🧪 Milk composition, health and alternatives

Milk composition, health and alternatives explains what milk contains, which claims about its benefits are officially allowed, how lactose and allergy differ and what milk is replaced with. Cow's milk is about 87% water; according to USDA, 100 g of 3.25% whole milk provides 61 kcal, 3.15 g of protein, 3.25 g of fat, 5.05 g of lactose and 113 mg of calcium.

The main milk protein is casein, about four fifths of the total; the rest is whey protein. Minerals make up less than 1%. The EU allows the claim that calcium is needed for the maintenance of normal bones and teeth, and that protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass. A 250 ml glass of whole milk provides roughly 290 mg of calcium, about 30% of the EFSA reference intake for adults (950 mg a day).

Lactose is broken down by the enzyme lactase. A meta-analysis covering 89 countries puts lactose malabsorption at about 68% of the world's adults, from 28% in Western, Southern and Northern Europe to 70% in the Middle East. Even so, most of them tolerate up to 12 g of lactose at a time without symptoms, roughly a glass of milk.

Lactose intolerance is not the same as milk protein allergy: an allergy can cause difficulty breathing, itching and swelling of the lips and face, and it can be life-threatening. In the EU milk is one of the 14 allergens that have to be highlighted on the label.

Soy, oat or almond drinks may not be sold as «milk» in the EU: in 2017 the EU Court of Justice confirmed this even for names that explain the plant origin, with exceptions for traditional names such as «coconut milk». The NHS considers unsweetened, calcium-fortified alternatives a good substitute, but not for children under one.