Cow's milk may increase your risk of cancer, heart disease, and acne - here's what the research says and why most nutritionists still consider it healthy

Milk is not bad for your health as it a good source of vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients like protein.
Research shows milk does not increase your risk of heart disease or increase blood lipid levels.
However, milk may increase the risk of hormone-related cancers like breast and prostate cancer as well as cause acne.

Although milk and dairy alternatives are on the rise, that doesn't mean they can't be part of a healthy diet. Here is what you need to know about the potential health risks and benefits of milk, and how much dairy you should eat each day.

The health benefits of milk

Milk contains many essential vitamins and minerals important to our health. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends three servings of milk or other dairy foods to receive enough calcium, potassium, and vitamin D, which many people may not be getting enough of by consuming food alone, says Eshani Ewing, a registered dietitian with Orlando Health, a not-for-profit healthcare organization in Florida.

Here is a breakdown of the benefits of milk.
Milk is high in calcium

One cup of milk contains about 300 mg of calcium, which is about 30% of the general recommended daily value. This recommendation, however, varies by age and you need more calcium the older you get.

Adult men ages 19 to 70 need 1,000 mg of calcium/day and 1,200 mg/day after age 71.
Adult women ages 19 to 50 need 1,000 mg of calcium/day and 1,200 mg/day after age 51.

Calcium plays an essential role in bone health. Calcium is also important for:

Muscle contraction
Relaxation of blood vessels
Secretion of insulin, which controls blood sugar levels

Milk is high in Vitamin D

Milk is fortified with vitamin D and one cup of milk contains about 100 international units (IU) of vitamin D, which amounts to about 15% of your daily value. The recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 600 IU for children and adults younger than 70 and 800 IU for people over age 70.

Vitamin D is important to health because it:

Aids in the absorption of calcium and phosphorous, which protect against bone loss
Supports nerve and muscle function
Supports the immune system

Milk is a source of protein

One cup of milk contains about eight grams of protein. The recommended daily amount of protein varies by weight - 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight is the minimum needed.

Proteins are essential for health and make up the building blocks for:

Bones
Muscles
Skin
Cartilage
Blood
Hormones

The health risks of milk