Whole Milk Makes a Comeback in Dietary Guidelines
Recent social media posts featuring prominent figures like former President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sporting milk mustaches have declared that "whole milk is back." This public endorsement coincides with the release of the 2025-30 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which now recommends consuming three daily servings of full-fat dairy, including whole milk, as part of a balanced 2,000-calorie diet. The guidelines highlight dairy as an excellent source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, officially listing full-fat dairy as a "healthy fat."
Policy Shifts and Public Confusion
This recommendation marks a significant shift from previous health advice that emphasized fat-free or low-fat dairy options. The change has been reinforced by legislative action, with Trump signing a bill that allows schools participating in federal lunch programs to serve whole and 2% milk, overturning an Obama-era policy that restricted offerings to skim or low-fat varieties. For many Americans, this reversal creates confusion after decades of being advised to avoid full-fat dairy products.
Expert Perspectives on the Dairy Dilemma
Alison Ruffin, a registered dietitian nutritionist and director of clinical nutrition at Dayton Children's in Ohio, acknowledges the complexity of modern milk choices. "Selecting the right milk has never been more confusing," she notes, pointing to the overwhelming variety of cow's milk and plant-based alternatives available today. The original recommendation for skim or low-fat milk aimed to reduce overall fat and saturated fat intake to improve heart health, yet obesity and heart disease rates continue to rise.
Hope Barkoukis, chair of the nutrition department at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, emphasizes that dairy products with different fat levels can all fit into a healthy dietary pattern. She suggests that if people prefer the taste of whole milk over skim, they're more likely to consume it regularly, thereby adding key nutrients to their diet. "It's much better than the choice of carbonated soft drinks with extra sugars," she adds.
Understanding the Heart Health Implications
The nutritional differences between milk types are significant. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data:
- Whole milk contains 8 grams of total fat and 4.6 grams of saturated fat per cup
- Nonfat milk has less than 1 gram of both total and saturated fat per cup
- Reduced-fat (2%) milk contains approximately 4.6 grams of total fat and 2.7 grams of saturated fat per cup
Randy Gould, a cardiologist at Manhattan Cardiology in New York City, recommends skim or low-fat milk as the "best option for people with heart disease, high cholesterol, or weight management concerns." He notes these varieties provide a good balance of protein and essential nutrients with lower saturated fat and calorie content.
However, Scott Feitell, a cardiologist at Rochester Regional Health in New York, points out that "robust randomized trials demonstrating superiority of low-fat milk to whole milk" are lacking. Recent research presents mixed findings:
- A 2025 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found dairy consumption, regardless of fat content, was "neutrally associated" with cardiovascular disease
- A 2021 research review suggested higher intake of high-fat milk might increase coronary heart disease risk, though researchers noted no clear association between dairy fat levels and heart health problems
Bone Health Considerations Across Milk Types
All cow's milk varieties provide essential nutrients for bone health, including vitamin D and calcium. USDA data shows minimal differences in these nutrients across milk types:
- Calcium content ranges from 306 milligrams in whole milk to 325 milligrams in nonfat milk
- Vitamin D content varies from 96 international units in whole milk to 111 international units in 2% milk
Experts agree that fat content doesn't significantly impact bone health benefits. "Almost all skim milk and low-fat milks are vitamin fortified in the modern era in the USA, so from a bone health perspective, there probably is not much to be gained from whole milk," Feitell explains.
Making Personalized Milk Choices
Richard Terry, a family medicine physician and vice president of health sciences at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in New York, emphasizes that incorporating dairy into one's diet provides critical nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. However, the specific type of milk should be an individual decision based on personal health status and overall dietary patterns.
Experts provide these specific recommendations:
- Whole milk is already recommended for children aged 12-24 months and for individuals needing extra calories to gain or maintain weight
- Low- or nonfat dairy is recommended for those at risk for cardiovascular disease or stroke, and for people trying to lose weight
- For most healthy individuals eating balanced diets, milk choice becomes a matter of personal preference
Ruffin cautions that while the new guidelines include whole milk, they still recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of daily calories. "I am concerned about the possible impact of people misinterpreting this as a recommendation to significantly increase intake of high-fat animal products," she says.
Ultimately, experts stress that milk selection should occur within the context of an overall balanced diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and protein, with limited processed foods. As Feitell reminds patients, "Before we start debating the type of milk product, I always ask, 'Are you even getting enough to begin with?'" given that many people don't consume adequate calcium or vitamin D in their diets.
