Milk
Food · Dairy · Food, Typed Supps
A genuinely strong, well-absorbed calcium source — especially when fortified.
Stage by stage
- Intake (Liquid form): Its liquid form requires minimal digestive breakdown to begin absorbing.
- Stomach (Protein & lactose digestion): Protein (casein and whey) and lactose digestion begins.
- Small intestine (Calcium & vitamin D absorbed): Calcium, protein, and (if fortified) vitamin D are absorbed.
- Bone & muscle (Calcium & protein use): Absorbed calcium supports bone maintenance; protein supports muscle repair.
Timing
Fortified with vitamin D in most countries where dairy fortification is standard.
Time to effect
- Hours: Calcium and protein absorption begins within hours.
Allergens
Contains: Milk. Derived from what this food is, not from a product label.
Eating patterns
Fits: Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Halal, Kosher, Gluten-free. Depends on the product: Keto.
Satiety
129 on the satiety index, where white bread is 100 — moderate. Modelled from the Holt et al. (1995) measurements.
Environmental footprint
3.2 kg CO2e and 628 litres of freshwater per kg, matched to "Milk" in Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science 360.
Cost band
Cheap — roughly £2.5 per kg, as a band midpoint rather than a price.
Key nutrients
Nutrition per 100g
- Calories: 60.5
- Protein: 3.1g
- Carbohydrate: 5.1g
- of which sugars: 5.1g
- Fat: 3.2g
- of which saturated: 2.1g
- Fibre: 0g
- Sodium: 40mg
Food vs. supplement
An 8oz glass of fortified milk provides about 300mg of calcium and roughly 100 IU of vitamin D — comparable to a combined calcium-D supplement, but delivered with protein and potassium a pill doesn’t include.
Kitchen tip
Shake or stir plant-milk alternatives well before pouring if switching between them and dairy - the calcium settles at the bottom of many fortified versions.
Common myth
“All milk has the same vitamin D content.” In reality: Vitamin D fortification varies by country and product — it’s worth checking the label rather than assuming.
Recipes that use it
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