eli5: Why is there 1%, 2%, and whole milk but not any other percentage?

Question

I just feel like its weird how the percentage goes from 1-2% to whole.

Also, what do these percentages even mean? How can you turn milk into 1% or 2% milk?

In: Other

Answer 1

Whole milk is 4% fat. That’s the natural level of fat in milk before they remove some. So “100% milk” doesn’t exist – the milk they comes right out of the cow is completely milk – but it’s not 100% fat. 

2%, 1%, and 0% (skim) milk have had the fat removed. The fat is then used to make products like half-and-half or cream.