Last reviewed on 11 September 2026.
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The figures below use the fat standards FSSAI sets for packaged milk, composition data from IFCT 2017 and USDA FoodData Central, and the nutrition panels printed on Indian packets. They are given per 100 ml first, then scaled to the 250 ml glass and the 200 ml cup people actually drink.
How much protein is in 100 ml of milk?
About 3 to 3.4 g for cow milk and for toned, double toned and full cream packaged milk. Protein sits in the non-fat part of milk, and FSSAI sets a minimum level of solids-not-fat for every grade, so removing fat does not remove protein. About four fifths of milk protein is casein and the rest is whey, and both supply all the essential amino acids. Buffalo milk carries somewhat more, often around 3.6 to 4.2 g per 100 ml.
How many calories are in 100 ml of each type of milk?
Roughly 45 to 50 kcal for double toned milk (about 1.5 per cent fat), 58 to 60 kcal for toned (3 per cent), 70 to 75 kcal for standardised (4.5 per cent) and 85 to 90 kcal for full cream (6 per cent). Skimmed milk, at 0.5 per cent fat or less, drops to about 35 kcal. Protein and lactose stay much the same across the grades and contribute about 30 to 35 kcal per 100 ml between them, so each extra 1.5 per cent of fat adds roughly 13 kcal.
| Grade | Fat | Per 100 ml | Per 250 ml glass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double toned | about 1.5 per cent | 45 to 50 kcal | 115 to 125 kcal |
| Toned | 3 per cent | 58 to 60 kcal | 145 to 150 kcal |
| Standardised | 4.5 per cent | 70 to 75 kcal | 175 to 190 kcal |
| Full cream | 6 per cent | 85 to 90 kcal | 215 to 225 kcal |
Skimmed milk, at 0.5 per cent fat or less, falls to about 35 kcal per 100 ml, while a glass of buffalo milk lands around 250 to 300 kcal.
Why is the packet label the best source?
Because it describes the milk you actually bought. The FSSAI grades set minimums for fat and solids-not-fat, and dairies often sit a little above them, so two toned milks can print slightly different calorie figures. Some dairies also sell high-protein, lactose-free or fortified versions with their own panels. Find the per 100 ml column and multiply. Loose milk from a local seller carries no label, and its fat can change from one day to the next, so any figure for it is an estimate.
Working out what your own glass holds
Two toned milks can print different figures, and a tall steel tumbler is not the same thing as a measured glass, so the arithmetic is worth doing once.
Find the per 100 ml column
The panel on your own packet describes the milk you bought. Dairies often sit a little above the FSSAI minimums, so two brands of the same grade can differ.
Measure the glass you actually use
Fill your usual tumbler with water and pour it into a measuring jug. Many steel tumblers hold nearer 300 ml than 250 ml.
Multiply, and then do it again for the cup
Scale the per 100 ml figures to the size you found. The smaller 200 ml cup is the more useful unit for children and for bedtime milk.
Count the chai separately
A cup of tea takes only 50 to 75 ml of milk, but each level teaspoon of sugar adds roughly 16 to 20 kcal on top, and that is usually the larger of the two numbers.
Treat loose milk as an estimate
Milk from a local seller carries no label and its fat can change from one day to the next, so any figure you put on it is approximate.
How many calories are in a 250 ml glass of milk?
About 115 to 125 kcal for double toned, 145 to 150 kcal for toned, 175 to 190 kcal for standardised and 215 to 225 kcal for full cream. A 250 ml glass of buffalo milk lands around 250 to 300 kcal, depending on its fat, which commonly runs between 6 and 8 per cent. Protein across the cow-milk grades is about 7.5 to 8.5 g per glass, and buffalo milk gives roughly 9 to 10.5 g. A tall steel tumbler often holds nearer 300 ml, so measure yours once.
How much protein and energy is in a 200 ml cup?
About 6 to 7 g of protein. Energy runs from roughly 90 to 100 kcal for double toned milk to 115 to 120 kcal for toned, 140 to 150 kcal for standardised and 170 to 180 kcal for full cream. The 200 ml cup is the useful unit for children and for the hot milk many families drink at bedtime. For a child over one year, a cup or two a day sits comfortably inside a mixed diet, while much more can crowd out iron-rich foods. Babies under one should not have cow or buffalo milk as their main drink, and the paediatrician should guide feeding until then.
How much does the milk in a cup of chai add?
Less than people fear, unless sugar joins it. A typical cup of tea uses 50 to 75 ml of milk, which adds about 1.5 to 2.5 g of protein and 25 to 65 kcal, depending on the grade. Each level teaspoon of sugar adds roughly 16 to 20 kcal. Four cups a day of full-cream chai with two sugars each can quietly add around 400 kcal, so the milk grade and the sugar are the two levers worth pulling. The masala chai recipe shows a standard proportion.
Is buffalo milk more nutritious than cow milk?
It is richer, which is not the same as better. Buffalo milk has more fat, somewhat more protein and more calcium per 100 ml, and it sets a thicker curd and yields more paneer from the same volume, which is why many households and sweet shops prefer it. It also brings close to twice the calories of toned milk. Toned milk began as a way of stretching rich buffalo milk with skim milk, and packaged toned milk is often still made from buffalo or mixed milk brought down to 3 per cent fat.
Is milk good for weight gain?
Yes, it is one of the easiest additions to make. A glass of full-cream or buffalo milk between meals adds 200 to 300 kcal and 8 to 10 g of protein without much effort to eat. Blending in a banana, a few nuts or oats turns it into a substantial snack. Underweight adults, teenagers in a growth spurt and older people with small appetites often find liquid calories easier than bigger plates. For a structured approach, see the weight gain diet plan.
Should you drink milk if you are trying to lose weight?
You can. Toned or double toned milk gives about 8 g of protein for 115 to 150 kcal a glass, which is a fair exchange. The trouble usually comes from sweetened milk drinks, flavoured milks and several cups of sugary tea, not from plain milk itself. Switching from full cream to toned saves about 70 kcal per glass, and plain curd set from toned milk counts the same way.
What if milk upsets your stomach?
Lactose, the natural sugar in milk, is the usual cause. Milk carries roughly 4.5 to 5 g of lactose per 100 ml, so a glass holds about 12 g. Many Indian adults digest lactose poorly, yet a good number manage small amounts taken with a meal, and curd, hung curd and aged cheese are often easier because bacteria or processing have reduced the lactose. Lactose-free milk keeps the protein and calcium. The lactose intolerance guide explains how to work out your own tolerance.
Do plant milks give the same protein?
Mostly not. Unsweetened soy milk is the exception, with roughly 3 g of protein per 100 ml, close to cow milk. Almond, oat, rice and coconut drinks usually carry around 1 g or less per 100 ml, so a glass may give 1 to 3 g of protein rather than 8. Many are sweetened, and only some are fortified with calcium and vitamin B12. If a plant drink is replacing dairy for a child or a vegan adult, read its label for protein, calcium and added sugar.
How much calcium does a glass of milk give?
About 300 mg from a 250 ml glass of cow milk, or roughly 120 mg per 100 ml, which is close to a third of the 1,000 mg a day that ICMR-NIN (2020) recommends for most adults. Buffalo milk gives more. The fat grade barely changes the calcium, so toned milk is as good a source as full cream. For the wider picture, including the non-dairy sources, see the calcium-rich Indian foods guide.
Does boiling milk reduce its protein?
Not in any way that matters. Boiling changes the shape of some whey proteins, and the layer of malai that forms on top takes fat and a little protein with it. Skimming it off lowers the calories slightly and costs a small fraction of the protein. Repeated boiling can reduce some heat-sensitive B vitamins, but the protein survives. NNWA's Dairy and Functional Foods Nutrition course covers milk, fermented and traditional dairy and lactose sensitivity over four to six weeks, at 10,999 rupees, reduced from 15,999.
Does A2 or desi cow milk have more protein?
No meaningful difference in the amount. A2 milk differs in the type of beta-casein it contains, not in how much protein it holds, so a glass of A2 cow milk gives about the same 8 g as ordinary cow milk. Claims that A2 milk is easier to digest have some small studies behind them but are far from settled. It usually costs more; choose it for taste, not for protein.
The short answer
A 250 ml glass of cow or toned milk gives about 8 g of protein whatever its fat level, while calories run from about 115 kcal for double toned to about 220 kcal for full cream, and buffalo milk climbs higher still. Read the per 100 ml figure on your own packet, multiply by the real size of your glass, and remember that the sugar stirred into milky tea often matters more than the milk.