Sugar In Milk: Sources, Amounts, And How To Avoid It

Maybe your like

Medical News TodaySubscribeEverything to know about sugars in milk

Medically reviewed by Kim Chin, RD — Written by Zia Sherrell, MPH on April 28, 2021

Sugar in milk
Sugar content of different milks
Health effects
Avoiding added sugars
Summary

Animal milk contains natural sugars, like lactose, which provide health benefits. Plant milks may contain added sugars, such as sucrose, fructose, or glucose.

Anyone wishing to limit or avoid sugars should read nutrition labels and choose milk products carefully.

Mammals, including humans, produce milk to feed their young. Lactose is the sugar present in milk and is in most animal-based dairy products, including cow’s, goat’s, and sheep’s milk.

The sugars in milk are essential for health. Lactose is a critical nutrient that provides energy, helps with digestion, and confers a range of health benefits, from increased immunity to lowered risk for heart attack.

Although milk sugars provide health benefits, some people may need to limit their intake for health reasons like type 1 diabetes, or because they follow a diet that restricts sugar intake, such as the keto diet.

This article explores sugar in milk, and the levels in various types of milk. It then explains the health effects of sugar in milk and how people can avoid milk with added sugar.

Why is there sugar in milk?

a puddle of milk spilling from a carton onto a stone floor — kickstand/Getty Images

Sugar in milk provides energy for growth and development.

Milk is a dietary staple of people worldwide. It provides minerals like calcium and phosphorus, vitamin D, protein, fat, and other essential nutrients. It also contains natural milk sugar, or lactose.

Before the body can use lactose, it must break it down into simpler forms to absorb quickly.

The enzyme lactase breaks down lactose into smaller glucose and galactose subunits for the body to absorb.

Without this process, the nutrients from the milk would pass through the digestive system without the body absorbing them and using them for energy production.

People with lactose intolerance are unable to digest milk because they have a lactase deficiency.

The natural sugars in milk are its primary carbohydrate, and they give milk its slightly sweet taste.

Milk sugars are not the same as added sugars that provide only calories and no nutrients.

Added sugars contribute to weight gain and metabolic syndrome, which increases an individual’s risk of a range of health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

In animal milk, lactose is the primary milk sugar. However, plant-based milks such as oat, rice, and soy milk may contain other sugars such as fructose or fruit sugar, glucose, or sucrose.

People should read the nutrition label carefully to ensure the milk does not have high levels of added sugar.

Sugar content of different milks

The sugar content of milk depends on the source and whether the manufacturing process adds sugar to the finished product.

Animal milk may vary in sugar content according to the animals’ diet and hormone status.

Below are the sugar levels in 240 milliliters (ml) or 1 cup of various types of milk:

Cow’s milk 1%: 12 grams (g)
Cow’s milk whole: 11 g
Goat’s milk whole: 10.9 g
Unsweetened almond milk: 1.98 g
Unsweetened soybean milk: 8.91 g
Unsweetened rice milk: 12.7 g
Unsweetened oat milk: 7.01 g
Sweetened coconut milk: 6.1 g

The amount of sugar or lactose in human’s milk depends on the stage of lactation and whether the lactating parent gave birth at term.

Lactose in human’s milk ranges from 6.7 to 7.8 g per 100 ml, which works out to between around 16–19 grams per 240 ml, making human’s milk much higher in sugar than cow’s milk.

If an individual needs to limit their sugar intake, unsweetened almond milk is a good choice as it contains almost no sugar.

In comparison, rice milk contains comparable sugar to cow’s milk.

Milk products with added sugar can contain extremely high levels. For example, sweetened chocolate milk has 24 g of sugar per 240 ml serving.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) dietary guidelines recommend that individuals limit their sugar intake to less than 10% of their total calories, which for most people means around 50 g of sugar each day, assuming a 2,000 calorie daily diet.

Health effects of sugar in milk

Lactose is the primary sugar in milk, which the body then breaks down to galactose and glucose.

Galactose is a crucial energy source and structural element in the body. As babies and young children grow, they need galactose for their central nervous system development.

The body also relies on glucose as a significant source of energy for the muscles and brain. After the body has used its energy, it stores any leftover glucose as glycogen in the liver and muscles.

Aside from its calorific value, lactose can also act as a prebiotic to support the healthy bacteria in the digestive system and help the body absorb calcium and magnesium.

Not all types of sugar have the same effect on blood sugar. Milk sugars have a low glycemic index (GI) score.

The GI score is a scale of 0–100 that shows how foods affect blood sugar. A lower GI score means that foods raise blood sugars more slowly than a higher score.

Cow’s milk has a GI index of 47, whereas almond milk has a score of 64, and some rice milk may be as high as 100.

If an individual needs to consider their blood sugar levels or has diabetes, it is advisable that they include lower GI foods in their diet.

How to avoid milk with added sugar

People can avoid milk with added sugar by opting for unsweetened varieties.

Individuals must pay attention to the nutrition label, which identifies how many grams of sugar manufacturers have added to food products.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated the rules on food labeling. Each product must explicitly state the quantity of added sugar it contains.

In other countries, nutrition labels may not state added sugar. Instead, they may use one of the many alternative names for sugar, including:

corn syrup
high fructose corn syrup
corn sweetener
brown sugar
invert sugar
molasses
syrup
fruit juice concentrates

If someone needs to monitor their sugar intake, they should opt for unsweetened products or read nutritional labels carefully to understand the sugar content.

Summary

Milk contains, lactose, a naturally occurring sugar that provides essential health benefits.

Lactose provides crucial brain and body energy and can aid digestion.

For individuals who need to monitor their sugar intake, cow’s milk has a relatively low GI score and may contain less sugar than plant-based alternatives containing added sugars.

However, individuals should read nutritional labels carefully to understand if the milk contains added sugar, which can affect health.

Uncategorized
Diabetes
Nutrition / Diet
Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Ballard, O., et al. (2013). Human milk composition: Nutrients and bioactive factors.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2012.10.002
Changes to the nutrition facts label. (2021).https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/changes-nutrition-facts-label
Deng, Y., et al. (2015). Lactose intolerance in adults: Biological mechanism and dietary management. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu7095380
Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025. (n.d.).https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/resources/2020-2025-dietary-guidelines-online-materials
Jeske, S., et al. (2017). Evaluation of physicochemical and glycaemic properties of commercial plant-based milk substitutes. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-016-0583-0
Lactose and lactose derivatives as bioactive ingredients in human nutrition. (2008).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.idairyj.2007.11.013
Mosca, F., et al. (2017). Human milk: Composition and health benefits [Abstract].https://doi.org/10.4081/pmc.2017.155
Rodríguez, L. A., et al. (2016). Added sugar intake and metabolic syndrome in US adolescents: Cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2012.https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980016000057
Schaafsma, G. (2008). Lactose and lactose derivatives as bioactive ingredients in human nutrition.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0958694607002300
Sugar 101. (2018).https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/sugar-101
USDA Food Data Central (n.d.).https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html
Visioli, F., et al. (2014). Milk, dairy products, and their functional effects in humans: A narrative review of recent evidence.https://doi.org/10.3945/an.113.005025

Share this article

Medically reviewed by Kim Chin, RD — Written by Zia Sherrell, MPH on April 28, 2021

Latest news

Time-restricted eating may reduce Crohn’s symptoms, inflammation by half
Can statins really cause memory loss and weight gain? New evidence says 'no'
1 to 3 cups of caffeinated tea or coffee a day may help reduce dementia risk
New Novo Nordisk weight-loss drug more effective than Wegovy in clinical trial
Metformin may help prevent long COVID, evidence suggests

Related Coverage

Glycemic index: Everything you need to knowMedically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., MSN
The glycemic index (GI) scores foods according to how quickly they raise blood sugar. This scoring system can help people with conditions such as…
READ MORE
What are the 6 essential nutrients?Medically reviewed by Miho Hatanaka, RDN, LD
There are six essential nutrients that people need in their diets to ensure the body has everything it needs for good health. Read what they are here.
READ MORE
Mediterranean diet linked to lower stroke risk in females, study finds
A study adds to growing evidence emphasizing the cardiovascular benefits of the Mediterranean diet, as findings suggest that this dietary pattern can…
READ MORE
Is this sweetener really the 'holy grail' of sugar substitutes?
A recent study highlights a cheaper and more efficient method to produce the artificial sweetener tagatose. However, does this promising sugar…
READ MORE
Low vitamin D may increase respiratory infection risk by as much as 33%
Researchers have found a potential link between vitamin D deficiency and a higher rate of hospitalization for respiratory tract infections such as…
READ MORE

Tag » How Much Sugar Is In Milk

Sugar In Milk: Sources, Amounts, And How To Avoid It

Health Conditions

Health Products

News

Original Series

Podcasts

General Health

Health Tools

Quizzes

About Medical News Today

Find Community

Follow Us

Why is there sugar in milk?

Sugar content of different milks

Health effects of sugar in milk

How to avoid milk with added sugar

Summary

How we reviewed this article:

Latest news

Related Coverage

Milk, 1% Fat

Sugar In Milk: Sources, Amounts, Tips, And More - Healthline

How Much Sugar Is In Milk? Chocolate, Whole, Skim And More

How Much Sugar Is In Milk? | Milk Sugar Levels - Dairy Australia

What Is The Sugar Content Of Milk? | You Ask, We Answer

Is There Sugar In Milk?

Milk And Diabetes: Choices, Nutrition, And Benefits

Why Does Milk Contain Sugar? - Alberta Milk

The Sugar In Dairy Milk Is Nothing To Fear. Here's Why.

Is The Sugar In Milk Bad For You? - IDCN

How Many Grams Of Sugar Are In Milk? - Quora

Does Skim Milk Contain More Sugar? - The Bone Clinic

How Much Lactose Is In A Gram Of Milk Sugar?

Milks | Drinks And Diabetes

Regular, Full Cream Milk Has Less Sugar Than Reduced Fat Or Skim Milk

Contact