The fattiest milk you can buy in stores is typically heavy cream, with around 36-40% fat, far exceeding regular whole milk (around 3.25-3.8%) or specialty 'extra creamy' milks (around 4.2%). While whole milk is the richest common drinking milk, cream is the highest-fat milk product readily available for purchase, designed for cooking or whipping, not drinking straight.
Imagine feeding your baby a milkshake for every meal. Well, for hooded seal pups, that's nothing. Their mother's milk contains 60% fat, the fattiest milk in the world. For comparison, the richest ice cream clocks in at only 16% fat.
Hooded seal mothers produce the fattiest known milk. Human breastmilk has about three to five percent fat in it. But with more than 60 percent fat, hooded seal milk would rival some of the richest Häagen-Dazs ice creams out there.
So “100% milk” doesn't exist - the milk they comes right out of the cow is completely milk - but it's not 100% fat. 2%, 1%, and 0% ( skim ) milk have had the fat removed. The fat is then used to make products like half-and-half or cream.
Made with fresh pasteurised cream from grass-fed cows, our Anhydrous Milk Fat is 99.9%+ pure milk fat with high nutritional value. It's a great way to add natural, creamy flavour intensity to a wide range of food and baking applications.
Gen Z isn't drinking as much milk due to health concerns (lactose intolerance, acne), ethical/environmental worries about dairy farming, the influence of social media promoting alternatives, increased awareness of dairy's downsides, and a desire for healthier, more personalized options like plant-based milks, though they still enjoy other dairy products like cheese and yogurt. They question traditional health advice and are swayed by peer culture and eco-consciousness, leading them toward alternatives for taste, values, and lifestyle fit.
The Contenders
Whole milk is not bad for you, if you make sure to balance your diet so that it can fit in. Most national dietary guidelines emphasizes that you should choose lower fat dairy on a regular basis. So stick to lower-fat dairy products and only enjoy full fat products in smaller amounts.
Whole milk, as the name suggests, contains a higher fat content compared to 2% milk. It typically contains at least 3.25% milk fat, giving it a rich and creamy texture.
Full fat milk, often called whole milk, has been both praised and misunderstood. Known for its rich texture and nutrient density, it's a dietary staple that offers numerous health benefits. However, its fat content has also made it the subject of many myths.
Goat's milk, by nature, is closer to human breast milk than cow's milk or soy, which means less processing and more natural goodness. It is high in oligosaccharides, similar in protein levels to human breastmilk, and is low in lactose, which makes it perfect for babies and toddlers with sensitive tummies.
Dr. Gundry recommends non-dairy alternatives like unsweetened coconut milk or hemp milk, and for dairy, A2 milk from goats, sheep, or specific cows (like Guernsey) that lack the A1 casein protein, all to avoid lectins and support gut health, viewing almond milk as a less ideal C-tier option and strongly cautioning against oat milk, per his {platform and {video content https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QAVMEzqc3yI}}.
As an example, hooded seals produce the fattiest milk in the animal kingdom, sporting a 60% fat content.
How to increase milk fat content
The Best Milk to Gain Weight: Adding Calories to Whole Milk
Three tablespoons of dry whole milk has around 150 calories and 8 grams of protein. Adding dry whole milk to 1 cup of whole milk will provide close to 300 calories.
The healthiest milk depends on your needs: Cow's milk (especially low-fat/skim) offers the most complete nutrition (protein, calcium, B vitamins) if you tolerate dairy. For plant-based, soy milk and pea milk are best for protein, while almond milk is low-calorie, and oat milk provides heart-healthy fiber (beta-glucans). Always choose unsweetened and calcium/vitamin D fortified options for better health benefits.
Milk Consumption. A study in Sweden found that drinking too much milk – three or more glasses a day – leads to an increased risk of death and leads to an increase in the chance for hip fractures and other bone-related mishaps.
Milk has long been known and used to promote sleep. The sleep-promoting effect of milk has been attributed to its psychological associations (i.e., the memory of a mother giving milk at bedtime) and its rich store of sleep-promoting constituents (e.g., tryptophan).
Whole milk is generally preferred because its fat and protein content create smooth, stable microfoam. Barista-style oat and soy milk are great non-dairy alternatives.
The demand for soy milk comes from its creamy texture and slightly nutty flavor, making it an excellent cooking and baking ingredient. It's the closest drink that resembles cow's milk, per a taste test and online public sentiment.
Boys are more likely to drink milk than girls, who in turn are more likely to drink a juice (Park & Bae, 1999). However, relatively little is known about the effect of gender differences on beverage consumption patterns in elementary school children.
Gen Z And The Sober Curious Movement
One study found that 34% of people in the Gen Z age group are making an effort to drink less, while 45% say they've never had an alcoholic drink in their lives. In contrast, only 36% of the millennial generation admit to never experimenting with alcohol.
In fact, many people claim that their health only improved after they cut milk from their lives. And it's not just an improvement in digestion that people have noticed; many say that their acne, sinus allergies, chronic fatigue, brain fog, and general inflammation were vastly improved after saying “no” to milk.