The healthiest cow's milk depends on your goals, but low-fat (1%) or skim milk is often recommended for adults to reduce saturated fat, while still providing key nutrients like calcium and protein, according to OSF HealthCare and the NHS. For those with digestive issues, A2 milk (from specific breeds) may be easier to digest than regular milk (which contains A1 protein), but it's still dairy and not for milk allergies, notes Healthline and Australian Natural Health Magazine.
Healthiest milk to drink
For regular milk drinkers, three cups per day is the standard. You can also get that equivalent in other dairy products, like cheese and yogurt. Low-fat, skim or 1% cow's milk are healthier options compared to 2% or whole milk.
The "healthiest" milk in Australia depends on your needs, but soy milk is nutritionally closest to dairy with high protein, while oat milk offers fibre (beta-glucans for cholesterol), and almond milk is lowest in calories. Always choose unsweetened and calcium-fortified varieties for plant-based options, and consider skim dairy for low fat or A2 milk if sensitive to standard dairy protein.
Dr. Gundry recommends unsweetened coconut milk or hemp milk as top plant-based choices, avoiding most nut milks like almond/oat due to lectins; if dairy, he suggests A2 dairy (goat, sheep, or A2 cow milk) from specific breeds, or fermented dairy, emphasizing fermented sheep yogurt, and lists specific brands like Pacific Foods Hemp on his site.
Cow's milk: Lectins are not found in cow's milk. However, we know dairy can cause many other health problems including gastrointestinal distress. The effects of lectins, even among those who are very sensitive, tend to be more mild than the consequences of lactose intolerance.
Whole milk from a cow has more cholesterol inside than skimmed milk or lactose-free milk. Goat milk is also high in cholesterol. It's worth trying coconut, almond, soy, or rice milk for a lower-cholesterol alternative.
Whether it's in tea or coffee, poured over cereal or by itself, many of us enjoy drinking cow's milk every day. But while it contains nutrients like calcium and protein, cow's milk can also be high in saturated fat, which can raise cholesterol levels and, in turn, increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Several milk brands are 100% Australian owned, including Norco, an Australian farmer-owned co-operative; Riverina Fresh, a long-standing Australian dairy company; and Procal, a family-owned dairy in Victoria, plus brands like aPLUS milk, Little Big Dairy Co, and Great Ocean Road Dairy, all emphasizing local ownership and production to support Australian farmers and communities.
People are quitting oat milk due to concerns about highly processed ingredients like seed oils and emulsifiers, its impact on blood sugar (due to broken-down starches and added sugars), low protein content, potential inflammation, and gut health issues, with some wellness influencers shifting to cow's milk or other alternatives like almond or soy. The trend reflects a growing awareness that while convenient, many commercial oat milks aren't as "natural" or nutritionally complete as initially perceived, leading consumers to seek whole foods or dairy for better protein and fat balance.
All milk sourced under the Coles Dairy Direct Sourcing Model must be from farms with cows free from 'tie stall' systems and free from tail docking.
Choosing a lactose-free milk is essential for individuals with lactose intolerance and IBS. Almost all alternative milk choices are lactose-free. Dairy-free milk is ideal for gut health for individuals sensitive to or allergic to cow's milk. These include unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, and hemp milk.
From a nutrition standpoint, A2 milk is not better for you. It has the same nutrients as regular milk. However, A2 milk might be better for people who have trouble digesting A1 casein. One small study of 45 adults who may have had A1 intolerance compared the effects of drinking regular or A2 milk.
For older children and adults, it's a good idea to go for lower-fat milks because having too much saturated fat in your diet can lead to high cholesterol. If you're trying to cut down on fat, try swapping to 1% fat or skimmed milk, as these still contain the important nutritional benefits of milk, but are lower in fat.
For example, Levin and Barnard cite an association between cow's milk and cancers of the prostate and ovaries as well as an overload of saturated fat, estrogens, and cholesterol.
All dairy foods including milk, cheese, and yogurt, as well as dairy proteins, like whey and casein, were found in several systematic reviews to be anti-inflammatory or to have a neutral effect on inflammation.
You can eliminate dairy to help manage allergies and lactose intolerance symptoms. Cutting out dairy may improve your acne by decreasing oil production. You may go dairy-free to ease bloating if you have lactose intolerance.
To remove cholesterol from your body, adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle by eating more soluble fiber (oats, beans, fruits) and healthy fats (olive oil, fish), exercising regularly (30 mins most days), losing excess weight, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol, as these changes lower bad LDL cholesterol and raise good HDL cholesterol, with some people needing medication for more severe cases.
Whole cow's milk is nutritious, but its high saturated fat can negatively impact cholesterol levels; opting for low-fat or skim milk can reduce these risks. Plant-based milks, like almond or soy milk, that have no cholesterol and are low in saturated fats, can be heart-healthy options.
5 foods to limit if you have high cholesterol.
Dr. Gundry recommends unsweetened coconut milk or hemp milk as top plant-based choices, avoiding most nut milks like almond/oat due to lectins; if dairy, he suggests A2 dairy (goat, sheep, or A2 cow milk) from specific breeds, or fermented dairy, emphasizing fermented sheep yogurt, and lists specific brands like Pacific Foods Hemp on his site.
The body can produce enzymes during digestion that degrades some lectins. Other processes that deactivate the compounds are sprouting grains and beans, and mechanically removing the outer hull of beans and wheat grains that contain the most lectins.
Dr. Gundry recommends lectin-free options like pasture-raised eggs, avocado with MCT oil/ olive oil, nuts (walnuts, macadamias, pistachios), and sheep/ goat yogurt/ coconut yogurt for breakfast, often delaying it or eating calories in a short window; he advises against typical cereals, oats, and cow's milk yogurt due to lectins, promoting foods that support gut health.