Data source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC 171275 (Milk, canned, condensed, sweetened).
Fun facts
- Sweetened condensed milk was born in the 19th century: cow's milk is cooked down to remove water, then loaded with sugar. The sugar sweetens it and also lets the can keep without refrigeration.
- Every 100g of condensed milk has about 321 kcal and 54.4g of sugar. Plainly put, more than half the can is sugar, mostly added cane sugar.
- One tablespoon (about 20g) holds around 11g of sugar and 64 kcal, close to 3 teaspoons of sugar.
- Condensed milk does carry calcium, about 284mg per 100g, but it comes with so much sugar that it is not a smart way to get calcium.
Choosing and storing
Keep unopened cans or cartons in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Once opened, cover tightly, refrigerate and use within the time on the label. Over time it can crystallize, turn grainy and darken; if it smells odd or shows mold, throw it out. When shopping, read the label: "sweetened condensed milk" and "sweetened condensed creamer" made with vegetable oil are two different products.
Cooking it well
Condensed milk is the soul of Vietnamese iced coffee, bac xiu, homemade yogurt, flan and bread dipped in milk. Because it is so sweet, a small cut makes a real difference: going from 3 spoons to 2 in your coffee trims about 11g of sugar. To see how much sugar is in a glass of iced milk coffee or bac xiu, read Vietnamese iced coffee sugar. At kOBE, condensed milk appears in just 1 dish in our home recipe library, because we mainly sweeten with monk fruit sugar.
