Milk, 2%
Checked by us One serving: 263 g (about 250 mL) · 132 kcal
Lots of vitamin B12, riboflavin and calcium. Rich in 1 more nutrient: see Good for.
Nothing to watch for most people.
Worth knowing for some people: lactose intolerance.
Good for
How we counted this
What one serving (263 g) gives you.
Your body needs enough of each of these. Past enough, more doesn’t help. Amounts are what the food databases list, not what your body absorbs, unless a row says it was measured.
The words: “A lot” means one serving gives 20% or more of Health Canada’s daily amount, “Some” 10% to 19%, “A little” 2% to 9%, “Almost none” under 2%. Strongest word first; within a word, protein and fibre lead, then the biggest share. ?
A milligram (mg) is a thousandth of a gram, and a microgram (µg) a thousandth of a milligram: 1,000 µg make 1 mg.
- A lot
Vitamin B12
Your body needs it to make red blood cells and keep nerves working.
Learn more
1.39 µg in one serving: 58% of the 2.4 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Riboflavin (B2)
Your cells use it to make energy and handle fats. It also helps turn tryptophan into niacin and activate vitamin B6.
Learn more
0.49 mg in one serving: 38% of the 1.3 mg a day men need, 45% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, riboflavin fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Calcium
Builds your bones and teeth.
Learn more
316 mg in one serving: 32% of the 1,000 mg a day.
Listed amount only. 2 absorption studies of this nutrient are on file for this food, but none is quoted yet. Each one is in The numbers, with the reason. See the studies
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, calcium fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Vitamin D
Your body needs it to absorb calcium and keep your bones hard.
Learn more
Your skin also makes it in sunlight, so food is only one of its sources.
3.16 µg in one serving: 21% of the 15 µg a day.
Added to this milk by law in Canada; the label gives the Canadian amount.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin D fact sheet for health professionals
18 more nutrients below “a lot”
- Some
Protein
Your muscles, and every other tissue, are built and repaired from it.
Learn more
8.68 g in one serving: 16% of the 56 g a day men need, 19% of the 46 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. Institute of Medicine 2005, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
- Some
Vitamin A
Your eyes need it to see in dim light.
Learn more
Getting enough matters; more than enough doesn’t sharpen your sight.
145 µg in one serving: 16% of the 900 µg a day men need, 21% of the 700 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Added to this milk by law in Canada; the label gives the Canadian amount.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin A fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Selenium
Your thyroid uses it to make its hormones.
Learn more
6.58 µg in one serving: 12% of the 55 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, selenium fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Zinc
Your immune system and healing wounds depend on it.
Learn more
1.26 mg in one serving: 11% of the 11 mg a day men need, 16% of the 8 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, zinc fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Potassium
Your nerves, muscles and kidneys need it to work.
Learn more
368 mg in one serving: 11% of the 3,400 mg a day men need, 14% of the 2,600 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, potassium fact sheet for health professionals
- Some
Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents)
More than 400 of your enzymes need it to work.
Learn more
1.58 mg in one serving: 10% of the 16 mg a day men need, 11% of the 14 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, niacin fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Thiamin (B1)
Your cells use it to get energy from food, and so to grow and work.
Learn more
0.1 mg in one serving: 8% of the 1.2 mg a day men need, 9% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, thiamin fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Choline
Your cells need it for their membranes, and to make acetylcholine, a messenger for memory, mood and muscle control.
Learn more
43.1 mg in one serving: 8% of the 550 mg a day men need, 10% of the 425 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, choline fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Vitamin B6
Helps you use protein, and your brain needs it to make its chemical messengers.
Learn more
0.1 mg in one serving: 8% of the 1.3 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B6 fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Magnesium
Your muscles and nerves need it to work.
Learn more
28.9 mg in one serving: 7% of the 400 mg a day men need, 9% of the 310 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, magnesium fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Folate
Your body needs it to make DNA and to divide new cells.
Learn more
13.2 µg in one serving: 3% of the 400 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, folate fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Omega-3: ALA
The one omega-3 your body can’t make: it must come from food. Your cells build it into their membranes and burn it for energy.
Learn more
21 mg in one serving: 1% of the 1,600 mg a day men need, 2% of the 1,100 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin C
Your body makes collagen with it, which wounds need to heal. It also helps you absorb iron from plants.
Learn more
0.53 mg in one serving: 1% of the 90 mg a day men need, 1% of the 75 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin C fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin E
Shields the fats in your cells from damage; your immune system uses it too.
Learn more
0.08 mg in one serving: 1% of the 15 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin E fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin K1
Your blood needs it to clot.
Learn more
0.53 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 120 µg a day men need, 1% of the 90 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin K fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Iron
Carries oxygen in your blood.
Learn more
0.05 mg in one serving: 1% of the 8 mg a day men need, under 1% of the 18 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, iron fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Omega-3: EPA + DHA
Long-chain omega-3s, built into your cell membranes. DHA is concentrated in your brain and retinas.
Learn more
0 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 250 mg a day.
Health Canada sets no daily amount for these fats, so the daily figure here is the European Food Safety Authority’s.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Fibre
Keeps your gut moving.
Learn more
0 g in one serving: under 1% of the 38 g a day men need, under 1% of the 25 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. Institute of Medicine 2005, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
Watch out
How we counted this
Checked for cadmium and lead: fine at normal amounts.
Cadmium
Nothing to watchYou’d need more than 100 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to use up what an average adult’s intake leaves under the limit.
Learn more
One serving carries 0.03 µg
How we got this
A serving a day adds 0.2% to what an average adult already takes in: a share of that intake, not of the limit. With that serving every day, an average adult would be at about 71% of the limit.
An average adult already takes in about 71% of the limit. One serving a day fits in the room left.
Counted from zero, with no allowance for what adults already take in from other food, 1,700,000 g a week would reach the limit.
Why this rating: Eating it daily comes to 1,842 g a week, which stays within the 510,000 g of room left before the limit.
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: under the limit
A daily serving adds 0.15% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap.
Health Canada, Canadian Total Diet Study – Trace Elements (2005–2018 composites) · grade A
Lead
Nothing to watchYou’d need more than 100 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to double the lead an average adult already gets. No dose is known to be safe, so doubling is where we flag.
Learn more
A serving a day adds 0.1% to what an average adult already takes in. There is no limit to take a share of.
One serving carries 0.06 µg
How we got this
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake
No cap: no safe limit is set for lead, so no grams figure. A serving of 2% milk carries 0.0649 µg, which adds about 0.13% to the average adult's intake (an estimate, lower bound); far from doubling it.
Health Canada, Canadian Total Diet Study – Trace Elements (2005–2018 composites) · grade A
For some people
Lactose intolerance
A 263 g serving carries about 10.9–13.2 g of lactose. · US food database (USDA SR Legacy), Canadian Nutrient File 2026 · grade B
EFSA: the vast majority of people who digest lactose poorly tolerate up to 12 g at once, with no or minor symptoms. Some react to under 6 g.
Lactose intolerance isn’t a milk allergy: the gut can’t digest the sugar, whereas an allergy is the immune system reacting to milk protein.
Source: EFSA NDA Panel, Scientific opinion on lactose thresholds in lactose intolerance and galactosaemia, EFSA Journal 2010 · Health Canada, Milk – a priority food allergen
Worth knowing
No limit applies, so none is rated.
Sugar
13 g of sugar in a 263 g serving, natural and added together.
Learn more
Shown, not rated. The food tables we read give total sugar, and few give added sugar, so the site can’t yet tell sugar added in making a food from the sugar in fruit or milk.
Better options
How we counted this
“Better” here always means better at something the row names: more of one nutrient, more nutrients per serving, or the goal you pick. It never means better in every way.
Every amount below is for the same weight, 263 g, the size of one serving of this food, so a swap compares like with like. A serving of another food can be bigger or smaller.
A food is listed only if it gives clearly more: at least a fifth more than this food, and at least 10% of the daily amount more.
More of what it’s good for
More vitamin B12
Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat1.97 µg in 263 g (this food: 1.39 µg)
Cottage cheese1.74 µg in 263 g (this food: 1.39 µg)
More riboflavin
- Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat0.73 mg in 263 g (this food: 0.49 mg)
Plain yogurt, whole milk0.64 mg in 263 g (this food: 0.49 mg) · but less vitamin B12
Amounts as listed, not adjusted for how much gets in.
For calcium: Parmesan would lead, in the same 263 g, but is left out (portions too different to compare by weight).
None of the 5 other dairy foods we could compare gives clearly more nutrients per serving.
Your goal
Your goal changes only this list, not what the food gives you or what to watch.
Losing weight: fewer calories, and more nutrients, protein and fibre for each calorie.
- Skim milk89 kcal in 263 g (this food: 132)
- Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat
- More selenium (25.5 µg vs 6.58 µg)
- More protein (26.8 g vs 8.68 g)
- More vitamin B12 (1.97 µg vs 1.39 µg)
- Less vitamin D (0 µg vs 3.16 µg)
- Less vitamin A (2.63 µg vs 145 µg)
- Cottage cheese
- More protein (30.6 g vs 8.68 g)
- More selenium (25.5 µg vs 6.58 µg)
- More niacin (6.71 mg vs 1.58 mg)
- Less vitamin D (0.26 µg vs 3.16 µg)
Building muscle: more protein and more calories, per 100 g.
Parmesan35.8 g protein · 392 kcal per 100 g
Swiss cheese27 g protein · 393 kcal per 100 g
Mozzarella, part-skim23.7 g protein · 298 kcal per 100 g
Why some foods aren’t suggested
Left out: Parmesan (portions too different to compare by weight).
Bring a tracker export or describe your usual week. The same rules check all of it.
The numbers
Open every value
Name in the database: Milk, 2% milk fat
How the serving was set: 250 mL = 263.1 g (Health Canada D.11; FDC 249 g per cup)
Listed nutrients, per 100 g
For each nutrient, the value this page uses is marked “used”. A row marked “second database” is another database’s figure for a matching food, kept so you can see how far databases disagree (they can differ in the samples analysed, lab methods and rounding). Its own cells are worked out from it, but none of the page’s words or scores are.
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega-3: ALA | 0.008 g | 0.02 g | 0.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Calcium | 120 mg | 315.72 mg | 240 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| 120 mg | 315.72 mg | 240 mg | second database · not used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #61 | C | |
| Carbohydrate | 4.8 g | 12.63 g | 9.6 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Choline | 16.4 mg | 43.15 mg | 32.8 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Energy | 50 kcal | 131.55 kcal | – | FDC Energy (kcal) used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) | – |
| Omega-3: EPA + DHA | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Fat | 1.98 g | 5.21 g | 3.96 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Cholesterol | 8 mg | 21.05 mg | 16 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 1.257 g | 3.31 g | 2.51 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Folate | 5 µg | 13.16 µg | 10 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Iron | 0.02 mg | 0.05 mg | 0.04 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Magnesium | 11 mg | 28.94 mg | 22 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents) | 0.599 mg | 1.58 mg | 1.2 mg | listed used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #61 | C |
| Phosphorus | 92 mg | 242.05 mg | 184 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Potassium | 140 mg | 368.34 mg | 280 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Protein | 3.3 g | 8.68 g | 6.6 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.185 mg | 0.49 mg | 0.37 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Selenium | 2.5 µg | 6.58 µg | 5 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Sodium | 47 mg | 123.66 mg | 94 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Sugars | 5.06 g | 13.31 g | 10.12 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.039 mg | 0.1 mg | 0.08 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin A | 55 µg | 144.71 µg | 110 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.53 µg | 1.39 µg | 1.06 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.038 mg | 0.1 mg | 0.08 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin C | 0.2 mg | 0.53 mg | 0.4 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin D | 1.2 µg | 3.16 µg | 2.4 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin E | 0.03 mg | 0.08 mg | 0.06 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin K1 | 0.2 µg | 0.53 µg | 0.4 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Water | 89.21 g | 234.71 g | 178.42 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Zinc | 0.48 mg | 1.26 mg | 0.96 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-carotene | 4 µg | 10.52 µg | 8 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Copper | 0.006 mg | 0.02 mg | 0.01 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Ash | 0.71 g | 1.87 g | 1.42 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Sucrose | 0.01 g | 0.03 g | 0.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Glucose | 0.01 g | 0.03 g | 0.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Fructose | 0.01 g | 0.03 g | 0.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Maltose | 0.01 g | 0.03 g | 0.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Theobromine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Energy | 210 kj | 552.51 kj | 420 kj | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Galactose | 0.02 g | 0.05 g | 0.04 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Fluoride, F | 3.4 µg | 8.95 µg | 6.8 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin A, IU | 190 iu | 499.89 iu | 380 iu | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Carotene, alpha | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 49 iu | 128.92 iu | 98 iu | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) | 1.2 µg | 3.16 µg | 2.4 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Lycopene | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Folic acid | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Folate, food | 5 µg | 13.16 µg | 10 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Folate, DFE | 5 µg | 13.16 µg | 10 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Betaine | 0.9 mg | 2.37 mg | 1.8 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Tryptophan | 0.042 g | 0.11 g | 0.08 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Threonine | 0.141 g | 0.37 g | 0.28 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Isoleucine | 0.171 g | 0.45 g | 0.34 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Leucine | 0.313 g | 0.82 g | 0.63 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Lysine | 0.276 g | 0.73 g | 0.55 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Methionine | 0.087 g | 0.23 g | 0.17 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Cystine | 0.02 g | 0.05 g | 0.04 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Phenylalanine | 0.171 g | 0.45 g | 0.34 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Tyrosine | 0.167 g | 0.44 g | 0.33 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Valine | 0.216 g | 0.57 g | 0.43 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Arginine | 0.094 g | 0.25 g | 0.19 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Histidine | 0.1 g | 0.26 g | 0.2 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Alanine | 0.112 g | 0.29 g | 0.22 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Aspartic acid | 0.283 g | 0.74 g | 0.57 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Glutamic acid | 0.742 g | 1.95 g | 1.48 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Glycine | 0.065 g | 0.17 g | 0.13 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Proline | 0.326 g | 0.86 g | 0.65 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Serine | 0.199 g | 0.52 g | 0.4 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Hydroxyproline | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin E, added | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.085 g | 0.22 g | 0.17 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.077 g | 0.2 g | 0.15 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.04 g | 0.11 g | 0.08 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.02 g | 0.05 g | 0.04 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.049 g | 0.13 g | 0.1 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.055 g | 0.14 g | 0.11 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.175 g | 0.46 g | 0.35 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.558 g | 1.47 g | 1.12 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.243 g | 0.64 g | 0.49 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.004 g | 0.01 g | 0.01 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.508 g | 1.34 g | 1.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.062 g | 0.16 g | 0.12 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.008 g | 0.02 g | 0.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.002 g | 0.01 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.015 g | 0.04 g | 0.03 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.027 g | 0.07 g | 0.05 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.002 g | 0.01 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Stigmasterol | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Campesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Beta-sitosterol | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.56 g | 1.47 g | 1.12 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.073 g | 0.19 g | 0.15 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.02 g | 0.05 g | 0.04 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.011 g | 0.03 g | 0.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| TFA 18:1 t | 0.078 g | 0.21 g | 0.16 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| PUFA 18:2 i | 0.007 g | 0.02 g | 0.01 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| MUFA 16:1 c | 0.027 g | 0.07 g | 0.05 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| MUFA 18:1 c | 0.43 g | 1.13 g | 0.86 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| PUFA 18:2 n-6 c,c | 0.055 g | 0.14 g | 0.11 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.005 g | 0.01 g | 0.01 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0.003 g | 0.01 g | 0.01 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic | 0.078 g | 0.21 g | 0.16 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Fatty acids, total trans-polyenoic | 0.007 g | 0.02 g | 0.01 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| SFA 13:0 | 0.002 g | 0.01 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0.004 g | 0.01 g | 0.01 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| PUFA 18:3 n-3 c,c,c (ALA) | 0.008 g | 0.02 g | 0.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Lactose | 5.01 g | 13.18 g | 10.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Manganese | 0.014 mg | 0.04 mg | 0.03 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Niacin (B3, preformed) | 0.092 mg | 0.24 mg | 0.18 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.356 mg | 0.94 mg | 0.71 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
| Retinol | 55 µg | 144.71 µg | 110 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171267 | C |
Change the amount to rescale the first column. Nutrients a database doesn't list are missing, not zero.
Absorption studies
Studies of how much of a nutrient gets in; those done in animals are marked. This page quotes a figure only from a study that passes our screen: adults, graded A, of this food in this preparation, with a test dose on record and a source that has passed our evidence check. The exception is calcium on our calcium card: its figure comes from the card’s own study, checked with the card, and is marked “used” even where that study misses a step of this screen. The others are listed so nothing is hidden, each with the first check it fails.
No study of this food passes the screen yet, so no absorption figure is quoted.
| Study | Nutrient | Absorbed | Test dose | People | Grade | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| van der Hee 2009: calcium absorption from 200 mL reduced-fat (semi-skimmed, 1.7% fat) milk, dual-label stable isotope semi-skimmed 1.7% fat (UK), not Canadian 2% and not vitamin-fortified as in Canada · fresh pasteurised semi-skimmed milk, 1.7% fat, 44Ca-labelled, with a light standard breakfast full text read | Calcium | 31 % | 223 mg | 16 | B | Not used: not graded A, so not a direct human study of this food and preparation. |
| Teucher 2001: calcium absorption from semi-skimmed milk (420 g), double-label stable isotope, vs Ca-fortified Horlicks semi-skimmed, fat percentage not stated · semi-skimmed milk, 420 g (fat % not stated) · load not reported (the comparison portion was "the same quantity of calcium present in 420 g semi-skimmed milk") abstract only | Calcium | 21.2 % | not reported | 16 | B | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
Hazard rows as the dataset rates them
- Cadmium · Nothing to watch: under the limit · A daily serving adds 0.15% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap. · Health Canada Total Diet Study, trace elements · A
- Lead · Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake · No cap: no safe limit is set for lead, so no grams figure. A serving of 2% milk carries 0.0649 µg, which adds about 0.13% to the average adult's intake (an estimate, lower bound); far from doubling it. · Health Canada Total Diet Study, trace elements · A
- Milk allergy · Worth knowing · Milk is a Health Canada priority allergen · Health Canada, priority allergens · A
Oxalate, phytate and gut-tolerance measurements
- lactose: 5.01 g/100 g · fresh weight · fluid, reduced fat, 2% milkfat, with added vitamins A and D · grade B · US food database (USDA SR Legacy)
- lactose: 4.14 g/100 g · fresh weight · fluid, partly skimmed, 2% M.F. · grade B · Canadian Nutrient File 2026
Sources
- Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File 2026 (14th edition)
cnf-2026· dataset · Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0 - USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, 2018-04
fdc-sr-legacy-2018-04· dataset · CC0 1.0 (public domain) - Health Canada, Common food allergens (priority allergens list)
hc-priority-allergens· page · Government of Canada terms (Crown copyright; not OGL) - Health Canada, Canadian Total Diet Study – Trace Elements (2005–2018 composites)
hc-tds-trace-elements· dataset · Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0 - Teucher B, Dainty JR, Fairweather-Tait SJ. High bioavailability of calcium in fortified Horlicks. Eur J Clin Nutr 2001;55 (volume from the Europe PMC record) · doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601224 · PMID 11528493
pmid:11528493· abstract only · licence not recorded - van der Hee RM, Miret S, Slettenaar M et al. Calcium absorption from fortified ice cream formulations compared with calcium absorption from milk. J Am Diet Assoc 2009;109(5):830-835 · doi:10.1016/j.jada.2009.02.017 · PMID 19394469
pmid:19394469· full text read · CC BY (Europe PMC licence field, PMC2832736)
Body map 2026-10-25.1: each nutrient’s job comes from an agency fact sheet, linked beside it under Good for.
The plain words: “a lot” means one serving (100 g when the food has no serving size) gives at least 20% of the daily amount (the reference intake), “some” at least 10%, “a little” at least 2% (the cut-offs are ours, one set for every page: 20% and 10% are borrowed from the US labelling terms “high” and “good source” and applied to Health Canada’s daily amount, whereas Health Canada’s own shopper rule says 15%; provisional: they may change in a later method version). The daily amount is Health Canada’s Dietary Reference Intake for adults 19–30; where men and women need different amounts we use the higher one (protein: 56 g for men, 46 g for women). The percentage printed under each nutrient is the printed amount as a share of that daily amount, rounded to the nearest whole number, and the word is read from that percentage, so the amount, the percentage and the word always agree. Calcium with a measured absorption is scaled by how well it gets in compared with milk.
The scale: “Nothing to watch” means a serving a day stays under the limit at ordinary amounts; “Go easy” means a serving a day can push past the limit for adults who already take in the most, or fewer than 2 servings reach it; “Limit it” means once a week or less. The dataset’s own rating is under “How we got this”. Provisional: the scale may change in a later method version.
Measured absorption under Good for: grade-A studies in adults that tested this preparation of this food, as a share of the listed amount (the share digested, for protein), quoted once each source has passed our evidence check; animal studies and other variants stay in the table above. Provisional: this screen may change in a later method version.