Written By: N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe | Updated : January 28, 2026 1:42 PM IST
Medically Verified By: Simrat Kathuria, Celebrity Dietician And Wellness Coach
Cow Milk Vs Buffalo Milk: Among all the superfoods that are recently trending in the market, milk is the original "superfood" long before the term was even usurped by marketers. It is one of the most consumed product across the globe, including India. From breakfast to baking many assortments, milk is a nutritious and versatile ingredient that can be used widely. They are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium, which is well-known for supporting bone health. Today, markets are flooded with a variety of milk options that range from plant-based milk to cow milk and buffalo milk. Interestingly, everyone has a different test preference leading to the debate, "Cow Milk Vs Buffalo Milk: Which Is Better For Bone Health". Therefore, to determine which type of milk has a more positive impact, it is important to look beyond personal choice and focus on nutritional value.
Before diving deeper into this subject, let's first understand how calcium deficiency can affect your bone health. Many findings have revealed that calcium deficiency often results in bone deterioration called osteoporosis. There are several health issues associated with calcium deficiency, also known as hypocalcemia, apart from osteoporosis. Other risks that are linked to low calcium levels include:
According to the Cleveland Clinic, calcium deficiency can affect anyone, including infants. There are several reasons why calcium deficiency can affect people. Healthcare professionals note that it could be due to vitamin D deficiency, hypoparathyroidism, renal disease, liver problems, pseudohypoparathyroidism, hypomagnesemia, hypermagnesemia, sclerotic metastases, and Fanconi syndrome.
And the best way to treat calcium deficiency is to ensure that your diet consists of foods region and calcium such as milk, yoghurt, cheese, etc. According to Science Direct, bone growth can be influenced by dietary intake, particularly of calcium and protein. It states, "Nutritional intakes are an important environmental factor that influences both bone mass accumulation during childhood and adolescence and bone loss that occurs in later life." Thus, International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) recommendations for calcium are "1,000 milligrams for adults, 1,300 milligrams per day for adolescents, 500-800 milligrams per day for young children and 1,200 milligrams per day for adults over 51 years of age."
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Cow milk is a healthy food that contains about 87 per cent water and 13 per cent protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. It is considered a complete food because they provide high-quality protein and micronutrients that are essential for the growth and development of the human body. Despite its nutritional value and protective role against the most prevalent chronic diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's. The questions about the negative impact on others such as prostate cancer risk and Parkinson's disease continues. Some of the benefits of drinking cow milk include:
"According to a study from 2021, drinking about 1 cup of nonfat milk per day can be part of a healthy diet and is probably good for you if you aren't allergic or lactose intolerant. Drinking nonfat milk every day could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, high blood pressure, colorectal cancer, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and osteoporosis. However, it may also be linked to a higher risk of prostate cancer, Parkinson's disease, acne, and iron-deficiency anemia in infants," WebMD explains.
Healthcare professionals warn that children under 12 months should not be given cow milk because it can cause bleeding in the gut. Whereas adults don't necessarily need to drink dairy to be healthy but health professionals recommend it to their citizens because it is a quick and easy way to get protein, calcium, and vitamin D in your diet.
After cow milk, the second most consumed type of dairy is buffalo milk. Similar to cow milk, this popular choice of milk type also provides good nutritional value that can support better health. Buffalo milk is high in fat and low in water compared to cow milk, which is why it is known for dairy-producing items like butter, ghee, cheese and ice cream. Researchers also note that buffalo milk is more effective at converting beta-carotene into vitamin A. According to Healthline, buffalo milk provides more vitamins and mineral content to cow milk. "It provides 41% of the DV for phosphorus, 32% of the DV for calcium, 19% of the DV for magnesium, and 14% of the DV for vitamin A, compared with 29%, 21%, 6%, and 12% in cow's milk, respectively," Healthline explains. Some of the well-known benefits of buffalo milk are:
"Buffalo milk is a very nutrient-rich milk containing a high percentage of both fat and protein and has double the energy content and lower cholesterol levels (6.5 mg/100 g milk) than cow's milk," NIH explains. "It is a good source of vitamins A, D, C, and B6 and minerals. It is very rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc and iron and has more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) compared to cow's milk."
Both cow milk and buffalo milk provide similar nutritional values. However, the findings show that when it comes to bone health, the better choice is Buffalo milk. It has higher nutritional value, providing extra protein, vitamin and minerals than cow milk. Additionally, buffalo milk contains beneficial compounds that can provide antioxidant protection and improve bone and heart health.
"The digestive system of children, elderly people, and individuals with stomach sensitivity processes cow milk more effectively than other types of milk. Underweight adults and developing teenagers should consume buffalo milk because it contains higher levels of fat and protein, and calcium compared to any other milk variety. Still, they must check their health status before doing so." Simrat Kathuria, Celebrity Dietitian and Wellness Coach, explains.
"Lactose-intolerant individuals depend on fortified plant milks such as soy milk and almond milk, and oat milk to fulfill their calcium requirements, and they can also find calcium in calcium-set tofu, leafy greens like kale and bok choy, sesame seeds, almonds, and ragi. People require vitamin D because this nutrient enables their bodies to absorb calcium from dietary sources."
