Milk is an important source of calcium and a good source of protein. It is also a good source of vitamins and minerals. Many milk products are available in the dairy aisle of most grocery stores including whole, reduced fat (2% or low-fat milk), skim milk, and fat free milk (0% or SF milk).
Skim milk and fat free milk have the same amount of micronutrients as whole milk but less fat. The amount of vitamins and minerals can vary slightly between different brands. Most manufacturers add vitamin A and vitamin D to all types of milk.
For decades, nutrition guidelines recommended limiting intake of milk and other foods containing saturated fat because it was assumed to increase the risk for heart disease. However, recent studies have called this connection into question (1, 2).