Converting the old measurements
Older books, including Macfadden’s The Miracle of Milk, use American quarts and pints. Here is what they mean today.
| Old measure | Metric | Glasses (240 ml) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 glass (8 fl oz) | 240 ml | 1 |
| 1 US pint | 473 ml | 2 |
| 1 US quart | 946 ml | 4 |
| 3 quarts | 2.8 litres | 12 |
| 5 quarts | 4.7 litres | 20 |
| 6 quarts | 5.7 litres | 24 |
| 1 US gallon | 3.8 litres | 16 |
Macfadden’s rules for quantity
In Chapter III he gives three rough guides:
- By weight: one quart for every 25–35 lb of body weight. For a 70 kg (154 lb) person that is roughly 4.5–6 quarts.
- By height: one quart per foot of height for men, slightly less for women.
- By schedule: a glass every 30 minutes for 12 hours gives six quarts; every 45 minutes gives about four and a half; every hour gives three.
He also warned against drinking more than the body can digest, saying seven quarts was about the most anyone should take.
What that much milk contains
Using approximate values for whole milk, five litres provides around 3,200 calories, 165 g of protein, 6,000 mg of calcium and 235 g of milk sugar. That is a full day’s energy for most people, but it is short on iron, vitamin C and fibre, and the calcium is more than double the generally accepted safe upper limit.
How much milk do adults need today?
There is no requirement to drink milk at all; calcium and protein can come from many foods. For people who do drink it, typical public health advice is to include some dairy or fortified alternatives each day, choosing lower-fat options where you can. In practice that is a glass or two of milk, not a bucketful.
How much for weight gain?
If you are trying to put on weight, one to two litres a day on top of normal meals is a common and manageable target. See our guide to milk for weight gain and the GOMAD diet for more.
When to be careful
Large amounts of milk are not suitable if you have kidney disease, heart failure, high cholesterol, diabetes, kidney stones, lactose intolerance or a milk allergy. Children’s needs are different again, so follow your health visitor’s or GP’s advice for them.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Please speak to your doctor or a registered dietitian before making big changes to your diet.