This is the second article in a never-ending series of shorter posts with information and nutrition facts about specific foods in relation to a keto diet and ketosis. The  topic of milk on keto is a must-read for everyone who wants to do a keto diet the right way. 

Today, you will learn about drinking milk on a keto diet. Milk, as we all know, is the most popular and usually the favorite type of dairy. Most of us grew up drinking lots of milk and believing that milk is an essential part of a healthy diet. I’ve also been drinking milk almost my whole life and I absolutely love its taste. However, things have changed a bit since I started a keto diet and these changes have been for good. 

So how is it really? What’s the truth? Can you drink milk on a keto diet? Is milk on keto a really good idea? Will it hinder your progress or kick you out of ketosis? Let’s find this all out and analyze milk in more detail. 

Nutrition Facts About Milk (Three Types Of Milk)

Below you will find the most important nutritional facts and information about three selected types of milk. The table shows only the data and nutrition facts that are the most relevant from the point of view of a keto diet. That’s is what any keto diet follower is interested in, after all.

If you are doing a keto diet and are wondering if you can drink milk on this program, this is the article you’ve been looking for.

Nutrition Facts Of Milk (1% fat)

Nutrition Facts Of Milk (2% fat)

Nutrition Facts Of Whole Milk (3.25% fat)

The more leaner protein you consume, the bigger the insulin spike, so “the-fatter-the-better” rule of a ketogenic diet is also true for milk. Out of these three, whole milk is certainly the best option even though there aren’t big caloric or carb differences between them.

If you want to drink milk on a keto diet, it’s best to chose whole milk.

Milk & Its Keto Compliance (3/10)

Here you will find information and facts that will let you decide if milk is keto-compliant or keto-friendly. The score you can see in brackets is my own opinion (based on my own experience). You can obviously have a different opinion and I respect that.  

Milk, as you know, is diary and opinions on dairy on a ketogenic diet vary a lot. Whether it’s OK to consume dairy on a keto diet depends on your goals. Generally, the rule is that if you want serious weight loss (or want to get ripped), you should avoid dairy or consume very little of it. Milk, unfortunately, is one of the worst types of diary when it comes to a ketogenic diet but it’s not strictly forbidden.  

Here are a few essential facts about milk on a ketogenic diet and some clear examples:

• MILK IS HIGH IN CARBS. No matter what type of milk you consume, you won’t go much below 5 g of carbs per 100 g. A huge caffè latte may have even 300-400 g of milk, which is 15-20 g of carbs in just one serving. Remember that on a keto diet you don’t want to go above 20 g of carbs a day? 
• MILK IS LOW IN FAT. Milk is usually quite low in fat and the best way to avoid huge insulin spikes is to consume full-fat products like heavy whipping cream. Remember that on a keto diet most of your calories come from fat?
• MILKS SPIKES INSULIN. Glycemic index (GI) of milk varies from 27 (whole milk) up to 32 (skimmed milk), which is overall considered low but it still spikes insulin.  Remember that on a keto diet we want to keep insulin low most of the time? 
• MILKS CONTAINS SUGAR. Milk is rich in lactose which is nothing other than sugar and is treated as such by our body. Remember that sugar is the worst enemy of a keto diet and a healthy lifestyle? 

The above facts, fortunately, don’t mean that you won’t be able to drink milk for the rest of your life. You just need to keep this information in mind and be careful. Here are the best pieces of advice about drinking milk on keto I can give you:

• KEEP IT LOW. If you absolutely cannot do without milk, make sure not to drink too much of it and always count it against your daily carb intake. I don’t recommend drinking more than 100 g (3.5 oz) of milk a day (this will be about 5 g of carbs net).
• NOT EVERY DAY. Make sure not to drink milk every day. Allocate 2-3 days in a week when you allow yourself to add a little bit of milk to your coffee.
• A SPLASH WON’T HURT. Don’t worry about milk if you only add “splash” of it to your coffee. A real splash won’t do you any harm.
• USE ALTERNATIVES. Think about using alternatives like almond milk or coconut milk which are usually very low in carbs and don’t contain lactose. You can really get used to their taste and begin to like them as much as milk.

Coconut milk is a really wonderful alternative to milk on a keto diet.

This is how milk keto compliance looks like. But how good is milk when it comes to its impact on health? Let’s see.

Milk On A Ketogenic Diet & Health Impact (6/10)

Here you will find information and facts about how healthy milk is. We aren’t focusing on its impact on ketosis and a ketogenic diet in this section so some tips given here may not be good for people on a strict ketogenic diet.

As you probably know there are two different “camps” of people when it comes to milk and whether it’s healthy or not. I’min the “pro milk camp” but because I follow a ketogenic diet I drink milk only occasionally. Anyways, here are a few facts (both negative and positive) and pieces of advice regarding the possible impact of milk on health:

• SOURCE OF GOOD PROTEIN. Milk is a source of good and easy-to-absorb source for protein. In combination with other sources of protein (like cheese, eggs or protein powder), it can help you compose a high-protein nutritious meal. This is a great solution for body-builders or athletes not interested in weight loss.
• SOURCE OF CALCIUM. It’s a known fact that milk is a great source of calcium which is essential for the creation of bone matter and a strong bone structure.
• HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS. Milk is also rich in other nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, phosphorous, selenium, magnesium or zinc.
• IT’S FOR CALVES (NOT HUMANS). Some say it’s made by cows and for cows. That’s true! However, it still has the above-mentioned nutrients that humans can use to their advantage.
• DRINK WHOLE AND ORGANIC.  If you want to drink milk, make sure to always choose whole and organic milk. It will have the most nutrients and the least possible toxins.

Check out the following medical articles that talk about milk in the context of health at the website of the US National Library of Medicine: Milk And Diary Products: Good Or Bad? and Effects of Diary Products On Health. 

Bottom Line: Drink Occasionally

Whether you should drink milk on a keto diet is ultimately your own decision. Milk is neither a wonder keto drink or a pure toxin. It certainly has a few health benefits but it may not be the best choice in the context of a keto diet and staying in ketosis. 

However, if rapid and serious weight loss isn’t your main goal and you drink milk in moderation, you should be OK even if you are on a ketogenic diet. Milk can also be a wonderful drink for your carb-up day or to help you enrich your post or pre-workout meal.

The bottom line is not to go overboard (which I always recommend) and use milk to your benefit and advantage.

If you find this mini guide helpful and useful, please share it with your friends on social media. My goal is to reach as many people as possible to help them make wise dietary choices and transform their lives. Thanks!