What Is Ultra-Filtered Milk, The New Post-Workout Drink - Refinery29

Skip navigation!ADVERTISEMENTStory from WellnessADVERTISEMENTWhat Is Ultra-Filtered Milk & Why Is The Fitness Community Into It?Molly LongmanJuly 26, 2019, 3:00 PM Photographed by Nicolas Bloise. Milk is more than just a bedfellow for your Cocoa Puffs. Many of us add small amounts to our coffees, omelettes, and smoothies. If you’re an athlete, you might drink straight-up chocolate milk after your workouts. Even if dairy isn't your thing or you’re lactose intolerant, milk and its alternatives are everywhere.And scientists are making the drink smarter. "Ultra-filtered" milk could be the new 1%, and it’s popular among the body-builder and fitness community. This is because the cow’s milk is put through an intense filtration process that gives it 50 percent more protein, 50 percent less sugar, and no lactose. It’s pasteurized, and people say it tastes creamier than regular milk. As it stands, ultra-filtered milk is to dairy what Gal Gadot is to DC Comics movies. It’s taking something that’s already great (a cold glass of milk), and making it more accessible and better than before.AdvertisementADVERTISEMENTOrganic Valley just launched a new organic option for ultra-filtered, which is made from pasture-raised cows. One of the first companies to really popularize the ultra-filtered thing was Coca Cola-owned fairlife.

How is it made?

Organic Valley specifically says they filter the milk to reduce lactose, a naturally occurring sugar in milk. This leaves a super concentrated protein-heavy formula.“Every molecule and nutrient in milk is a different size,” explains Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD, owner of BZ Nutrition. “The milk is going through a filtration process — it’s going through filter after filter, like on Instagram. This is pulling out different nutrients, and deconstructing milk to make it lactose free." Then they basically remake the milk with a lactase enzyme, calcium, and other good stuff.

Is it healthier than 1% or skim?

Zeitlin says that ultra-filtered is a good alternative to some milks, because there's less sugar. Because the drink is generally paired with more sugar-heavy foods, such as cookies and Cinnamon Toast Crunch, the lack of sugar can be helpful.It also helps you up your protein intake in the morning. Zeitlin says many people tend to get the least amount of protein in the morning because many breakfast foods don’t include meat, tofu, or other sources. So, if you picked a scone over an omelette this morning, pairing your baked good with a glass of this milk is a good solution.Meenakshi Trehan, the vice president of brand marketing and innovation at Organic Valley, told me that the company had moms in mind when they created the product. “Kids are super busy, running from school to activities, and protein helps to keep them going,” Trehan says.AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT

Why is the fitness community into it?

It’s all about the protein. “Protein builds strong muscles, helps to boost cognition, and keeps you alert and focused,” Zeitlin says.Many people like to drink chocolate milk after workouts for the recovery and muscle building properties, and this ultra-filtered drink takes the protein aspect to a new level.“When we’re doing something post-training, recovering is about repairing our muscles, and breaking things down so that our body can rebuild to be leaner and stronger,” Zeitlin says. “We need protein for that.”She notes that the reason chocolate milk itself is so popular is because the carbohydrates from the chocolate help the body absorb the protein more efficiently for muscle recovery. Despite the lower sugar count in this milk, you can still get the carbs through the chocolate, or pair the plain milk with a banana or apple for the carbohydrate benefits, she says.

What are the downsides?

It’s more expensive. Organic Valley’s ultra-filtered milk is $5.99 for a 56-ounce carton, which is about $3 more than the average price of milk reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, you can get a container of fairlife for about $3 at Walmart, which is still an uptick in price, Boomberg reported.If this milk isn’t in your price range, don’t sweat it. Zeitlin assures: “Straight up milk is still a healthy option.”AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT HoroscopesYour Horoscope This Week: January 25 To 31R29 babes, the week opens under the influence of a first quarter moon in Taurus on January 25th, a moment that often brings the first real tests of the intby Dossé-Via TrenouHoroscopesNeptune In Aries Begins It’s 14-Year Transit — & You’ll Experienc...Elusive and empathetic Neptune is re-entering Aries on January 26th, offering us a second chance to understand the journey ahead. This time around, we’lby Lisa StardustHoroscopesMars In Aquarius Is Here — It’s Time To Express YourselfYou say you want change? Well, the time has come! Action planet Mars is entering the sign of Aquarius, encouraging us to push back popular nby Lisa StardustAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTHoroscopesYour Horoscope This Week: January 18 To 24We begin this week under the energy of the first New Moon of 2026, which arrives on January 18th at 2:52 p.m. EST at 28 degrees Capricorn. New Moons mark bby Dossé-Via TrenouHoroscopesThis Aquarius Season Keep Your Friends CloseThis January, the sun’s entrance into Aquarius on the 19th brings a sense of camaraderie and friendship for you. The water bearer wants us to partakeby Lisa StardustHoroscopesThe Best Way To Handle The New Moon In Capricorn Is To Put Yourse...The New Moon on January 18th is coming in hotter than a steamy matcha latte! The first New Moon of 2026 is going to have a significant impact on how we kiby Lisa StardustHoroscopesBuckle Up! Venus In Aquarius Is Going To Be A Bumpy RideAs expected, Venus in Aquarius is going to shake up our world in unpredictable and erratic ways — so buckle up because the ride is about to get bumpby Lisa StardustSin VergüenzaWhat To Activate in Yourself To Make 2026 Your Best Year Yet, Acc...by Tatianna TarotPress PauseDon’t Let January Fool You — I Think Sobriety Is Genuinely FunIt’s 8 p.m. on a Saturday in 2023 on my 30th birthday and I am standing on my own, stone-cold sober, wailing my way through Robbie Williams’ “Angels?by Sadhbh O'SullivanHoroscopesYour Horoscope This Week: January 11 To 17Cosmic beings, this second week of 2026 brings a relatively calm astrological atmosphere, especially compared to the intensity of recent weeks, offering by Dossé-Via TrenouPress PauseThe Secret To Enjoying A Hobby? Half-Ass ItThe moment I stepped into adulthood, my after-school routine of endless dance and drama classes fell entirely by the wayside. Instead, once I started workiby Alicia LansomDedicated FeatureThe Holy Grail Protein Powder That Turned Me Into A BelieverI’ve spent years (decades, even) writing about wellness. I’ve worked at women’s magazines trying the newest lifestyle meditation app and workout regiby Samantha LealAdvertisementADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENT