What is the reason behind giving children 1 years of age whole milk rather than 2% or skim milk?
September 292009
My father and I were discussing this earlier today. He feels that it is just a bunch of baloney and that I should just get whatever milk I feel like getting. (I personally drink and use 2%, so i buy both whole milk and 2% right now.) I just remember being told and reading that when a child switches to cow’s milk, it should be Whole Milk. What is the reasoning behind those statements? Why is it better than 2% milk or Skim milk for someone at that age? At what point should a child stop drinking whole milk?
I was told that whole milk has more nutrients and fats that a growing child needs. It’s also thicker than 2% which allows the child to drink it better, they think of it more like formula. If you have a fat baby, 2% is better because it will allow them to lose some of that baby fat sooner. Personally, I used formula for the first year, then whole milk until mine was 2, then switched over to 2%.