Q - What is the difference between 2% milk and skim milk?

A - Starting Jan. 1, 1998, the labeling of fat-reduced milk products will have to follow the same requirements the Food and Drug Administration established almost five years ago for the labeling of just about every other food reduced in fat. From now on:

• 2% milk will become known, for example, as "reduced fat" or "less fat" instead of "low fat";
• 1% milk will remain "low fat" or become, for example, "little fat"; and
• skim will retain its name or be called, for example, "fat-free", "zero-fat", or "no-fat" milk.

The goal of the recent labeling changes, as A lot of nutrition experts see it, is to help customers select milk products that can help them lower their fat and saturated fat intakes to recommended levels. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting fat to no over 30% of calories and saturated fat to less than 10% of calories. There is substantial scientific evidence to show that fat intakes may help reduce the risk of some cancers, and diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. Switching from higher fat to lower fat milk products can have a mainly significant impact on lowering fat and saturated fat intakes because milk plays such an important role in the American diet.

Medical Wisdom's Food Labeling & Nutrition Facts Information