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Organic Milk Does The Body Better
by Janelle Sorensen
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there is supposedly no difference between regular milk and organic milk, aside from how the cows are raised and an obvious difference in price. For some, the environmental benefits of organic farming are enough justification to pay the premium, but many others need to know they're paying more for a better product. Now the studies showing that organic milk is indeed better are building up.
Let's count the reasons why...
All of this is compelling evidence of the superiority of organic milk, but one point must be highlighted. From these studies examining the differences between organic milk and regular milk, it seems clear that the diet of the cows may be one of the most important factors. Most organic cows are pasture-fed as opposed to grain-fed, and it's their natural diet that leads to superior quality milk. So, it's not simply organic milk that holds the prize, it's organic, pasture-fed milk that does the body better.
References:
The Organic Center, 2008. Pesticides in Milk FAQs.
Soil Association, 2005. New research proves organic milk is higher in vitamins and antioxidants than non-organic milk.
Bergamo P et al, "Fat-soluble vitamin contents and fatty acid composition in organic and conventional Italian dairy products." Food Chemistry 82, (2003) 625 - 631.
Robertson J & Fanning C (University of Aberdeen), 2004. Omega 3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Organic and Conventional Milk.
Dewhurst R J, Fisher W J, Tweed J K S and Wilkins R J (2003). Comparison of grass and legume silages for milk production. 1. Production responses with different levels of concentrate. Journal of Dairy Science (volume 86 pages 2598-2611).
Newsday, 2004. New Studies Show Benefits of Organic Milk.
eFood. 2008. Organic Milk is Cream of the Crop.
Related Topics:
Photo: Healthy Child Healthy World
Let's count the reasons why...
- Organic milk has fewer pesticide residues. The USDA Pesticide Data Program (PDP) regularly checks food for pesticide residues. For many years the milk studies showed the same level of pesticide residues in both regular and organic milk (some residues of banned pesticides are so persistent they are still found in water and soil, thus the entire food chain). In 2004, the PDP used more sensitive testing equipment and found synthetic pyrethroids in 24 percent of conventional samples, and in no organic sample. They also discovered a breakdown product of the insecticide carbofuran in 8.8 percent of the conventional milk samples, but in no organic sample.
- Organic milk has more vitamins. Organically reared cows, which eat high levels of fresh grass, clover pasture and grass clover silage, produce milk which is on average 50% higher in Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) and 75% higher in beta carotene (which our bodies convert to Vitamin A).
- Organic milk has more antioxidants. Studies show organic milk has two to three times more of the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthine than non-organic milk. These antioxidants are extremely important for eye health and are effective in preventing numerous eye diseases.
- Organic milk has more omega-3s. Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid required for healthy growth. Regular intake of Omega-3 helps reduce incidences of heart disease, inflammations (in skin diseases such as eczema), cancer, arthritis, etc. One particular type of omega-3 that is higher in organic milk is DHA, which is important for brain development.
- Organic milk has more CLA. Cows that are grazed on pastures have 500% more CLA in their milk. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) increases metabolism, immunity, and muscle growth. It also reduces abdominal fat, cholesterol, and allergic reactions. Recent animal studies have also shown that CLA may be beneficial in cancer treatment. Since the human body cannot produce CLA, we get most of it through the milk and dairy products that we consume.
- Drinking organic milk helps improve the quality of breast milk. European scientists have found that mothers who consumed mostly organic meat and milk had around 50 percent higher levels of rumenic acid in their breast milk. This acid protects against cancer and inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, heart disease and asthma.
- Drinking organic milk protects young children against asthma and eczema. Researchers found that children of breastfeeding mothers who ate organic dairy products and who were weaned on organic milk, cheese and yogurts were a third less likely to suffer from allergies. Dr. Machteld Huber, one of the authors of the study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, said: "The difference was significant, but only for children exclusively eating organic dairy products. We didn't find a relationship if they had organic and conventional dairy products." Almost all the children eating organic dairy also reportedly ate organic meat, fruit, bread and vegetables. However, it was only milk that appeared to have any impact on allergies.
All of this is compelling evidence of the superiority of organic milk, but one point must be highlighted. From these studies examining the differences between organic milk and regular milk, it seems clear that the diet of the cows may be one of the most important factors. Most organic cows are pasture-fed as opposed to grain-fed, and it's their natural diet that leads to superior quality milk. So, it's not simply organic milk that holds the prize, it's organic, pasture-fed milk that does the body better.
References:
The Organic Center, 2008. Pesticides in Milk FAQs.
Soil Association, 2005. New research proves organic milk is higher in vitamins and antioxidants than non-organic milk.
Bergamo P et al, "Fat-soluble vitamin contents and fatty acid composition in organic and conventional Italian dairy products." Food Chemistry 82, (2003) 625 - 631.
Robertson J & Fanning C (University of Aberdeen), 2004. Omega 3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Organic and Conventional Milk.
Dewhurst R J, Fisher W J, Tweed J K S and Wilkins R J (2003). Comparison of grass and legume silages for milk production. 1. Production responses with different levels of concentrate. Journal of Dairy Science (volume 86 pages 2598-2611).
Newsday, 2004. New Studies Show Benefits of Organic Milk.
eFood. 2008. Organic Milk is Cream of the Crop.
Related Topics:
18 Comments:
Of course “Organic Milk” is the best for healthy body. I am using it regularly and I never got a problem in organic milk. It is available in cheaper rate so everyone can use it.
jeremy
Supplements from Foods
Organic milk, like most "Organic" products are a big scam. Who certifies milk as "Organic"? There are currently at least four organizations that a dairy product can be qualified as "Organic" by. Whose criteria is right? What proof exists that there are any real health benefits? rBGH is a protien based hormone that is broken down by the acids in your stomach almost immediately after ingestion. Don't be fooled. Save your money.
Stan, you're an idiot. Regular milk is manufacturered by feeding cows chemicals which induce hormones in their body to produce milk at a faster, less healthier rate. These hormones end up in the milk, and the dairy products consumed through this process are a part of the reason why kids hit physical maturity at a much higher rate. This is also cancerous amongst other things. The USDI and other food & drug administrations certify these and test these. I don't think it tastes better than regular milk, but i'm sure it is better, like most organic foods. Milk in general isn't good for you like a lot of liquids & food? So why waste your money on them? It's just a step closer to doing what's right for your health, use your brain. As for paying an extra buck or two, get a real job and quit being cheap.
Also, do some research. There a ton of studies on this and i'm sure consumer-studies aren't making it up.
Stan the USDA certifies Organic products.
Regular milk has done us good for years. How does organic milk really help us?If regular milk isn't hurting us then why do we need organic milk!
Taylor, read all the research on both and then make a choice for yourself. If you still feel regular milk is good for you then stick with it. That's what I love about this country...we still have the freedom of choice
Their telling you right in the article that organic is not only good for the body, but for the animals and the environment. I buy as much organic as I can. I think organic test better and I'm helping save the environment because pesticides and fertilizers are not used.
Organic milk might be slightly more healthy than regular milk, but amount of resources needed to produce it on a scale required for mass consumption hurts the environment in more ways than you can imagine. Free range cows require tons more space that could be used to feed the 3rd world. Thanks for starving millions of people so you can be smug about your milk.
Eating organinc foods and drinking organic milk helped me conceive a child.
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Not sure if organic milk is better for you or not. Can't even be sure if the criteria to be certified organic is a good enough standard for consumers to believe in. But it is reasonable to assume that what is label organic is at least better than the regular stuff; albeit, exactly how much better is uncertain. You have to figure in how the milk is manufactured: does the farmer go above and beyond the standards or is he just barely making it because he wants to max his profits? Who knows? I think if you can afford the organic stuff then why not pay that premium? I know people who yap all day about how other "less informed" parents are wasting their money on organic milk for their children. Of course these same yappers can blow $300 on video games when a better substitute would have been a $20 basketball. So I think that if you can afford it and if you believe that organic milk is at least slightly better than regular milk then buy it all you want and forget about the yappers. Most people waste more money paying for their children's cell phone bill than you will buying them organic milk.
What about the humane treatment of the cows? Is it really only about us and whether one method gives us more benefit for our money? If we support dairy farmers who mistreat their animals, we are as much at fault as they are. Each of us can make a difference through our choices.
How humanely should we treat cows? Maybe we should not eat them anymore, or rob their young of their milk, or use them as farm slaves. We should free them from bondage. All the cows in the world should rise up against their human oppressors. We should convince the race of chickens to do the same along with their turkey brethren. And don't forget about the pig and fish farms. We need to bust them out too.
Seriously, as long as we don't treat them so harsh that we brew mad cow or the like, who cares? We eat them! We kill them, cut them up, and eat them. The meat from their young is actually more expensive! What world do you live in? If everyone started to treat every animal humanely there will be some nut who will start asking everyone to treat vegetables humanely. Then we'll just have rocks left to eat. Or maybe we'll synthetically create food substitutes and achieve our god like status and pronounce ourselves "humane!"
I don't usually drink milk, or eat cereal, mostly use milk in my coffee, so i bought a cartoon of organic milk. Can i just say my coffee went to toilet. it was just horrible. it tasted like medicine. can anyone explane that? and also i wonder did you notice that organic milk has much longer shelf life. why is that. regular milk expiration date usually about 10 days and organic milk couple months.
I don't know why your milk tasted like medicine, unless you grabbed soy or something on accident. Organic milk tastes way better than reg. Not as in theres a big difference, it still tastes like "milk" but maybe cleaner is the word I'm looking for? I am a very picky milk drinker and I hate the after taste of reg milk. But with organic no aftertaste at all. I'm talking the fresh refridgerated gallons or 1/2 gallons. I've tried some organic that has an extremely long shelf life and it was nasty! But it also was not refridgerated. I don't know whats up with that. I for one went to organic but couldn't afford it anymore due to the rate we go through milk. I am hoping to start going back to organic soon and cut costs in other areas. As for the humane treatment of the cow. Well all I can say about that is it matters more to some than others. I personally do not eat veal because of the way we get it. And thats my decsion. If it bothers you than do something about it. If not then thats cool too. To each their own right? I don't like the horomones that end up in our milk. Its probably why these kids are developing fast and looking like adults before they are 18! And why is it so hard to believe that organic is better for you? Makes sense to me. No pesticides. No horomones. Pasture fed. To me it sounds better than grain fed, horomones, and pesticides.
Save your money on the "better tasting" milk, what a joke. Answering a few of the questions from the comments/responses
1. Longer shelf life: only UHT organic milk has a longer shelf life. UHT (ultra high temperature) treatment can be done on conventional milk as well, nothing to do with being organic.
2. Hormones: most conventional milk is also sold as rBST free (read your labels). An rBST certificate is given to farmers who sign an affidavit stating they don't inject the cows with hormones, does that sound very thorough?
3. Better for you: the levels of SCC (Somatic Cell Count) are higher for organic milk. What is SCC - think of leukocytes (white blood cells). Higher levels of SCC indicate a response to bacteria, sound better for you?
4. Certification: let's see, a farmer says he doesn't inject rBST in his cows, a farmer says he doesn't treat his land with pesticides, and a farmer says he doesn't treat his cows with antibiotics...sounds like a reliable certification process.
5. Antibiotics in the "regular milk supply": really, actually working in the dairy industry (no, not a farmer) you would know that every load of delivered milk is tested at the plant for antibiotics. If present, the load is dumped, literally. Does that sound like it's in the farmers best financial interest to supply milk full of antibiotics? Also, ever tried to make yogurt cultures with antibiotic milk?
6. Going green: must be referring to money, maybe you could wash your organic milk down with a 20oz bottle of water, since it's so much better for you than tap.
Good luck
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