Water is best for basic hydration and zero calories, while milk is better for rehydration after exercise due to its protein, carbs, electrolytes (sodium, potassium), and fat, which slow fluid release for longer hydration, but it adds calories and fat, making water generally better for everyday, calorie-conscious hydration. Both are healthy, but the "healthier" choice depends on your needs: water for pure hydration, milk for added nutrients and post-workout recovery.
Research shows that milk is one of the best beverages for hydration, even better than water or sports drinks. Researchers credit milk's natural electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein for its effectiveness. Drinking milk after exercise helps replace essential electrolytes that are lost in sweat.
Milk has a high electrolyte content (including sodium and potassium), which helps the body retain fluids. Milk contains protein and carbohydrates, which slow digestion, prolonging the presence of water in the body. Milk balances osmolarity, which promotes water absorption by cells.
Bottom line: Fat-free milk can contribute to hydration and supplies nutrients, but replacing most or all water with milk will markedly increase calorie, sugar, and protein intake and may cause digestive issues or metabolic consequences in susceptible people.
Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count as part of your daily intake.
Milk consumption is recommended by many nutritional guidelines for meeting daily requirements for calcium, animal proteins and vitamin B12 intake. In the United-States, the national dietary guidelines recommend that adults should drink three cups or 732 mL/d of milk [1].
Many people prefer to use milk instead of water for many reasons. First, milk contains a small amount of fat which lends a rich flavour to baked goods and tenderizes. Buttermilk and sour cream, with their acidity, provide both fat and acidity which both tenderize in different ways.
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.
Milk and other dairy products are the top source of saturated fat in the American diet, contributing to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease.
Heart-healthy drinks (other than water)
Getting enough water every day is important for health. Drinking water can prevent dehydration, which may cause unclear thinking, mood change, overheating, constipation, and kidney stones. Water has no calories, so replacing sugary drinks with plain water can help reduce caloric intake.
These results suggest that the best time to drink milk to promote muscle growth and weight loss is immediately after exercise, not before bed. However, you should adjust the amount you drink accordingly. Drinking too much milk can lead to weight gain due to its high-calorie content, even when consumed after exercise.
Milk is more hydrating than water
The same can be said for oral rehydration solutions that are used to treat diarrhea. Those contain small amounts of sugar, as well as sodium and potassium, which can also help promote water retention in the body.
9 healthy and hydrating alternatives to water
There is a misperception that skim milk contains water to reduce the fat content—but that is not the case.
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.
Many individuals lack the proper digestive enzymes—known as lactase—that would help them process cow's milk, making them lactose intolerant. Many studies have found links between milk consumption and increased risks of ovarian cancer.
A 2017 review of 52 clinical studies, published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, concluded that dairy generally has anti-inflammatory effects, except in people allergic to cow's milk.
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.
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.
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}}.
Water is the “gold standard” when it comes to hydration, but milk isn't far behind. Milk is about 90 percent water by weight, according to data from the USDA, which means you'll be getting plenty of hydration when enjoying a glass.
He also taught that milk is necessary for the cultivation of spiritual consciousness. Krishna, the Supreme Person, the Absolute Truth, is fond of cows and milk products; when we attempt to please Him by making offerings of love based on His stated preferences—such as He gives in Bhagavad-gita 9.26—everyone benefits.
Milk is more hydrating than water
For example, milk was found to be even more hydrating than plain water because it contains the sugar lactose, some protein and some fat, all of which help to slow the emptying of fluid from the stomach and keep hydration happening over a longer period.