Photo Credit: Stephanie Booth on flickr.com

 

Skim milk is whole milk from dairy cows that has had most of or all of its fat removed. In the past, this was done by letting the milk settle, and then “skimming” the fat off of the top. Calorie-wise the difference is fairly substantial, and if you’re trying to manage your weight … you’ll start choosing skim milk right away. Whole milk contains around 147 calories a serving, whereas skim milk contains 91 calories. The amazing thing about skim milk is that it is actually more nutrient dense than the other versions of milk, because the only thing actually removed from whole milk is the fat. Skim milk still contains all the nutrients we expect from milk.

An 8 oz serving of whole milk contains:

  • Protein: 7.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 11  g
  • Calcium: 276.1 mg
  • Potassium: 349 mg
  • Cholesterol: 24 mg
  • Sodium: 98 mg

Same volume of skim milk:

  • Protein: 8.7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 12.3 g
  • Calcium: 349 mg
  • Potassium: 419 mg
  • Cholesterol: 5 mg
  • Sodium: 130 mg

The difference in calorie and nutrient content makes skim milk a wise choice for any diet.


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