Milk is a staple of the modern diet. Many people drink milk to improve their health or just for the flavour. On cereal, in cooking, or as a separate drink milk is a huge part of the British diet. Nowadays it is easy to find different varieties of milk in your local store. Namely, you can choose from 3 different types of milk. Whole, semi skimmed, or fully skimmed milk. But to understand how many calories in skimmed milk vs Whole milk first we have to understand the difference.

Whole milk has no fat removed and is the most unprocessed form of milk. Semi skimmed has some of the fat removed, and skimmed has nearly all of the fat removed from it. There can be a big difference between whole and skimmed milk. The debate about which is better for your health is continuous.

In a 250ml glass of skimmed milk there is just 83 calories.  In semi-skimmed that creeps up to 115 calories and 155 calories in 250ml of Whole Milk

So what are the pros and cons of skimmed milk?

There are numerous benefits to drinking skimmed milk. The most obvious one is that it is lower in fat. This is the main point of skimmed milk! It was initially marketed as a healthier option to full fat milk. With rising concerns about high fat diets in the modern world, skimmed milk can be very valuable. For dieters everywhere skimmed milk has aided weight loss.

For those wanting to limit their intake of unhealthy animal fats, skimmed milk can be a healthy option. Animal fats, such as saturated fats found in whole milk, can increase your risk of many diseases and health conditions. There is a known link between saturated fats and heart disease. The fats in whole milk raise cholesterol. Those concerned about high cholesterol could benefit from drinking skimmed milk. So the low fat content of whole milk allows people to enjoy this nutritious and tasty drink without putting their health at risk.

Even though fat is taken away from skimmed milk, the nutritional content pretty much remains intact. In fact, in some cases the nutritional content actually increases! This means that there can be even more Calcium, Potassium, and Protein in skimmed milk. However, it is important to be aware that a few of the nutrients found in skimmed milk are added. Skimmed milk is often fortified with minerals and vitamins to make up for any nutrients lost when the fat is taken away from it. This is not necessarily a bad thing, since the nutrients will still benefit your body. However, it does mean that the nutrients aren’t as natural as the nutrients found in whole milk.

The carbohydrate and sodium content in skimmed milk is higher than in whole milk. In simpler terms, skimmed milk basically has more sugar and salt than whole milk. This is because when the fat is taken out of skimmed milk, there is mainly carbohydrates and salt left over. Too much sugar in your diet can increase your risk of weight gain and Diabetes, whilst too much salt could lead to high blood pressure. Still, you have to weigh up what you want from your milk. If you need to cut down on fat then skimmed milk may be best, but if sugar is your problem then whole milk will suit you more.