What are the benefits of drinking milk punch?

Does milk punch have health benefits?

No official health body lists benefits for milk punch, and you should be wary of pages that claim it boosts immunity, fixes digestion or fights disease. Milk punch is a cocktail. Most recipes include brandy or aged rum, so the alcohol, sugar and cream matter more to your health than any vitamins in the milk. Health authorities advise that less alcohol is better and that some people should not drink at all.

What is milk punch?

Milk punch is an old drink, with roots in 17th-century Britain, made from milk, spirits (sometimes wine, cider or ale), sugar and spices. One modern single-serving recipe combines brandy and aged rum with sugar and milk, shaken with ice and finished with grated nutmeg.

The two main styles

• Creamy milk punch: a single glass of brandy and often aged rum with sugar and milk, shaken cold. Single-serving milk punches from the 1850s are still popular in New Orleans.
• Clarified milk punch: an older style of bottled punch, curdled with milk and then strained so the liquid turns clear.

Why people like it

• Smooth texture: milk softens the sharp edge of spirits.
• Easy to serve cold.

Practical drinking tips

• Count it as alcohol, like any cocktail, and measure the pour.
• Use pasteurized milk and keep creamy versions cold.
• People with lactose intolerance or a milk allergy should avoid it or check ingredients; clarified versions may still contain traces of milk.
• Do not drink and drive, and avoid it during pregnancy or if you are told not to drink.

This is general information only, not medical advice. Ask a doctor or pharmacist if you have a health condition or take medicine.