What is the sweetener in Fairlife milk?

October 14, 2025 •

3 min read

Plain Fairlife milk naturally contains 50% less sugar than regular milk due to its ultra-filtration process. This unique filtration method fundamentally influences what is the sweetener in Fairlife milk, especially when comparing its plain milk to its flavored drinks and shakes.

Quick Summary

Fairlife plain milk is naturally sweet from residual lactose, while flavored varieties often use a combination of added sugar and artificial sweeteners like sucralose and acesulfame potassium. Other product lines, such as the Nutrition Plan, incorporate plant-based sweeteners.

Key Points

Plain Milk Sweeteners: Fairlife's ultra-filtered process removes much of the natural lactose, but the remaining lactose is the only sweetener in the plain varieties.
Flavored Milk Sweeteners: Flavored ultra-filtered milks use a combination of added sugar, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium for their sweet taste.
Nutrition Plan Sweeteners: Fairlife Nutrition Plan shakes feature a blend of natural sweeteners (stevia, monk fruit) and artificial ones (sucralose, Ace-K) to achieve a very low sugar content.
Core Power Sweeteners: Certain Core Power protein shake varieties, such as the Core Power 26g chocolate, are advertised as not containing artificial sweeteners and rely on sugar and natural flavors.
Check the Label: Because the sweetener composition varies significantly between Fairlife's products, checking the ingredient list on each specific item is the most reliable way to know what's inside.
Lactose-Free: Regardless of the sweetener used, all Fairlife products are lactose-free due to the addition of a lactase enzyme during processing.

Understanding the Fairlife Ultra-Filtration Process

Fairlife's signature quality begins with its ultra-filtration process, a patented method that separates milk components into water, lactose, minerals, and protein. By filtering out some of the natural lactose, the final product is both lactose-free and lower in sugar than traditional milk. This process also concentrates the protein and calcium naturally present in the milk, resulting in a nutrient-dense product. For plain ultra-filtered milk, the primary sweetness comes from this remaining natural milk sugar, lactose. No additional sweeteners are needed or used for its taste.

Sweeteners in Fairlife's Flavored Ultra-Filtered Milk

While the plain ultra-filtered milk is naturally sweetened, Fairlife's flavored milks, such as chocolate, introduce additional sweeteners to achieve their rich taste profile.

Added Sugar: Sugar is a primary sweetener in flavored ultra-filtered milks, contributing to their taste and caloric content.
Sucralose: This no-calorie artificial sweetener is derived from sugar and is significantly sweeter, allowing for less sugar overall while maintaining flavor intensity. It is a key component in most flavored Fairlife ultra-filtered milk products.
Acesulfame-potassium (Ace-K): Another no-calorie artificial sweetener often used in combination with sucralose to enhance sweetness and mask any aftertaste. Acesulfame-potassium is also a common ingredient in flavored Fairlife milks.

Sweeteners in Fairlife Nutrition Plan Shakes

For those seeking even lower sugar content, Fairlife's Nutrition Plan shakes use a different combination of sweeteners, including both plant-based and artificial options. This allows the shakes to offer a high-protein, low-sugar profile.

Sucralose and Acesulfame-potassium: Similar to the flavored milks, these artificial sweeteners provide the majority of the shake's sweet taste.
Stevia Leaf Extract: A natural, plant-based sweetener that contributes to the product's sweetness profile.
Monk Fruit Juice Concentrate: Another natural, zero-calorie sweetener used in the Nutrition Plan shakes.

Sweeteners in Core Power Protein Shakes

The Fairlife Core Power protein shakes, designed for workout recovery, offer a slightly different sweetener composition. While they are still high in protein and low in lactose, certain formulations, particularly the Core Power Elite, do not contain artificial sweeteners. The Core Power 26g Chocolate shake relies on sugar and potentially some natural flavors for its sweetness, avoiding artificial additives. For this reason, it's always crucial to check the specific product label as formulations can vary.

Sweeteners by Fairlife Product Line

Plain Ultra-Filtered Milk: Naturally sweet from residual lactose after ultra-filtration. No added sweeteners.
Flavored Ultra-Filtered Milks (e.g., Chocolate): Contain added sugar, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium.
Nutrition Plan Shakes: Use a combination of natural (monk fruit, stevia) and artificial (sucralose, acesulfame potassium) sweeteners.
Core Power Protein Shakes: Depend on the specific product; some use sugar and natural flavors only, while others may include artificial sweeteners.


Product Category	Primary Sweeteners	Added Sugar?	Artificial Sweeteners?
Plain Milk	Natural lactose	No	No
Flavored Milk	Added sugar, Sucralose, Ace-K	Yes	Yes
Nutrition Plan	Monk fruit, Stevia, Sucralose, Ace-K	No	Yes
Core Power Shakes	Sugar, Natural Flavors (depends on shake)	Yes (some)	No (some)

Navigating Sweeteners for Dietary Needs

Choosing the right Fairlife product depends on your dietary needs and preferences. For those trying to avoid added sugars and artificial sweeteners, plain ultra-filtered milk or Core Power shakes free of artificial sweeteners are the best choices. The Nutrition Plan shakes offer a very low-sugar option, but it comes from a combination of artificial and natural zero-calorie sweeteners. For the best information, always check the nutritional label of the specific flavor and product you are purchasing. For more detailed information on ingredients, you can visit the official Fairlife website.

Conclusion

In summary, there is no single sweetener in Fairlife milk. The product's sweetener profile is varied, ranging from the natural lactose left after ultra-filtration in plain milk to a complex blend of added sugar, artificial, and natural zero-calorie sweeteners in its flavored milks and protein shakes. Understanding these differences allows consumers to make informed decisions based on their health goals and preferences, whether they prioritize low sugar, no artificial ingredients, or specific sweetener types.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, Fairlife's plain ultra-filtered milk does not contain any added sugar. Its sweetness comes solely from the natural lactose that remains after the milk has been filtered.

Fairlife's chocolate ultra-filtered milk is sweetened with a combination of added sugar, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium (Ace-K).

Yes, Fairlife Nutrition Plan shakes contain both natural and artificial sweeteners. The ingredient list includes sucralose, acesulfame potassium, monk fruit juice concentrate, and stevia leaf extract.

Some Fairlife Core Power shakes are formulated without artificial sweeteners, like the 26g chocolate version. However, it is essential to check the label for specific varieties, as formulations can differ.

Fairlife ultra-filtered milk, especially the plain variety, has 50% less sugar than regular milk because some of the natural lactose has been filtered out during processing.

Fairlife has less sugar because of its ultra-filtration process. This method concentrates protein and calcium while filtering out some of the milk's natural sugar (lactose).

In addition to the natural lactose found in all milk, Fairlife uses added sugar and artificial sweeteners like sucralose and acesulfame potassium. Some product lines also incorporate natural zero-calorie sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit extract.