An American woman living in India has caught the attention of social media users after sharing a video comparing milk varieties in the United States and India — and explaining why she now prefers the Indian version.
Kristen Fischer, who moved to India with her husband in 2021, has been documenting her life and cross-cultural discoveries through social media. In one of her recent Instagram videos, she explored the surprising differences in milk between the two nations — a staple she never thought varied so significantly.
(Also read: US woman explains why she believes raising kids in India is better than in the US)
Kristen wrote in the caption of the video, “I love creamy milk as much as the next person. Yet, in America, people tend to prefer low-fat options over rich taste.” Referring to Indian culinary practices, she added, “This is where India is superior. They know how to make a good chai or dessert using full cream milk to get the best flavour.”
Milk and meals: An Indian connection
Kristen noted that milk is far more central to Indian cuisine than what she experienced in the US. “Did you know India is the world’s largest consumer of milk, accounting for more than 25 per cent of global milk production?” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Kristen noted that milk is far more central to Indian cuisine than what she experienced in the US. “Did you know India is the world’s largest consumer of milk, accounting for more than 25 per cent of global milk production?” she said.
{{/usCountry}}“It’s used in a lot of dishes here. What I find interesting are the differences between the milk I used to buy in America and the milk I buy in India,” she explained.
In the US, she said, milk options typically include skimmed (0% fat), one per cent, two per cent, and whole milk (about 3.5% fat). In contrast, Indian milk is often richer. “Double-toned milk has about 1 per cent fat, toned milk has 3 per cent, standardised milk comes with around 4.5 per cent fat, and full cream milk goes up to 6 per cent,” she explained.
Flavour wins in India
Kristen said that Indians generally seem to prefer creamier milk. “I love milk in India. I always thought it was better here and could never figure out why. Now I realise it's because of the higher cream content,” she wrote in the video’s caption.
She also noted, “Now, of course, I realise that there are way more varieties of milk than this. I just was highlighting some of the most common varieties to simplify the explanation.”
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
The video sparked a wave of comments from viewers, many echoing her sentiments and sharing their own experiences. One user wrote, “Totally agree — Indian milk tastes so much better, especially in chai!” Another commented, “I didn’t know milk could vary so much between countries. This was eye-opening.” A third added, “Yes! I miss Indian full cream milk so much since moving to Canada.”
(Also read: American mom living in India names 10 things she wishes US had: ‘First time I ever…’)
Others praised Kristen for her observational content. “Love how you always highlight small but meaningful cultural differences,” said one viewer. Another chimed in, “Never realised how lucky we are in India with our dairy — thank you for this perspective!” Meanwhile, one humorous comment read, “And that’s why Indian sweets are unbeatable — it’s all in the milk!”