If you walk into the milk aisle of your supermarket and feel a little overwhelmed at the prospect of having to identify the bottle that is best for you, you are definitely not alone.

Supermarkets stock many milk options including full cream, light, skim, soy and more recently high calcium, added folate, added omega-3s and others. Fortified milks are those that have nutrients added.

The added nutrient can be one that milk already contains, such as calcium, or other nutrients that are scarce in milk, such as vitamin D or omega 3. The label should always tell you if a nutrient has been added. Fortified milks are designed to fill nutritional gaps in the diet. For example, an iron-deficient person may benefit from choosing iron-fortified milk, or someone trying to boost their heart health might choose an omega-3-enriched milk. If you eat a balanced and varied diet, fortified milks are probably not necessary.

Unfortified or plain milk provides plenty of nutrients including protein for growth and repair, calcium for strong bones and B vitamins to keep you energised. Milk contains some fat, but even full-cream milk has less than 4 percent fat. If you are watching your weight, a low fat or skim variety might be suitable. You may also need to consider cost, as fortified milks can be more expensive than plain milks. When making your selection, choose milk that suits your nutritional needs, your budget and your tastebuds.

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This information is provided by the Sanitarium Nutrition Service.