Milk and dairy · IFCT 2017
Milk: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, whole cow milk gives 73 kcal, 3.3 g protein, 4.5 g fat and 118 mg calcium, according to IFCT 2017. Buffalo milk gives 107 kcal, 3.7 g protein, 6.6 g fat and 121 mg calcium. So buffalo milk is richer mainly in fat and energy, while the calcium in the two is almost the same.
About milk
India produces more milk than any other country, and much of it comes from buffaloes as well as cows. In Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, buffalo milk is valued for thick curd, rich ghee and creamy tea; in the south and east, cow milk is more common. IFCT 2017 records cow milk as gai ka doodh in Hindi, pasumpaal in Tamil, aavu paalu in Telugu, hasuvina halu in Kannada, gai nu dhudh in Gujarati and gow kshiram in Sanskrit.
Milk is the base of the Indian day: chai and filter coffee, curd set overnight, buttermilk with lunch, haldi doodh at night. It becomes paneer, khoa, ghee, kheer, payasam, rabri and basundi. Most city households now buy packaged toned or double-toned milk, which has part of its fat removed and is not separately listed in IFCT 2017.
The cow and buffalo figures differ in a few useful ways. Cow milk is slightly yellow because it carries beta-carotene, 14 micrograms per 100 g, while buffalo milk is whiter. Buffalo milk's extra fat is what makes its curd firmer and its ghee yield higher.
What milk brings to a meal
- 01
Calcium in an easy form
Cow milk gives 118 mg calcium per 100 g, about 12 per cent of an adult's daily requirement, and buffalo milk 121 mg. Calcium from milk is absorbed well, which is why dairy anchors most Indian calcium intakes.
- 02
Cow vs buffalo: fat and energy
Buffalo milk has 6.6 g fat and 107 kcal per 100 g against 4.5 g and 73 kcal for cow milk. Protein is close, at 3.7 g versus 3.3 g.
- 03
Riboflavin and phosphorus
Cow milk carries 0.11 mg riboflavin and 97 mg phosphorus per 100 g. Riboflavin ranks 1st among the three dairy foods in IFCT 2017.
- 04
Almost no iron
Milk has just 0.15 mg iron per 100 g, 238th of 242 foods. Young children who fill up on milk and eat little else can become short of iron.
Milk nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 73 kcal | 3% | 4% |
| Protein | 3.3 g | 6% | 7% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 4.9 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Free sugars | 4.9 g | ||
| Total fat | 4.5 g | ||
| Water | 86.6 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 2.71 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 1.21 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.14 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 21 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 118 mg | 12% | 12% |
| Iron | 0.15 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.33 mg | 2% | 3% |
| Magnesium | 8 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Phosphorus | 97 mg | ||
| Potassium | 115 mg | ||
| Sodium | 25 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.03 mg | ||
| Selenium | 0.9 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 2 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Beta-carotene | 14 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.03 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.11 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.08 mg | 0% | 1% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.04 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Folate (B9) | 7 µg | 2% | 3% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.14 mg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Milk: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/milk-and-dairy/milk/
Where milk sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 2 milk and dairy and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In milk and dairy | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 3.3 g | 3rd of 3 | 139th of 243 |
| Iron | 0.15 mg | 3rd of 3 | 238th of 242 |
| Calcium | 118 mg | 3rd of 3 | 63rd of 242 |
| Zinc | 0.33 mg | 3rd of 3 | 164th of 243 |
| Magnesium | 8 mg | 3rd of 3 | 236th of 242 |
| Potassium | 115 mg | 2nd of 3 | 233rd of 243 |
| Vitamin C | 2 mg | 1st of 1 | 121st of 130 |
| Folate (B9) | 7 µg | 3rd of 3 | 185th of 197 |
Every form of milk in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milk, whole, Cow (shown above) | 73 kcal | 3.3 g | 0 g | 0.15 mg | 118 mg |
| Whole, Buffalo | 107 kcal | 3.7 g | 0 g | 0.16 mg | 121 mg |
How milk is eaten
- Curd: milk boiled, cooled to lukewarm and set overnight with a spoon of old curd, the daily dahi of Indian homes.
- Chai and filter coffee: milk simmered with tea leaves, ginger and cardamom, or added hot to strong decoction.
- Kheer and payasam: rice, vermicelli or sago cooked slowly in milk with jaggery or sugar.
- Haldi doodh: hot milk with a pinch of turmeric and pepper, a bedtime drink in many homes.
- Paneer and chhena: milk curdled with lemon juice or vinegar and strained.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Calories in Banana Milkshake
226 kcal in 1 glass of banana milkshake.
Calories in Chai
34 kcal in 1 cup of chai.
Calories in Coffee
104 kcal in 1 cup of coffee.
Calories in Cold Coffee
207 kcal in 1 glass of cold coffee.
Calories in Cornflakes With Milk
326 kcal in 1 bowl of cornflakes with milk.
Calories in Curd Rice
423 kcal in 1 plate of curd rice.
Calories in Gajar ka Halwa
290 kcal in 1 bowl of gajar ka halwa.
Calories in Kesar Milk
268 kcal in 1 glass of kesar milk.
Calories in Kulfi
266 kcal in 1 kulfi.
Calories in Makhana Kheer
300 kcal in 1 bowl of makhana kheer.
Calories in Mango Milkshake
202 kcal in 1 glass of mango milkshake.
Calories in Meetha Dalia
329 kcal in 1 bowl of meetha dalia.
Calories in Naan
152 kcal in 1 naan.
Calories in Oats Porridge
290 kcal in 1 bowl of oats porridge.
Calories in Phirni
337 kcal in 1 bowl of phirni.
Calories in Rabri
226 kcal in 1 bowl of rabri.
Calories in Rice Kheer
301 kcal in 1 bowl of rice kheer.
Calories in Seviyan Kheer
279 kcal in 1 bowl of seviyan kheer.
Calories in Thandai
256 kcal in 1 glass of thandai.
Before you plan around it
Many Indian adults digest lactose, the sugar in milk, poorly and feel bloated after a large glass; curd and buttermilk, where bacteria have used up part of the lactose, are usually easier. Raw milk should always be boiled unless it is packaged and pasteurised. For toddlers, too much milk crowds out iron-rich food, so after the first year milk should be one part of meals, not the whole. IFCT 2017 gives no cholesterol figure for milk, so none appears on this page, though milk fat does contain some. Saturated fat in cow milk is 2.71 g per 100 g.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about milk
Is cow milk or buffalo milk better?
It depends on the goal. Per 100 g in IFCT 2017, buffalo milk has 107 kcal and 6.6 g fat against 73 kcal and 4.5 g for cow milk, with similar calcium. Cow milk suits those watching energy and fat; buffalo milk gives thicker curd and more ghee.
How much calcium is in milk?
IFCT 2017 lists 118 mg calcium per 100 g of whole cow milk and 121 mg for buffalo milk. That is about 12 per cent of an adult's daily requirement per 100 g, and milk calcium is well absorbed.
Can people with lactose intolerance drink milk?
Many can manage small amounts with meals. Curd, buttermilk and paneer usually cause fewer symptoms because they contain less lactose. People with severe symptoms or a milk protein allergy should get advice from a doctor or dietitian.
Should milk be boiled?
Loose milk from a dairy or vendor should be boiled to kill bacteria. Pasteurised packaged milk is safe without boiling, though many families boil it anyway out of habit. Boiling for a long time reduces some B vitamins slightly.
Related foods and tables
Paneer
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Khoa (mawa)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Ghee
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Rice
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Jaggery
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Cow milk vs Buffalo milk
Side by side, per 100 g.
Protein and Calories in a Glass of Milk: Toned, Full-Cream and Buffalo
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Protein content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by protein per 100 g.
Iron content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by iron per 100 g.
Calcium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by calcium per 100 g.
All milk and dairy
3 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.