Removing the fat nearly halves the calories — and everything else barely moves
Per 100g, whole milk (3.25% milkfat) provides 60 kcal and 3.2g of fat, while skim comes in at 34 kcal and 0.08g of fat. That is nearly half the calories for essentially the same package: protein is 3.4g vs 3.3g, carbohydrate 4.9g vs 4.7g, and calcium actually ticks up slightly in skim (132mg vs 123mg). Because US skim milk is fortified, it also carries twice the vitamin A (64µg RAE vs 32µg RAE).
| Nutrient | Whole Milk | Skim Milk |
|---|---|---|
| Energy (kcal) | 60 | 34 |
| Protein (g) | 3.28 | 3.43 |
| Total Fat (g) | 3.2 | 0.08 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 4.67 | 4.89 |
| Sodium (mg) | 38 | 41 |
Source: Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D (FDC ID 322892), Milk, nonfat, fluid, with added vitamin A and vitamin D (fat free or skim) (FDC ID 322559)
For weight loss
Skim milk
34 kcal vs 60 kcal per 100g — over a day of multiple servings the fat calories add up fast, and you give up almost nothing else.
For protein and calcium per calorie
Skim milk
3.43g protein and 132mg calcium on just 34 kcal makes it one of the most nutrient-dense drinks per calorie available.
For satiety and cooking
Whole milk
The 3.2g of fat carries flavor, keeps you fuller, and behaves better in coffee, sauces and baking.
For vitamin A
Skim milk
Fortification gives this skim milk 64µg RAE per 100g, double the whole milk's 32µg RAE.
Skimming removes fat and the calories that ride with it — 3.2g of fat and 26 kcal per 100g — while the water phase that holds the protein, lactose, calcium (123–132mg), potassium (150–167mg) and B12 (0.54–0.58µg) is left intact. Cholesterol drops from 12mg to 3mg. If you drink milk mainly for protein and calcium, the choice is purely about whether you want the fat calories.
Vitamin A is fat-soluble, so skimming would normally strip it out with the cream. US regulations require nonfat milk to be fortified with vitamin A, and this record shows the result: 64µg RAE per 100g in skim versus 32µg RAE in whole. Both versions here are also fortified with vitamin D at about 1µg per 100g, so the "skim milk loses the vitamins" worry doesn't hold for A and D in practice.
Food B
Milk, nonfat, fluid, with added vitamin A and vitamin D (fat free or skim)Dairy and Egg Products
Energy
60
vs
34
kcal
Protein
3.28
vs
3.43
g
Total Fat
3.20
vs
0.08
g
Total Carbohydrate
4.67
vs
4.89
g
| A Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D | Nutrient | Milk, nonfat, fluid, with added vitamin A and vitamin D (fat free or skim) B |
|---|---|---|
| 60kcal | Energy | 34kcal |
| 88.10g | Water | 90.80g+2.7 |
| 3.28g | Protein | 3.43g+0.2 |
| 12mg+9 | Cholesterol | 3mg |
| 3.20g | Total Fat | 0.08g |
| 4.67g | Total Carbohydrate | 4.89g |
| 38mg | Sodium | 41mg |
| 150mg | Potassium | 167mg+17 |
| 123mg | Calcium | 132mg+9 |
| 11.90mg | Magnesium | 12.50mg+0.6 |
| 101mg | Phosphorus | 107mg+6 |
| 0mg | Iron | 0mg |
| 0.41mg | Zinc | 0.45mg+0.0 |
| 0.00mg | Copper | 0.00mg+0.0 |
| 0mg | Manganese | 0.00mg+0.0 |
| 37.90μg+2.2 | Iodine | 35.70μg |
| 1.90μg | Selenium | 2μg+0.1 |
| 31μg | Retinol | 64μg+33 |
| 32μgRAE | Vitamin A | 64μgRAE+32 |
| 1μg | Vitamin D | 1.10μg+0.1 |
| 0.05mg+0.1 | Vitamin E | 0mg |
| 0.06mg | Thiamin | 0.06mg |
| 0.14mg+0.0 | Riboflavin | 0.13mg |
| 0.10mg | Niacin | 0.12mg+0.0 |
| 0.06mg+0.0 | Vitamin B6 | 0.06mg |
| 0.54μg | Vitamin B12 | 0.58μg+0.0 |
| 0μg | Folate | 2μg+2 |
Q. Does skim milk have less calcium than whole milk?
A. No — slightly more, in fact: 132mg vs 123mg per 100g. Calcium lives in the non-fat portion of milk, so removing fat concentrates it a little.
Q. How many calories do I save by switching to skim?
A. About 26 kcal per 100g (60 down to 34). For a 240ml/8oz glass that works out to roughly 60 kcal saved — meaningful if you drink milk daily.
Q. Is the protein the same?
A. Essentially yes: 3.43g per 100g for skim vs 3.28g for whole. Both are complete dairy proteins (casein and whey).
Data source: USDA FoodData Central (Public Domain). All values per 100g, edible portion. Some USDA Foundation Foods records do not report an Energy (kcal) value.