Buying milk may look like the simplest thing in the world but actually there are quite a lot of choices. Many people are unaware of the benefits of each different type of milk and pick up the closest or cheapest but may later be surprised by an odd taste.
If you want to be healthy, get organic. It is costly but healthier. Organic milk has more health benefits than standard milk.
Difference between organic and normal milk:
Regular Milk:
The injection of genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (BGH) into cows increases milk production by 10 to 20 percent.
Organic:
Cows in an organic herd have access to a pasture, are only given antibiotics when they are ill, and have not been treated with bovine growth hormone (BGH) to increase milk production. Many organic cows are fed non-GM food. It is argued to be better for you and for the cows.
As studies show, organic milk has more omega 3 fatty acids. These are the good ones that have been linked to reduced risk of heart disease and cancer, diabetes and obesity.
1. 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).
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
When my son was 1 year old, I used to give him regular milk. At that time he had cheeks, he looks good. After I read, the difference between organic and regular milk, I started giving organic. Organic is costly. But healthy, I prefer to give organic milk. I thought my son should be healthy not chubby.
