Does milk make you fat?

In this brief article, we will answer the question, “Does milk make you fat?” and provide information on whether you should consume whole milk, whether it can be harmful to health, how to add milk to your diet, and the amount of fat in other animal milk as well as plant-based milk.

Does milk make you fat?

Yes, milk can make you fat. However, this can only occur if you consume too much milk. Cow’s milk can come in different fat percentages. This can include skim milk, 1 percent, 2 percent, and whole milk.

The amount of fat and calories present in milk can vary based on the kind of milk you consume. For instance, 240ml of whole milk can give 8 grams of fat and 150 calories. However, 240 ml of skimmed milk can contain only 80 calories and 1 gram of fat.

2 percent of milk can contain 125 calories and 5 grams of fat whereas 1 percent of fat milk can contain 100 calories and 2 grams of fat.

As a result, you can choose to consume milk with low fat or no fat if you wish to lose weight. If you wish to gain weight, you can consume whole milk.

Who should consume whole milk?

A cup of whole cow’s milk can give you 8 grams of fat. Individuals who are underweight can consume whole milk.

Athletes or bodybuilders who wish to gain muscles can switch to consuming whole milk too. Patients who have significantly lost weight as a result of chronic illnesses or pregnant women can go for whole milk.

Can whole milk be harmful to health?

No, consuming whole milk is not harmful. Whole milk has to be consumed in moderation if you are suffering from chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, etc as it is a source of saturated fats.

Whole milk products can contain cholesterol too but dietary cholesterol is not shown to significantly affect blood cholesterol levels. 

Yet, it is better to consume them in moderation. Individuals who have a genetic predisposition to obesity or cholesterol can consume whole milk in moderation.

How can you add milk to your diet?

Milk can be added to smoothies, pancakes, puddings, oatmeal, and eggs. You can add them to breakfast cereals and consume them in the evening. Milk can also be added to soups, puddings, gravies, and curries.

What is the amount of fat present in other animal milk?

Sheep milk can have a good amount of fat. An ounce of sheep milk can contain 2.15 grams of fat. An ounce of goat milk on the other hand contains 1.35 grams of fat. However, compared to sheep’s milk, goat’s milk has lower levels of cholesterol.

Buffalo milk has twice the amount of fat as that of whole cow’s milk. Camel milk is also consumed in some parts of the world. The fat levels in camel milk can vary depending on its location. It can range from 1 to 5.5 percent.

On the other hand, yak milk is also consumed. The fat present in yak milk can range from 5 to 9 percent.

What is the amount of fat present in plant-based milk?

A cup (240 ml) of oat milk and almond milk contains 2.5 grams of fat. Soy milk has 3.5 grams of fat. Hemp milk has the highest fat compared to the other three plant-based milk. It contains 4.5 grams of fat.

Although the fat and caloric content of plant-based milk is low, the nutritional values of plant-based milk can differ. Some commercial brands can add more sugar, preservatives, and other ingredients which can increase the caloric content of plant milk.

As a result, it is better to always read the nutritional label before you plan to buy this milk. Compared to whole cow’s milk, almond milk contains lesser saturated fats. However, it contains low protein levels too.

Individuals who are looking to lose weight can incorporate almond milk instead of cow’s milk into their diet.

Hemp milk also has lower calories and fats compared to cow’s milk. Oat milk though can have higher calories compared to other plant-based milk.

Soy milk is another popular plant-based milk. A cup of soy milk can give 4 grams of fat. However, it can give 7 grams of protein per cup. Soy milk can be a better option nutritionally compared to other plant-based milk. 

Conclusion

In this brief article, we have answered the question, “Does milk make you fat?” and provided information on whether you should consume whole milk, whether it can be harmful to health, how to add milk to your diet, and the amount of fat in other animal milk as well as plant-based milk.

Reference 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/milk-and-weight-gain

https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/highest-percentage-fat-milk-animal-10855.html