Buffalo Milk · Health
Buffalo Milk Side Effects: Who Should Limit It
Buffalo milk is safe for most people, but its richness has side effects: about 250 kcal and 12 g of saturated fat per glass, which matters for weight and cholesterol; heavier digestion for some; the same lactose as cow milk; and milk-protein allergy in a few. Raw milk can carry germs, so always boil or buy pasteurised. People with heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity or kidney disease should ask a doctor about portions.
Quick take
- Calories & saturated fat: ~250 kcal, ~12 g sat fat per glass.
- Heavier to digest for some; lactose as in cow milk.
- Allergy to milk protein is possible.
- Boil raw milk or buy pasteurised.
Most problems with buffalo milk come from quantity, not the milk itself. Here are the real ones and how to avoid them.
For the positives first, see buffalo milk benefits.
1. Weight gain you did not want
A glass gives about 250 kcal, roughly 60% more than whole cow milk. Two glasses a day add 500 kcal — a meal’s worth (buffalo vs cow milk for weight loss).
2. Saturated fat and cholesterol
About 4.6 g saturated fat and 19 mg cholesterol per 100 g. For people told to limit saturated fat, toned milk is the easier daily choice (buffalo milk and cholesterol).
3. Heaviness and indigestion
Fat slows stomach emptying, so some people feel bloated or sluggish, especially late at night (is buffalo milk hard to digest?).
4. Lactose intolerance
Buffalo milk has about 5.2 g carbohydrate per 100 g, mostly lactose — not less than cow milk. If milk gives you gas or loose stools, buffalo milk will too (buffalo milk lactose). Ghee, by contrast, is almost lactose-free (is ghee lactose-free?).
5. Milk allergy
Allergy is to milk proteins, and buffalo milk proteins are similar enough to cow’s that switching rarely helps. Hives, vomiting or wheeze need a doctor.
6. Raw milk risks
Unboiled milk straight from the animal can carry bacteria. Boil it or buy pasteurised milk.
7. Babies under one
No buffalo or cow milk as a drink before about 12 months (buffalo milk for kids).
How to drink it sensibly
- One glass a day suits most healthy adults.
- Dilute it, or skim the malai, if you want less fat.
- Have it earlier in the day if it feels heavy at night.
Compared with cow milk: buffalo milk vs cow milk.
Sources & references
Frequently asked questions
What are the side effects of buffalo milk?
Extra calories and saturated fat, heavier digestion for some people, lactose symptoms in lactose-intolerant people, and allergy in a few. Raw milk must be boiled.
Is buffalo milk bad for cholesterol?
It has about 19 mg cholesterol and 4.6 g saturated fat per 100 g, so people with high cholesterol should limit portions or choose toned milk.
Can buffalo milk cause gas?
It can in people who are lactose intolerant, since its lactose is similar to cow milk.
Who should not drink buffalo milk?
Babies under one year as a main drink, people with milk allergy, and those advised to limit saturated fat should avoid or limit it.
Prefer the fat without the lactose? That's ghee.
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