Some of the fat, protein, and carbs may also change. When you boil it, some of the vitamins break down. Milk is a very nutritious food with a wide range of nutrients. While the total fat content is stable with boiling, some of the long-chain fats may be converted into short- and medium-chain fats ( 7). Milk contains a mix of short-, medium-, and long-chain fatty acids ( 7). When you boil milk, some of the lactose changes into a nondigestible sugar called lactulose and other compounds ( 4).īoiling changes the fats in milk somewhat, too. The primary carbohydrate in milk is lactose, and it’s sensitive to heat. However, heating whey protein will change its structure, even before it hits the boiling point of milk ( 4). The casein in milk is fairly stable, even when heated to the boiling point. The two primary proteins in milk are casein and whey.Ĭasein comprises about 80% of the protein in milk, while whey accounts for about 20% ( 4).

This process heats milk past its boiling point to 275–302☏ (135–150☌) ( 4, 5, 6).īoiling also alters milk proteins. On the other hand, ultra-high-temperature (UHT) pasteurization affects the content of many vitamins. Research examining changes in vitamin and mineral contents in raw versus heated milk found that regular pasteurization temperatures did not change nutrient content much ( 4, 5, 6). Calcium: 300 mg (23% of the Daily Value (DV)).A 1-cup (237-mL) serving of whole milk provides ( 3): It also supplies many important vitamins and minerals. It contains a balanced mix of high quality protein, carbs, and fat. However, boiling milk is usually unnecessary, as most milk in the grocery store is already pasteurized. You can boil raw milk to kill any harmful bacteria. People often boil milk when they use it in cooking. In that case, bringing it to a boil or near a boil will significantly reduce most bacteria levels sufficiently ( 1). Thus, you don’t have to boil milk for safety reasons unless it’s raw, unpasteurized milk. That does not always mean it’s boiled, but it’s heated to a high enough temperature - usually 161☏ (71.7☌) for 15 seconds - to kill any harmful pathogens ( 2). In the United States, commercially produced dairy milk that’s sold across state lines must be pasteurized. Some people also boil milk to kill bacteria and prevent foodborne illnesses. That means if you’re adding milk to a recipe that’ll be cooked or baked, such as one for pudding or cake, it will technically reach its boiling point during the cooking process. The boiling point of cow’s milk is around 203☏ (95☌) ( 1).

Blood milk heat