% |
| Protein | 7.7 g | 8.1 g | 8.2 g | 8.3 g |
The percentage on a milk label refers to the fat content, measured as a percentage of the milk’s overall weight. Whole milk is 3.25% milk fat by volume; reduced-fat milk is 2% milk fat; low-fat milk is 1% milk fat; non-fat milk (or skim milk) is 0% milk fat. This impacts the amount of calories and saturated fat content of each milk.
It depends on your specific health goals. Skim milk is believed to be the healthiest in terms of being high in protein and nutrients, and low in calories and fat. But whole milk, which was once thought of as the worst choice because of its fat content, is becoming a more encouraged choice due to the emerging health benefits of full-fat dairy.
All four types of milk contain very similar amounts of protein, ranging from 7.7 grams to 8.3 grams per one-cup serving; skim milk contains the most.
