Non Fat Dry Milk Vs. Powdered Milk

Milk makes up a staple in the average American diet, and dry milk -- a powder you reconstitute in water to make fluid milk -- has a long shelf life, so you can enjoy milk while minimizing food spoilage. Nonfat dry milk is a type of powdered milk that offers more health benefits compared to regular powdered milk, since it's lower in calories and fat. Opting for nonfat dry milk over normal powdered milk helps you follow the U.S. Department of Agriculture's dietary guidelines, which recommend choosing nonfat dairy when possible.

Calorie Content

The major difference between nonfat dry milk and normal powdered milk is its calorie content. A quarter-cup serving of nonfat dry milk contains just 109 calories, compared to 159 calories in a quarter-cup serving of whole powdered milk. While a difference of 50 calories might not seem like much, it can add up over time -- if you were to switch one serving of whole milk powder to nonfat dry milk daily, you'd lose approximately 5 pounds over the course of a year.

Fat Content

As its name implies, fat-free dry milk also contains less fat than regular whole powdered milk. Each serving of whole powdered milk contains 8.6 grams of total fat, including 5.4 grams of saturated fat. Limiting your saturated fat intake proves important to your cardiovascular health because the saturated fat in your diet increases the amount of low-density, or "bad," cholesterol in your bloodstream. Fat-free dry milk, in contrast, contains just 0.2 gram of fat per serving and contains just 0.1 gram of saturated fat.

Tale of Two Milks

Nonfat dry milk and regular powdered milk also share some common health benefits. For example, they both come packed with a calcium -- 29 percent of the recommended daily intake for whole milk powder vs. 38 percent for nonfat milk powder -- and provide vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones. Whole and nonfat milk offer roughly the same amount of vitamin D -- around 22 percent of your recommended daily intake. Nonfat and powdered milk also contain selenium, a mineral important for the health of your thyroid gland, as well as riboflavin, a vitamin essential for energy production.

Using Nonfat Dry Milk

If you're used to the taste of fresh pasteurized milk, switching to nonfat dry milk might take some getting used to. It does work well as a base for smoothies, however, without significantly changing their flavor -- simply add fruit, nonfat dry milk, water and nut butter to your blender. Alternatively, use a mixture of protein powder, nonfat dry milk and water as a post-exercise meal. If you're looking to gain weight, adding a spoonful of nonfat dry milk to a glass of fresh milk can increase your calorie and nutrient intake without upping your intake of fat.