Close
Photo: Getty Images / Maren Caruso / Peter Finch
The 7 Healthiest Milks, According to a Dietitian
It’s super nutritious.
As a registered dietitian, I would be remiss not to mention how dairy stands in a league of its own when it comes to nutrition. Here is the nutrition for1 cup of 2% cow’s milk:
For many athletes, it’s thepreferred recovery drinkafter a workout due to its combination of protein and carbs. Milk also is an excellent source of calcium and vitamin B12 which are important for bone health, brain health and healthy metabolism. Milk is also fortified with vitamin D, which also keeps bones strong and supports healthy immunity, and vitamin A, which helps support healthy vision. Manufacturers add these nutrients to milk to work together with the calcium and nutrients naturally found in milk to round out its nutritional profile. Non-dairy milks are often fortified with calcium and vitamin B12 to try and mimic milk’s impressive nutritional profile, though it’s not required.
Other dairy products likecheeseand yogurt have impressive nutrition, too, especially if you’re trying to boost your protein intake.One ounce of cheesecontains around seven grams of protein andone cup of yogurthas 14 grams of protein for some serious vegetarian-friendly staying power.Greek yogurthas even more with a whopping 23 grams per cup.
It’s versatile.
Beyond being healthy, dairy is incredibly versatile to use. Yogurt is perfect for smoothies or parfaits, but you can also use it to makeTwo-Ingredient-Dough Bagels. And cheese can be added to basically everything (I’m testing the limits every day). Cream cheese can top a bagel, thicken upa soupor add richness toSlow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip. Ricotta goes just as well in baked goods (like thisBlueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake) as it does in pasta. Dairy can add creaminess, flavor and nutrition to most any dish. As a person who loves to cook, I’ll never swear it off.
It’s an affordable vegetarian protein.
Products like milk, yogurt and cheese are affordable and can be found at most any grocery store. They are a great vegetarian protein option, especially if you’re on a budget. For example, dairy milk costs around$3.69 per gallon, this is less than what most non-dairy milks charge for a half gallon. Plus, eating dairy helps me eat less meat. If my meal has satisfying protein in it from dairy, I won’t hesitate about skipping the meat altogether.Eating less meatcan benefit your health, your wallet and the health of the plant too.
Cheese is my favorite food.
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Tell us why!
