Low-Sodium Milk

Low-Sodium Milk: Nutrition and Guide

Low-sodium milk is produced by passing standard dairy milk through an ion exchange resin process that replaces the sodium ions naturally present in milk with potassium ions, reducing the sodium content dramatically while maintaining the nutritional profile in other respects. Ordinary cow's milk contains around 40–50 mg of sodium per 100 ml — a modest amount compared to many processed foods, but significant in the context of severely sodium-restricted medical diets. Low-sodium milk is produced primarily for people who have been prescribed strict sodium restriction — those with severe hypertension, kidney disease, heart failure, or other conditions where even normal levels of dietary sodium require careful management. It is not a product widely available in mainstream British retail but is available through specialist dietary food suppliers and some hospital dietetics services.

Nutritional Value

Low-sodium milk provides 61 kcal and 3.1 g of protein per 100 ml, with 3.5 g of fat — broadly identical to whole milk in all respects except sodium content, which is reduced from the standard 40–50 mg to typically under 10 mg per 100 ml. Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, protein, fat, lactose, and vitamins are maintained at levels comparable to standard whole milk. The replacement of sodium with potassium increases the potassium content slightly.

Who Needs Low-Sodium Milk

Low-sodium milk is a specialist dietary product rather than a mainstream consumer choice. For the vast majority of people, the sodium in regular milk is trivially small and poses no concern whatsoever. It becomes relevant only for those on medically supervised, severely sodium-restricted diets — typically less than 500 mg sodium per day — where even small dietary sources of sodium need to be controlled. Anyone considering a sodium-restricted diet should work with a registered dietitian or clinician, as severe sodium restriction can carry its own health risks if not managed carefully.