Fairlife Ultra-Filtered 2% Milk: Nutrition & Labelgrade B+ (80/100)
B+ 80 / 100 — About 60% more protein than standard 2% milk at the same calories. Two-stage filtration concentrates protein and removes most of the lactose; added lactase enzyme finishes the job. Clean four-item label, zero added sugar, low sodium.
🛒 Buy on Amazon →The short answer
Fairlife Ultra-Filtered 2% Milk delivers 13 g of protein per 240 ml cup (USDA FDC 2757397) — about 60% more than the 8 g in standard 2% milk, at the identical 120 calories. It does this without any protein powder: a microfiltration step separates milk’s protein-and-calcium fraction from its water and lactose, then re-blends to a higher-protein target, and an added lactase enzyme mops up the last of the milk sugar so it’s effectively lactose-free. The Labelgrade is B+ (80 / 100) — held back by one stubborn fact of nature. Milk is mostly water, so even concentrated, Fairlife is only 5.4 g of protein per 100 ml (a C− on raw density). But nobody drinks milk by the 100 ml. For the way people actually use it — a glass, a bowl of cereal, a splash in coffee — 13 g a cup makes this the strongest no-compromise option on the dairy shelf.
Why the B+
| Dimension | Grade | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein density | C− | 58 / 100 | 5.4 g per 100 ml. Genuinely higher than standard milk’s 3.4 g, but the dilution of a 240 ml glass of water-based liquid caps the density score — this is the one number dragging the grade down |
| Ingredient quality | B+ | 83 / 100 | Four items: ultra-filtered milk, lactase enzyme, and vitamins A and D. The lactase does real work (digesting residual lactose); the two vitamins are standard fortification on anything labeled “milk” |
| Saturated fat load | A | 93 / 100 | 3 g per cup — ordinary for a 2% milk, a small fraction of the 20 g daily ceiling. Choose Skim or Fat-Free Fairlife if you want this at zero |
| Sodium load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 120 mg per cup. Notably, filtering out water and lactose doesn’t concentrate the sodium — it stays right in line with regular milk |
| Sugar load | A+ | 100 / 100 | 6 g, all naturally-occurring lactose, zero added. This is half the ~12 g in regular milk, because filtration removes most of the lactose along with the water |
| Fiber | F | 30 / 100 | 0 g. Structural — no milk has fiber, and the score doesn’t pretend otherwise |
| Overall | B+ | 80 / 100 | A clean “more protein, less sugar, same calories” swap for regular milk. Worth the premium if you drink or cook with milk regularly; skip it if milk is incidental to your diet |
The honest read: every dimension that can score well does, and the only weak mark — protein density — is a measurement artifact of milk being a beverage, not a flaw in the product. If you graded Fairlife on protein-per-cup instead of per-100-ml, it would clear the A range. That gap between “looks modest by density” and “is excellent by the serving you’ll drink” is the whole story of this product.
What ultra-filtration actually changes
It’s worth being precise, because “ultra-filtered” sounds like marketing but describes a real physical process. Raw milk is pushed through a membrane with pores fine enough to hold back the large protein molecules and calcium while letting water, dissolved lactose, and some minerals pass through. Concentrate that retained fraction, re-standardize the fat back down to 2%, add lactase, and you get this carton. Two consequences fall straight out of the chemistry and show up on the label:
- Protein up, sugar down, together. They move in opposite directions for the same reason — the filter keeps protein and discards lactose. That’s why Fairlife is the rare “more protein” product that also has less sugar than its conventional counterpart (6 g vs ~12 g), instead of trading one for the other.
- It’s still legally and chemically milk. No isolate, no whey concentrate, no added protein powder. The ingredient line reads “ultra-filtered milk” because that is exactly what’s in there — milk with its own ratios rearranged.
Fairlife vs. regular 2% milk: the only comparison that matters
| Per 240 ml cup | Protein | Calories | Sugar | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairlife Ultra-Filtered 2% | 13 g | 120 | 6 g | 120 mg |
| Standard 2% milk | 8 g | 120 | ~12 g | ~115 mg |
| Fairlife Lactose-Free 2% (sibling) | 13 g | 120 | 6 g | 120 mg |
Same calories, +5 g protein, half the sugar, lactose gone. That is the entire pitch, and it’s a clean one — there’s no catch hiding in the fat or sodium column. The only cost is price: Fairlife runs well above commodity milk per gallon. Whether that’s worth it comes down to one question — do you actually drink or cook with milk often enough for an extra 5 g per cup to add up? If yes, it’s the easiest protein upgrade in the grocery store, because you change nothing about how you use it. If milk is a once-a-week splash in your coffee, you’re paying a premium for a few grams you won’t notice.
Note that Fairlife’s own Lactose-Free 2% carries essentially identical nutrition — the difference is mostly which word the marketing leads with. See the sibling fact sheet if you’re choosing between the two cartons.
A note on the variants
The 13 g-per-cup protein is consistent across Fairlife’s unflavored lineup — Whole, 2%, Fat-Free, and Skim differ only in fat and calories, not protein. The Chocolate, Strawberry, and Vanilla versions keep the protein but pile on 5–15 g of cane sugar, which would knock the sugar grade down hard; they’re a different product despite the same brand. And Core Power is this milk taken further — concentrated and sweetened into a 26–42 g protein shake. This page is specifically the unflavored 2% reduced-fat carton (UPC 00811620021418). Always confirm against the label in your hand.
Ingredients
Low fat ultra-filtered milk, lactase enzyme, vitamin A palmitate, and vitamin D3. The milk is the product; the lactase enzyme digests leftover lactose so the milk is tolerable for lactose-sensitive drinkers; vitamins A and D are routine fortification found on virtually every carton labeled “milk.” (Verbatim from the USDA Branded Foods entry, FDC 2757397.)
Where to buy
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Quick Facts
Per serving · 1 cup (240 ml)
See how this fits your day — protein calculator · macro calculator
Full nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per Serving (1 cup (240 ml)) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 120 |
| Protein | 13g |
| Total Fat | 4.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 3g |
| Total Carbohydrates | 6g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0g |
| Total Sugars | 6g |
| Added Sugars | 0g |
| Sodium | 120mg |
| Cholesterol | 20mg |
| Calcium | 380mg |
| Potassium | 400mg |
Scope: This page applies specifically to Fairlife Ultra-Filtered Milk · UPC 00811620021418. Other sizes, flavors, or formulations may differ.
How this fits each diet
Each score is computed from the same USDA nutrition + ingredient data, against the published rules of each diet. They tell you "does this food fit this diet" — not whether the diet is right for you.
contains animal-derived ingredients
contains no listed meat or fish
no wheat, barley, rye, or malt detected in USDA ingredient list
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in Fairlife Ultra-Filtered Milk?
13 g of protein per 240 ml cup (USDA FDC 2757397) — about 60% more than the ~8 g in a cup of standard 2% milk, at the same 120 calories. The per-100ml density (5.4 g) reads modest because milk is mostly water; the number that matters for a glass, a bowl of cereal, or a coffee is the 13 g per cup.
How does Fairlife achieve more protein than regular milk?
Ultra-filtration. Standard milk is roughly 87% water, 3% protein, 5% lactose, 3% fat, plus minerals. Fairlife runs the milk through a microporous filter that separates the high-protein/high-calcium fraction from the water and lactose, then re-blends to a specific protein:fat:carb target. The result is a denser, lactose-reduced milk that's chemically still just milk — no protein powder added.
Is Fairlife lactose-free?
Effectively, yes. The ultra-filtration removes about 90% of the lactose, then the added lactase enzyme breaks down the rest. People with lactose intolerance generally tolerate Fairlife fine. But a milk-protein allergy is different — Fairlife has more milk protein than regular milk, not less, so anyone allergic to casein or whey should still avoid it.
Does it have added sugar?
No. The 6 g of sugar per cup are 100% naturally-occurring lactose from the milk — zero added sugar. That's actually less sugar than the ~12 g in standard milk, because filtration strips out most of the lactose. The flavored versions (Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla) are a different story: they add 5–15 g of cane sugar on top.
Why is this only a 2% milk if it has so much protein?
The 2% refers to fat, not protein — they're independent. Fairlife sells the same ~13 g-per-cup protein concentration across its Whole, 2%, Fat-Free, and Skim lines; only the fat and calorie numbers change. This 2% version lands at 120 calories with 4.5 g fat (3 g saturated), the middle of the range.
Is Fairlife actually a meaningful protein source, or is the bump too small to matter?
It's real but modest per serving. Swapping standard 2% for Fairlife on cereal or in coffee adds about 5 g of protein with zero other change to taste, calories, or how you use it — a free upgrade. A full cup gives 13 g. It won't replace a 25 g protein shake or a cup of Greek yogurt, but as a base ingredient you were going to use anyway, the extra protein is essentially free.
How is it different from Fairlife Core Power?
Same company, opposite use case. Core Power is this milk concentrated further and sweetened into a grab-and-go shake (26–42 g of protein per bottle, with added sugar in most flavors). Regular Fairlife is plain, unsweetened milk at 13 g per cup. Core Power is workout fuel; this is what you pour on cereal and cook with — and per gram of protein, the plain milk is far cheaper.
Is the 'ultra-filtered' label regulated?
Loosely. The FDA recognizes 'ultra-filtered milk' as a milk product but sets no minimum protein threshold for the term, so Fairlife defines its own target (roughly 50% more protein than the matching fat-level standard milk). Competitors like H-E-B Mootopia, Organic Valley Ultra, and Horizon Organic High Protein use the same membrane process to reach similar numbers.