Product Showcase: Fairlife

I recently learned about Fairlife milk, a new product from the Coca-Cola company. This milk is different from all other milk for a couple of different reasons. Through a filtering process, lactose, the often tummy bloating and diarrhea causing sugar in milk, is removed. Additionally the milk gets separated into five parts — water, vitamins and minerals, lactose, protein, and fat. Then those parts are recombined and the resulting product has half the sugar and double the protein of normal milk. Fairlife also boasts a significantly longer shelf life than regular milk.

As I was doing a little research on Fairlife, I was surprised by how many negative articles have been written about it. From dietitians criticizing the nutritional tweaks to taste testers complaining about texture and flavor, Fairlife has not received rave reviews.

But I actually read these review after trying Fairlife myself. And given the title of this blog post, it’s no surprise that I’m a fan. I’m a milk drinker, I have been all of my life. My childhood memories include a nightly bowl of cereal before going to bed. I have no affiliations with the dairy council, I just find milk to be a satisfying addition to my diet.

As for Fairlife, I think the nutritional changes make a great option for many people including those who are diabetic, hypoglycemic, and post-bariatric surgery. I think the addition of calcium is great for those who have a hard time getting enough in through food. Also, the elimination of lactose is a significant selling point given the prevalence of lactose intolerance. I bought the 2% version so can’t speak to the skim or chocolate milk, but I found the texture and taste totally delicious.

One very fair criticism of Fairlife is the cost. As milk goes, this is probably one of the priciest options out there. So for big families and people on a tight budget, Fairlife is a tough sell.

I know the grocery store is an overwhelming place filled with sales pitches and gimmicks that make it very hard to know what to buy. So what do you think- is Fairlife a useful new product? Or is another product that’s more hype than help? I’d love to hear your thoughts.