What are the nutrients in milk?
The composition of milk differs between mammal species. Cow milk is naturally about 3.7% fat, 3.4% protein, 4.8% lactose, and 0.7% minerals, with water making up the remainder. Some cow breeds have significantly more milkfat, as this chart indicates:
| Milk | Fat | Protein | Lactose | Minerals | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cow (average) | 3.7 | 3.4 | 4.8 | 0.7 | 87 |
| Holstein/Frisian | 3.6 | 3.4 | 4.9 | 0.7 | 87 |
| Brown Swiss | 4.0 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 0.7 | 87 |
| Jersey | 5.2 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 0.7 | 85 |
| Zebu | 4.7 | 3.3 | 4.9 | 0.7 | 86 |
| Buffalo | 6.9 | 3.8 | 5.1 | 0.8 | 83 |
| Goat | 4.0 | 3.4 | 4.5 | 0.8 | 88 |
| Sheep | 7.5 | 6.0 | 4.8 | 1.0 | 80 |
| Human | 4.0 | 1.1 | 6.8 | 0.2 | 88 |
Removing the water from milk concentrates its nutrient density:
| Kind of milk | Protein | Fat | Sugar | Minerals | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evaporated milk | 7 | 8 | 10 | 1.4 | 73 |
| Evaporated skim milk | 8 | 0.3 | 11 | 1.5 | 79 |
| Sweetened condensed milk | 8 | 9 | 55 | 2 | 27 |
| Dry milk (full fat) | 26 | 27 | 38 | 6 | 2.5 |
| Dry milk (nonfat) | 36 | 1 | 52 | 8 | 3 |
| Fresh milk | 3.4 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 0.7 | 87 |