How much protein does milk have?
By
Dr Jorge Metri (PhD)
| Reviewed by
Dr Anny Manrich (PhD)
The contents of this article are fact-based except otherwise stated within the article.
Author bio
Dr Jorge Metri PhD is a Nutritionist with vast experience in food design with natural ingredients. He also researches sensory sciences and food quality with cutting-edge technologies like Machine Learning. He writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Jorge Metri’s highlights:
- Invited Reviewer of two international scientific Journals
- PhD in Food Science with emphasis on reduced-fat salad dressings with non-animal derived proteins at Universidad De Las Américas Puebla
- Diploma in Artificial Intelligence at Universidad Anáhuac, México
- Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition at the Universidad Latino
“Science shows its true impact when we make it understandable for everyone” – Dr Jorge Metri PhD.
Professional experience:
Prior to doing his PhD, Jorge Metri worked as an independent nutritionist for almost two years, focusing on sports nutrition to enhance the performance of swimmers and triathletes.
Jorge Metri has worked on several multidisciplinary research projects, including fruit processing, the production of protein-based products, spices, seasonings, jams, and artificial intelligence applied to agriculture production and food quality.
In the food technology area, Jorge Metri has contributed to improving sales and profits of two entrepreneurs of artisanal food products by reformulating their products and standardizing their processes.
Due to the high volume of food production and innovation, the food industry will need new technologies for food characterization in the next years; Jorge Metri is looking for studying such technologies, in 2022, he was selected as a finalist in the IFT FIRST 2022 Food Science event for the Sensory & Consumer Sciences Division Graduate Student Pangborn Oral Competition with the work titled: Machine Learning Models for Mayonnaise Acceptability Prediction.
Education:
- 2018 – 2023: PhD in Food Science at Universidad De Las Américas Puebla of Puebla, México
- 2022: Diploma in Artificial Intelligence at Universidad Anáhuac, México
- 2011 – 2016: Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition at the Universidad Latino of Mérida Yucatán, México.
Main publications of Jorge Metri:
- Metri-Ojeda, J., Solana-Lavalle, G., Rosas-Romero, R., Palou, E., & Baigts-Allende, D. (2023). Rapid screening of mayonnaise quality using computer vision and machine learning. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization, 1-13.
- Metri-Ojeda, J., Ramírez-Rodrigues, M., Rosas-Ordoñez, L., & Baigts-Allende, D. (2022). Development and Characterization of a Low-Fat Mayonnaise Salad Dressing Based on Arthrospira platensis Protein Concentrate and Sodium Alginate. Applied Sciences, 12(15), 7456.
- Ojeda, J. M., Rodrigues, M. R., & Allende, D. B. (2022). Study of the perception and the acceptability of mayonnaise ingredients among Mexican consumers and its global preference. Revista Española de Nutrición Humana y Dietética, 26.
- Metri-Ojeda, J., Nikiforidis, C., Sandoval-Peraza, M., Chel-Guerrero, L., & Baigts, D. (2019). Processing of Amaranthus hypochondriacus biomass for functional protein concentrates development. Journal of Food Research, 8(5), 70-81.
Conference papers:
- Allende, D. B., Alva, A. P., Haro, M. S., Martínez, A. S., & Ojeda, J. M. (2020). Bio-plastic polymers from renewable sources. INNOTEC, (19 ene-jun), 97-108
- Metri-Ojeda, J. C., Pérez-Alva, A., Recio-Cazares, S. L., & Baigts-Allende, D. K. (2020). Physicochemical and sensorial characterization of vegan mayonnaise using chia seed oil and mucilage (Salvia hipanica L.). Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos, 5, 485-489.
You can view some of Dr Metri’s work below and links to his professional profiles:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorge-metri-ojeda/
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jorge-Carlos-Metri-Ojeda-2
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=SBi5hE8AAAAJ&hl=es
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7333-3688
Reviewer bio
Dr Anny Manrich PhD is a food Engineer with expertise in Food Technology, Natural Polymers, Edible Films, Enzymes, and Nanotechnology. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Anny Manrich’s Highlights:
- Research and Technology at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
- PhD in Chemical Engineering with a focus on Biochemistry at the Federal University of Sao Carlos/ Brazil and a one-year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich/ Germany
- Bachelor of Food Engineering at the University of Campinas/ Brazil and a one-year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich/ Germany
“To solve a problem, global vision and multifactorial understanding are necessary. Therefore, in addition to expertise, one should seek multidisciplinary thinking connected with science and reality” – Dr Anny Manrich, PhD.
Professional Experience:
Dr Anny Manrich’s Experience Joining the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, as soon as she completed her doctorate,
Dr Anny Manrich has worked on several projects, including the more than three-year partnership project with BRF, a major food producer in Brazil. As a postdoctoral fellow.
Dr Anny Manrich has also contributed to several business consultancies and research projects of the National Nanotechnology Laboratory System in areas such as food technology, fibres, films and coatings and Nanotechnology; in a very determined way, having a great team relationship, being creative and committed.
Growing concerns about the safe introduction of nanomaterials into today’s life emphasises the need to create regulatory documentation in front of characterising, using and testing them. Dr Anny Manrich worked for two years on a characterization project for nanoscale materials, with the aim of exploring their possible health effects.
Despite not having specific academic training in packaging or polymeric films, Dr Anny Manrich works at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation in areas of edible and biodegradable films produced from agricultural waste and in the development of films with greater resistance to water, having articles published in renowned scientific journals, which demonstrates her multidisciplinary understanding and creativity.
In addition, she worked for four years as a consultant to a food company to develop a line of snacks that are healthy and that add functional ingredients, physiologically active compounds that bring health benefits, made from fruits and vegetables, enabling diet improvement, disease prevention and reduction of nutritional deficiencies.
Dr Anny Manrich participated as a member of the examination board for two Master’s exams and one PhD exam at the Department of Chemical Engineering of the Federal University of São Carlos.
Education:
- 2001 Bachelor in Food Engineering at the State University of Campinas, Brazil
- 1999 One year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich
- 2004 Master in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
- 2012 PhD in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
- 2010 One year scholarship at the Technical University of Munich
The main publications of Dr. Anny Manrich are:
Articles
Manrich, A., Moreira, F. K., Otoni, C. G., Lorevice, M. V., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. (2017). Hydrophobic edible films made up of tomato cutin and pectin. Carbohydrate Polymers, 164, 83-91.
Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Martins, H. H. A., Manrich, A., Otoni, C. G., Carvalho, E. E. N., … & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Correlating emulsion characteristics with the properties of active starch films loaded with lemongrass essential oil. Food Hydrocolloids, 100, 105428.
Norcino, L. B., Mendes, J. F., Natarelli, C. V. L., Manrich, A., Oliveira, J. E., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Pectin films loaded with copaiba oil nanoemulsions for potential use as bio-based active packaging. Food Hydrocolloids, 106, 105862.
Manrich, Anny, et al. Immobilization of trypsin on chitosan gels: Use of different activation protocols and comparison with other supports. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 43.1 (2008): 54-61.
Manrich, Anny; Komesu, Andrea ; Adriano, Wellington Sabino; Tardioli, Paulo Waldir ; Giordano, Raquel Lima Camargo . Immobilization and Stabilization of Xylanase by Multipoint Covalent Attachment on Agarose and on Chitosan Supports. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, v. 161, p. 455-467, 2010.
Mendes, J. F., Martins, J. T., Manrich, A., Neto, A. S., Pinheiro, A. C. M., Mattoso, L. H. C., & Martins, M. A. (2019). Development and physical-chemical properties of pectin film reinforced with spent coffee grounds by continuous casting. Carbohydrate polymers, 210, 92-99..
Milessi, T. S., Kopp, W., Rojas, M. J., Manrich, A., Baptista-Neto, A., Tardioli, P. W., … & Giordano, R. L. (2016). Immobilization and stabilization of an endoxylanase from Bacillus subtilis (XynA) for xylooligosaccharides (XOs) production. Catalysis Today, 259, 130-139.
Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Manrich, A., Pinheiro, A. C. M., Oliveira, J. E., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2020). Development, physical‐chemical properties, and photodegradation of pectin film reinforced with malt bagasse fibers by continuous casting. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 137(39), 49178.
Mendes, J. F., Martins, J. T., Manrich, A., Luchesi, B. R., Dantas, A. P. S., Vanderlei, R. M., … & Martins, M. A. (2021). Thermo-physical and mechanical characteristics of composites based on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) e spent coffee grounds (SCG). Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 29, 2888-2900..
Mendes, J. F., Norcino, L. B., Martins, H. H., Manrich, A., Otoni, C. G., Carvalho, E. E. N., … & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2021). Development of quaternary nanocomposites made up of cassava starch, cocoa butter, lemongrass essential oil nanoemulsion, and brewery spent grain fibers. Journal of Food Science, 86(5), 1979-1996.
Manrich, A., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. C. (2021). Manufacture and performance of peanut skin cellulose nanocrystals. Scientia Agricola, 79.
Nascimento, V. M., Manrich, A., Tardioli, P. W., de Campos Giordano, R., de Moraes Rocha, G. J., & Giordano, R. D. L. C. (2016). Alkaline pretreatment for practicable production of ethanol and xylooligosaccharides. Bioethanol, 2(1)..
Manrich, Anny, de Oliveira, J. E., Martins, M. A., & Mattoso, L. H. C. Physicochemical and Thermal Characterization of the Spirulina platensis. J. Agric. Sci. Technol. B, v. 10, p. 298-307, 2020.
Book Chapter
Terra, I. A. A., Aoki, P. H., Delezuk, J. A. D. M., Martins, M. A., Manrich, A., Silva, M. J., … & Miranda, P. B. (2022). Técnicas de Caracterização de Polímeros. Nanotecnologia Aplicada a Polímeros, 614.
Conference Papers
Ferreira, L. F., Luvizaro, L. B., Manrich, A., Martins, M. A., Júnior, M. G., & Dias, M. V. (2017). Comparação da estabilidade de suspensões poliméricas de amido/tocoferol e quitosana/tocoferol. In: CONGRESSO BRASILEIRO DE POLÍMEROS, 14., 2017, Águas de Lindóia, SP.
Manrich, A., Hubinger, S. Z., & Paris, E. C. (2017). Citotoxicidade causada por nanomateriais: avaliação do micronúcleo. In: WORKSHOP DA REDE DE NANOTECNOLOGIA APLICADA AO AGRONEGÓCIO, 9., 2017, São Carlos. Anais… São Carlos: Embrapa Instrumentação, 2017. p. 655-658.
Manrich, Anny, et al. Immobilization and Stabilization of Xylanase by multipoint covalent attachment on Glyoxyl Agarose Support. The 31st Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2009.
Manrich, Anny, et al. Application of immobilized xylanase on hydrolysis of soluble wood hemicelluloses after using microwave and organosolv pre-treatments. The 32nd Symposium on Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals. 2010.
You can view some of Dr Anny’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anny-Manrich-2
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=23103497100
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=Ea9qpr0AAAAJ
Linkedin: https://br.linkedin.com/in/anny-manrich-20693129
In this brief article, it is addressed the query “How much protein does milk have?”. It also briefly reviews the protein content in the different types of milk; what other nutrients are present in milk; and finally, some benefits and risks of consuming this product.
How much protein does milk have?
Milk has a protein content between 8 and 8.3 g each cup of 240 ml. The slight variations in protein content are due to the different types of milk. The highest protein content is in semi skim and skim milks, these milks have 8.3 g of protein each 240 ml (1,2,3).
It is important to mention that proteins in milk are considered high quality proteins. Milk contains all essential amino acids (those you have to consume through food). These amino acids are needed to muscle and tissue development, create immune cells, and enzymes (4).
What other nutrients are in milk?
Other nutrients in milk are fats, lactose (sugar), and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals (5).
The dairy industry offers you different types of milk according to their fat content. Whole milk is the one with the highest fat concentration, it has approximately 3.2 % fat; this is around 7.8 g of fat each cup (0.24 L) (1,2,3).
Semi skim milk provides you with more or less the half of whole milk. In this case, the USDA reports 2 % fat in semi skim milk (or reduced fat milk) which represents 4.63 g each cup of semi skim milk (1,2,3).
Regarding skim milk, it is the one with almost no fat in its composition. Actually, the fat content in skim milk could be as low as 0.5 %. If you choose skim milk, you will be taking only 1.22 g of fat in a cup of 240 ml (5).
Milk is also a rich source of group B vitamins. For example, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B9 (folate), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and B12 (cyanocobalamin). These vitamins are crucial for cognitive development and protecting your DNA (6).
Milk is also a good source of vitamin A and vitamin D. Vitamin A is essential for good eyesight and for your skin’s health. On the other hand, vitamin D helps you in the development of a strong bone mass, but recently it was determined that this vitamin is also very good for strengthening your immune system! (7,8,9)
You can find essential minerals like calcium, zinc, and iron in Milk. Calcium is crucial for your bone health, while zinc is related to a better immune system and iron is essential to prevent anemia (10,11,12).
What are the advantages of Cow’s Milk vs plant-based Milk?
The advantages of cow’s milk is that it has plenty more protein content compared to veggie milks (except for soy milk). The following table summarizes the protein content in different plant-based milks and cow’s milk (13).
| Milk type | Protein content (%) |
| Cow’s milk | 3.26 |
| Soy milk | 3.78 |
| Coconut milk | 0.32 |
| Almond milk | 1.02 |
| Oat milk | 0.46 |
| Rice milk | 0.17 |
Adapted from Walther et al. (13).
Additionally, cow’s milk contains a better protein quality than soy milk has. As you can see in the following table, cow’s milk has much more Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, and Phenylalanine (10,14).
| Soy milk (mg/100 g) | Cow’s milk (mg/100 g) | |
| Histidine | 61 | 87 |
| Isoleucine | 107 | 170 |
| Leucine | 169 | 380 |
| Lysine | 122 | 327 |
| Methionine | 22 | 111 |
| Cysteine | 35 | 29 |
| Phenylalanine | 112 | 173 |
| Tryptophan | 57 | 42 |
| Valine | 104 | 225 |
Adapted from Scholz-Ahrens et al (10) and Reynaud et al. (14)
These are essential amino acids useful for building muscle, preventing malnutrition, and improving your immune system (15).
What are the health Benefits of Milk?
The potential health benefits of Milk are the following (4,6,7,9,10,11,12):
- High quality proteins can promote correct growth and development.
- The vitamins contained in milk can boost your immune system and promote your bone health.
- The minerals of milk can help to maintain your health. For instance, prevention of anemia (with iron), osteoporosis (in the case of calcium), and overall, help to have a strong immune system through zinc.
Is there any risk in consuming Milk?
There are some health risks of consuming Milk, for example, if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to Milk proteins you can get really bad symptoms (10).
If you are lactose intolerant, you could explore other options like lactose-free dairy products, or fermented dairy products like Greek yogurt. However, if you are allergic to milk proteins, you better avoid all milk and dairy products. Anaphylaxis triggered by allergy is very dangerous (10, 16).
How can you incorporate Milk in your diet?
You can incorporate milk in your diet with a wide variety of foods, for example, cheeses, yogurt, milk shakes, desserts, creamy pastas, among others. Here are some ideas of recipes including milk in the ingredients.
Conclusion
In this brief article, it was addressed the query “How much protein does milk have?”. It also briefly reviewed the protein content in the different types of milk; what other nutrients are present in milk; and finally, some benefits and risks of consuming this product.
References
- FoodData central [Internet]. Usda.gov. [cited 28 Apr. 2023]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1097512/nutrients
- FoodData central [Internet]. Usda.gov. [cited 28 Apr. 2023]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/746776/nutrients
- FoodData central [Internet]. Usda.gov. [cited 28 Apr. 2023]. Available from: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/685322/nutrients
- Olson B, Marks DL, Grossberg AJ. Diverging metabolic programmes and behaviours during states of starvation, protein malnutrition, and cachexia. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle, 2020;11(6):1429–46.
- Woźniak D, Cichy W, Dobrzyńska M, Przysławski J, Drzymała-Czyż S. Reasonableness of enriching cow’s milk with vitamins and minerals. Foods, 2022;11(8):1079.
- Kennedy DO. B vitamins and the brain: Mechanisms, dose and efficacy–A review. Nutrients, 2016 [citado el 28 de abril de 2023];8(2):68.
- Bastos Maia S, Rolland Souza AS, Costa Caminha M de F, Lins da Silva S, Callou Cruz R de SBL, Carvalho Dos Santos C, et al. Vitamin A and pregnancy: A narrative review. Nutrients, 2019;11(3):681.
- Bae M, Kim H. Mini-review on the roles of vitamin C, vitamin D, and selenium in the immune system against COVID-19. Molecules, 2020;25(22):5346.
- Pilz S, Zittermann A, Trummer C, et al. Vitamin D testing and treatment: a narrative review of current evidence. Endocr Connect. 2019;8(2):R27-R43.
- Scholz-Ahrens KE, Ahrens F, Barth CA. Nutritional and health attributes of milk and milk imitations. Eur J Nutr, 2020;59(1):19–34.
- Chasapis CT, Ntoupa P-SA, Spiliopoulou CA, Stefanidou ME. Recent aspects of the effects of zinc on human health. Arch Toxicol, 2020;94(5):1443–60. Disponible en:
- Zoroddu MA, Aaseth J, Crisponi G, Medici S, Peana M, Nurchi VM. The essential metals for humans: a brief overview. J Inorg Biochem, 2019;195:120–9.
- Walther B, Guggisberg D, Badertscher R, Egger L, Portmann R, Dubois S, et al. Comparison of nutritional composition between plant-based drinks and cow’s milk. Front Nutr, 2022;9:988707.
- Reynaud Y, Buffière C, Cohade B, Vauris M, Liebermann K, Hafnaoui N, et al. True ileal amino acid digestibility and digestible indispensable amino acid scores (DIAASs) of plant-based protein foods. Food Chem, 2021;338:128020.
- Olson B, Marks DL, Grossberg AJ. Diverging metabolic programmes and behaviours during states of starvation, protein malnutrition, and cachexia. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle, 2020;11(6):1429–46.
- Qamer S, Deshmukh M, Patole S. Probiotics for cow’s milk protein allergy: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Pediatr, 2019;178(8):1139–49.
