Today I’m tasting MilkWise. It’s a new beverage from HP Hood, the largest dairy processor in New England and one of the largest in the country.

Milkwise is not milk but it’s made with milk.

The marketing pitch is that it has fewer calories, less sugar and more calcium than traditional dairy milk.

It also has less protein, by the way—2 grams compared to 8. And don’t forget: protein is a big selling point for milk.

Milkwise comes in 3 varieties. The first ingredient in Milkwise is water. Then there is low-fat milk, sugar, calcium carbonate, natural flavors, salt, gellan gum and vitamin d3. The carton says shake well before serving.

I tried the 70-calorie vanilla flavored version. So how does it taste?

It’s light but does not have that creamy mouthfeel that 100 percent milk gives you. It isn’t as thin as skim milk. I do think the vanilla flavoring was very good.

The company says you can use it just like milk. You can pour it on cereal, drink it and cook with it. I won’t switch from milk because I want the protein. But I would consider drinking Milkwise as an afternoon snack.

The product is available in New York and the New England states. A half-gallon carton has a suggested retail price of $2.99 and you’ll find it in the dairy case next to the specialty milks.

Bottom line: If you drink soft drinks and juices, consider Milkwise as a low-calorie, low-sugar alternative.