There is a lot we get wrong about dairy’s nutritional benefits. Photo / Getty Images
We surveyed leading nutrition experts to reveal the truth about raw milk, lactose intolerance, low-fat dairy and more.
We love dairy, but for such a beloved food group, there is a lot we get wrong about dairy’s nutritional benefits, and what it can (and can’t) do for our health.
Here are five misconceptions that nutrition experts said they hear most often about dairy.
While cow’s milk may have provided necessary nutrients during scarcer times thousands of years ago, experts say that many people don’t need milk to meet their nutrient needs today.
“The biggest myth around cow’s milk is that it’s a necessary food,” said Amy Joy Lanou, a professor of nutrition at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. “The evidence just doesn’t support that.”
Milk has long been advertised as the ticket to strong, healthy bones, for instance, largely because it is rich in calcium. One cup of low-fat milk supplies more than 300mg of the nutrient, or about a third of the daily recommended amount for most US adults.
But research suggests that you don’t need to drink milk to maintain healthy bones. In a 2022 analysis of 20 studies, for instance, researchers found no differences in bone fracture risk between people who consumed the most milk versus those who consumed the least.
And plenty of other foods offer similar nutrients, such as protein, vitamin B12, phosphorus and calcium. Bony fish like canned sardines and leafy green vegetables like collard greens and spinach are high in calcium, said Alice H. Lichtenstein, a professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University. And lean meats and fish supply protein, phosphorus and vitamin B12.
Many people get the nutrients found in milk, like calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D, from fortified packaged foods and drinks.
As long as you follow a balanced diet, you don’t need to consume dairy, said Dr Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and the director of the Food Is Medicine Institute at Tufts University.
Since the 1980s, federal health officials have recommended that Americans prioritise lower-fat dairy products over whole milk varieties to limit the consumption of saturated fats, which in excess can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
But Mozaffarian and other experts have called that recommendation into question, saying that it is not based on strong evidence.
While large observational studies have indeed found that lower-fat milk is associated with fewer health risks (like cardiovascular disease) than whole milk, others have found benefits associated with consuming full-fat dairy. In a 2018 analysis of 16 studies, researchers found that people with higher levels of dairy fats in their blood were less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those with lower levels.
In a 2025 review, a group of international researchers concluded that the current evidence does not support recommending one variety of milk over the other.
For that reason, the experts said, the best choice for you depends on your preferences and health priorities. If you want to maximise protein and calcium while consuming the fewest calories, for instance, lower-fat dairy may be a good choice, Lichtenstein said. Whole milk contains roughly the same amount of protein and calcium as fat-free milk, but it has nearly twice as many calories.
Some people, on the other hand, prefer the taste and texture of whole milk.
Alternative milks made from plants like soybeans, almonds and oats may seem healthier, but that is not always the case, the experts said.
Plant milks don’t always supply the key vitamins and minerals found in cow’s milk, such as protein, calcium, potassium, and B and D vitamins, so they’re not an equal substitute. And some plant milks contain ingredients that unflavoured cow’s milk usually lacks, like added sugars and sodium. In excess, these ingredients can harm your health, said Kara Lynch, a dietitian at Michigan State University Extension.
Protein quality can also vary across plant-based milks, Lichtenstein said. In a 2024 review of the nutritional quality of animal milk and plant-based milk alternatives, researchers found that the proteins in some plant-based milks weren’t “complete,” meaning they don’t contain all nine of the essential amino acids your body cannot make on its own. Cow’s milk, on the other hand, is a “complete” source of protein – as is soy milk.
People with lactose intolerance have difficulty digesting lactose, a natural sugar found in milk, because they do not make enough of an enzyme called lactase, which breaks it down. As a result, they can experience symptoms like bloating, gas and diarrhoea after drinking milk and eating other dairy products like fresh cheeses and ice cream.
But certain dairy products contain little lactose and are less likely to cause symptoms in people with lactose intolerance, especially if eaten in moderation. These include hard cheeses, butter and fermented dairy products like yoghurt and sour cream.
Riskier foods, like milk, cottage cheese and feta, aren’t necessarily off-limits for people with lactose intolerance either. You can thwart potential symptoms if you take a lactase enzyme supplement, like Lactaid, before eating them.
You can also find lactose-free dairy products, like certain milks, cheeses, yogurts and ice creams, at grocery stores. These are just like regular dairy products but they have the lactase enzyme mixed in, so they are much more tolerable for people who are lactose intolerant.
Misinformation about unpasteurised, or “raw,” milk is widespread, Lynch said. Some believe that pasteurisation, which involves heating milk to destroy harmful microbes, reduces beneficial nutrients, making pasteurised milk less healthy.
That argument is “misleading and harmful,” Lynch said. While pasteurisation may destroy a small amount of certain nutrients in milk, she said, it’s not enough to make a real difference in how nutritious it is. And the safety benefits of pasteurisation far outweigh those potential drawbacks.
Raw milk can carry pathogens such as salmonella, E. coli, campylobacter and listeria, which can cause serious – and sometimes fatal – food-borne illness.
“You just don’t want to play with that stuff, especially with your children,” said Lanou, the nutrition professor.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Written by: Caroline Hopkins Legaspi
©2025 THE NEW YORK TIMES