Is organic milk really better?

tarasheehan1

Organic anything is better than the non-organic equivalent -- it's not necessarily better *nutritionally* but better for the body due to the care taken to avoid pesticides, unnecessary antibiotics, and so on. We are exposed to so much pollution and toxic substances as it is, so any opportunity to limit exposure is a big benefit in my mind.

It's also much better for the environment. I made sure the last bedsheets I bought were organic cotton, and not because I thought regular cotton sheets would be toxic to me in anyway. But the more we buy organic, the more pesticides we're keeping out of our air and water.

As you can tell, I'm pretty biased in this regard. :-)

Completely agree. I work for a fair trade cafe that uses locally organic food INCLUDING milk. I don't mind spending the extra $2.00 to drink a milk that tastes better, has less pesticides AND is bought locally therefore supporting our local farmers. My daughter drinks full fat milk (3.25%) because they are GOOD fats!

brower47

Let the milk hating begin.

That does seem to be where this is headed. *gets popcorn*

now_or_never13

ANother thing to think about when you decide on organic milk or regular milk is a lot of people choose organic so you are not consuming the growth hormone that cows are given to increase milk production. Studies have shown that the acid and digestive enzymes we have will kill the growth hormone and thus posing no issue to humans.

It all comes down to a personal choice. No one is right or wrong based on which they feel is better.

LizCO2DC

I definitely think so. Besides the fact that it tastes better and lasts longer than regular milk, it doesn't have the crazy hormones that normal milk is full of. Antibiotics and hormones that normal cows are fed goes straight to their milk and into your and your children's bodies. If I had kids, I know I wouldn't want to feed them normal milk.

EmilyRanae22

If you don't like them drinking milk then why "must" they? Milk is really no better a source of calcium than spinach or other leafy greens. Why do you think cows milk is so full of calcium? Because they eat greens. And these days most dairy cows DON'T eat greens so their milk is refortified with calcium in which case you might as well skip that fattening cows milk and give them almond milk as well.

How is cows milk "fattening"... no single food is fattening. Fats are actually good for your body in moderation.

Personally I would go for regular milk over almond milk. More protein and good fats.

perhaps "fattening" was a poor choice in words. you are correct no single food is fattenting but if whole milk is drank in abundance then yes that is fattening. Perhaps a better choice in words would be "cholesterol filled"

First of all spinach isn't absorbed buy the body very well, making one of the worst sources of calcium and consuming vegetable oil in abundance can be fattening and dietary cholesterol has almost no impact on serum cholesterol. This sounds like the dogma pitch of vegetarian websites where people are primed to believe, as opposed to research.

True, spinach and other leafy greens are better absorbed when pared with vitamine C....yes, consuiming anything in abundance can be fattening which is why I said fattening was a poor choice of words. In healthy individuals with a healthy dietary cholesterol does have little impact on serum cholesterol but dietary cholesterol is the one way that we have any control whatsoever over our serum cholesterol....all of that aside, I'm simply pointing out that the OP mentioned she would rather her kids not drink milk but "if they must..." so I'm saying it's not something they "must" do. Pleanty of people do just fine without milk

clover5

I have our milk deliverded from a local dairy. It's very fresh, delicious, no BHG, and competitively priced.

CyberEd312

I don't think so but I also drink 2-3 gallons a week and prefer to pay 3 bucks a gallon as opposed to 5-6 bucks a half gallon.... lol..... Best of Luck

shellbatronic

Honestly, some people worry about the hormones and stuff that can be given to cows when you buy "regular" milk. We go through a lot of milk in our house and I don't buy organic. I do buy a local brand that uses no growth hormones on their cattle, though. It's much cheaper than buying organic.

That's my thing, the hormones. I buy from local dairies that don't use hormones, I believe one of the farms is organic and the other is not, but I'm not a stickler on that as long as they are not given hormones. "Mass market" organics can be tricky business.

byHISstrength

I started by organic milk for my boys years ago and we learned that for one of my son's it made a difference with some allergies or something. He's not at stuffy anymore. Could be coincedental, but that's why I switched.

I buy my boys organic, I buy 2% Lactaid milk for my husband, and Non-fat Lactaid, but mostly coconut milk for myself. Usually, that's about $12 a week.

n0ob

In healthy individuals with a healthy dietary cholesterol does have little impact on serum cholesterol but dietary cholesterol is the one way that we have any control whatsoever over our serum cholesterol..

Just no...

Flowers4Julia

Both my kids were allergic to milk right off the bat, so they never drank it and they are healthy adults now. Milk is for baby cows and there really isn't a reason we need to drink it. Protein and calcium come from lots of other sources.:bigsmile:

raiderrodney

The whole idea of 'organic' is just another marketing piece of crap being sold to gullible city ponces. I personally think it's ridiculous you spend extra on organic milk LOL.

And that's your opinion and you're entitled to it

I've tried to sway towards organics more and more over the past few years because I think the additives, hormones, pesticides, etc. are a huge factor in health problems for us down the road. I would also say to use real butter, natural sweetners, etc.

I use the organic half & half for my coffee but haven't made the jump to milk. But the peeps saying it lasts longer is a great reason for me to try it out since I'm not a big milk drinker...thanks for the tip

christy_frank

Organic is better because the cows are not injected with hormones which means your children are not drinking the hormone infused milk.

MightyDomo

As a kid it didn't matter what milk as long as I had lots of it. I think I was a 1L a day drinker and now that I developed a lactose intolerance I rarely drink it. If you kids cannot tell a difference it really isn't a big deal unless they are lactose intolerant, if they cannot handle lactose them get them on that almond milk or even try soy/lactose free milk.

Dairy Cows that are organic are given full grains and grasses and are free grazing. They also are not injected with additional supplements so you are getting less of a chemical treatment. The 'supplements' they are given are so that they produce more milk more frequently.

tigersword

I think it is if you must purchase milk at all.
IMO Milk is socially accepted inter species breast feeding. We're the only species that drinks milk after we have weened ourselves off milk from our mothers. There are plenty places to calcium that isn't milk.
Organic is better IMO, it lasts a lot longer and you don't have the hormones or antibiotics pumping into your system.

We're also the only species that buy our food from a grocery store. We're also the only species that drive cars, and use computers. We're the only species that write operas.

What was your point exactly?

(Also, my adult cat drinks milk when he sees it, he's several years past being weaned off his mother...)

sunsnstatheart

I like my milk to be $3 a gallon. You want to pay more, be my guest.

brower47

Both my kids were allergic to milk right off the bat, so they never drank it and they are healthy adults now. Milk is for baby cows and there really isn't a reason we need to drink it. Protein and calcium come from lots of other sources.:bigsmile:

But why go to those other sources if you like to drink milk? Eggs are for hatching baby chickens and there really isn't a reason that you need to eat them. /end sarcasm Drink it if you like it, don't drink it if you don't.

concordancia

Due to this thread, I just read about organic milk lasting longer. Turns out it is due to the processing, which is the same as that used for "bricks" of milk sold in other countries where you either get it straight from the cow or in this form of pasteurizing. All of the bacterias that your body actually uses to remain stable have been burned off.

This means that you only find your organic milk in the refrigerated section because every time UHT bricks have been introduced to the US, Americans have balked at buying their milk off the shelf. Ironically, given how many people prefer the taste of organic, when most Americans go abroad, they complain about the flavor when offered this milk, even if they don't know about it's source.



Also, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203630604578072643615348434.html in support of just about everything organic, except the milk.

neanderthin

If you don't like them drinking milk then why "must" they? Milk is really no better a source of calcium than spinach or other leafy greens. Why do you think cows milk is so full of calcium? Because they eat greens. And these days most dairy cows DON'T eat greens so their milk is refortified with calcium in which case you might as well skip that fattening cows milk and give them almond milk as well.

How is cows milk "fattening"... no single food is fattening. Fats are actually good for your body in moderation.

Personally I would go for regular milk over almond milk. More protein and good fats.

perhaps "fattening" was a poor choice in words. you are correct no single food is fattenting but if whole milk is drank in abundance then yes that is fattening. Perhaps a better choice in words would be "cholesterol filled"

First of all spinach isn't absorbed buy the body very well, making one of the worst sources of calcium and consuming vegetable oil in abundance can be fattening and dietary cholesterol has almost no impact on serum cholesterol. This sounds like the dogma pitch of vegetarian websites where people are primed to believe, as opposed to research.

True, spinach and other leafy greens are better absorbed when pared with vitamine C....yes, consuiming anything in abundance can be fattening which is why I said fattening was a poor choice of words. In healthy individuals with a healthy dietary cholesterol does have little impact on serum cholesterol but dietary cholesterol is the one way that we have any control whatsoever over our serum cholesterol....all of that aside, I'm simply pointing out that the OP mentioned she would rather her kids not drink milk but "if they must..." so I'm saying it's not something they "must" do. Pleanty of people do just fine without milk

That's fine, I'm just pointing out the flaws in your statement. It's not the Vit C in spinach it's the oxalate and zinc that bind to the calcium, so no spinach is not good source. There's also a reason that there's no RDA for cholesterol in Canada, because the studies show it doesn't matter and telling moms to skip milk. or eggs for the morning ritual for their children leaves lots of sugary stuff and funnily enough, sugar is what really messes with our cholesterol, I know it sounds weird, but true.

tigersword

The whole idea of 'organic' is just another marketing piece of crap being sold to gullible city ponces. I personally think it's ridiculous you spend extra on organic milk LOL.

And that's your opinion and you're entitled to it

I've tried to sway towards organics more and more over the past few years because I think the additives, hormones, pesticides, etc. are a huge factor in health problems for us down the road. I would also say to use real butter, natural sweetners, etc.

I use the organic half & half for my coffee but haven't made the jump to milk. But the peeps saying it lasts longer is a great reason for me to try it out since I'm not a big milk drinker...thanks for the tip

Organic farms can use all the pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones they want, as long as what they use is certified organic.

There are very few dairy farms using rbgh anymore, anyway.

nataliescalories

Organic anything is better than the non-organic equivalent -- it's not necessarily better *nutritionally* but better for the body due to the care taken to avoid pesticides, unnecessary antibiotics, and so on. We are exposed to so much pollution and toxic substances as it is, so any opportunity to limit exposure is a big benefit in my mind.

It's also much better for the environment. I made sure the last bedsheets I bought were organic cotton, and not because I thought regular cotton sheets would be toxic to me in anyway. But the more we buy organic, the more pesticides we're keeping out of our air and water.

As you can tell, I'm pretty biased in this regard. :-)

Totally agree here. Traditional milk is full of crap you don't want to feed your kids. Not to mention--it is just an ethical fail considering the horrible lives of most dairy cows. You also might want to Google it, but there is a big debate in the scientific communities as to whether or not the calcium in spinach can be absorbed. That is touched on in this other MFP thread: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/870206-milk

As I mention there, I'm a big supporter of Kalona Supernatural milk--it is hitting more and more stores. The cows lead better lives and are grass-fed. The milk is hormone and pesticide free. It's non-homogenized and vat pasturized to help retain more of the nutrients (as even a lot of other organic milk can process out some of the nutrients). Any way, more info here: http://www.kalonasupernatural.com/our-process/

No, I don't work for them or anything lol.

My mom hates hates hates milk, but this stuff she loves. I honestly don't know how 99% of the stuff people are drinking can even be called milk. 1% tastes horrid to me and is pretty much just a slightly less processed diet food.

TMR001

I currently buy organic milk for my kids (I use almond for my cereal & cooking, but I don't really drink it). I'm just really wondering if it's actually better. I don't really like my kids drinking milk at all but if they must, I serve them organic. My oldest son who's in school drinks regular at school when he buys and he also has regular at daycare after school and at his grandparents but I hope to at least serve him what I think is best at home. But as of right now, I spend so much on milks because i buy organic fat free for my oldest two and organic D for my littlest who's under 2, then I buy almond for myself. It's kind of annoying, haha. It's about $10 in milk each time I buy all three.

My daughter and I are allergic to dairy. Not just lactose intolerant we actually have an allergic reaction to dairy proteins. My husband just decided for simplicity to drink the same almond milk we do "unsweetened original almond breeze" and he found he likes it better than store bought milk. I send Hemp Milk to her daycare b/c they don't allow the almond milk as part of the nut free environment.

savyjenn

There is really not a large difference organic vs. non organic milk....

First lets address the amount of growth hormones in non-organic milk. Farmers who go organic (BST_ growth hormone free) make a pledge to do so....but there is no scientific way to actaully tell if the hormones are used on cows because cows natrually produce BST all on their own. Son any test on any milk producing cow will show BST in its milk.

As far as no antibiotics goes....when an animal is sick no matter what farm it is on the farmer will treat the illness...antibiotics can be used, there are ways of tracing most antibiotics and milk from farms are tested to this point....most farmers dont add the milk from a sick animal into the tank of healthy animals as there are fines and possible money losses involved.

Organic milk lasts longer??? why?? well its not because its organic it is because they double pasturize it...which gives it a longer shelf life than regular -cheaper milk...in others words the pasturization process kills more of the enzymes that break down the fats that eventually cause milk to sour....if you notice skim milk also last longer (because there is less fat in it same amount of enzymes just no fuel for them to eat) . So one of the costs your are paying for is this doulbe treatment process that is not necessary to imporve the health benifits of the milk you drink.

On a side not e - I would not buy RAW milk unless you know the source....pasturization kills bacteria....raw milk can contain harmful bacteria...especially if you dont know how clean the working operations of a farm are dont buy the raw milk. In fact farmers who sell raw have to have a special license to do so...so make sure the source has this license...otherwise steer clear.

But still some feel that organic is better for them....let them spend the extra money....to each their own just know all sides of the choices you make.

farway

Canada doesn't use antibiotics, or bovine growth hormone's in milk production and for a milk up here to be called organic milk must be obtained from cows given access to pasture as often as possible, actually most of the time, providing them with organic feed that does not consist of any harmful pesticides, chemicals, fertilizers, or genetically modified ingredients, and removing any cow treated by antibiotics from the herd for an extended period. Shelf life for organic can be shorter as well because of the pasteurization method, which is usually shorter in time, trying to preserve taste and nutrients. Basically in Canada people could see a benefit. If your in the USA, I have no idea.

Very similar to UK & EU, organic is not fudged, no hormones, free range and the like.

It is not just about taste or nutrition but also involves animal welfare

Many may not have any concern over how animals are treated, and price trumps all, however for those us who do place a monetary value on animal welfare the extra cost is a worth it

EmilyRanae22

That's fine, I'm just pointing out the flaws in your statement. It's not the Vit C in spinach it's the oxalate and zinc that bind to the calcium, so no spinach is not good source. There's also a reason that there's no RDA for cholesterol in Canada, because the studies show it doesn't matter and telling moms to skip milk. or eggs for the morning ritual for their children leaves lots of sugary stuff and funnily enough, sugar is what really messes with our cholesterol, I know it sounds weird, but true.

Weird! That led me to do some research. It seems that sugar actually lowers you HDL (good) cholesterol. I had no clue!

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20100420/high-sugar-diet-linked-lower-good-cholesterol

We always hear about the things that "raise" you cholesterol but never hear about what certain things are doing to otherwise send out cholesterol out of wack.

I have more I could certainly say, but really it would be just for the sake of argument and I don't want to further derail this thread.

neanderthin

There is really not a large difference organic vs. non organic milk....

First lets address the amount of growth hormones in non-organic milk. Farmers who go organic (BST_ growth hormone free) make a pledge to do so....but there is no scientific way to actaully tell if the hormones are used on cows because cows natrually produce BST all on their own. Son any test on any milk producing cow will show BST in its milk.

As far as no antibiotics goes....when an animal is sick no matter what farm it is on the farmer will treat the illness...antibiotics can be used, there are ways of tracing most antibiotics and milk from farms are tested to this point....most farmers dont add the milk from a sick animal into the tank of healthy animals as there are fines and possible money losses involved.

Organic milk lasts longer??? why?? well its not because its organic it is because they double pasturize it...which gives it a longer shelf life than regular -cheaper milk...in others words the pasturization process kills more of the enzymes that break down the fats that eventually cause milk to sour....if you notice skim milk also last longer (because there is less fat in it same amount of enzymes just no fuel for them to eat) . So one of the costs your are paying for is this doulbe treatment process that is not necessary to imporve the health benifits of the milk you drink.

On a side not e - I would not buy RAW milk unless you know the source....pasturization kills bacteria....raw milk can contain harmful bacteria...especially if you dont know how clean the working operations of a farm are dont buy the raw milk. In fact farmers who sell raw have to have a special license to do so...so make sure the source has this license...otherwise steer clear.

But still some feel that organic is better for them....let them spend the extra money....to each their own just know all sides of the choices you make.

Canada doesn't use antibiotics or growth hormones in any milk production, regular or organic, and organic has a shorter life up here....just to let people know not everyone lives in the USA.

farway

There is really not a large difference organic vs. non organic milk....

First lets address the amount of growth hormones in non-organic milk. Farmers who go organic (BST_ growth hormone free) make a pledge to do so....but there is no scientific way to actaully tell if the hormones are used on cows because cows natrually produce BST all on their own. Son any test on any milk producing cow will show BST in its milk.

As far as no antibiotics goes....when an animal is sick no matter what farm it is on the farmer will treat the illness...antibiotics can be used, there are ways of tracing most antibiotics and milk from farms are tested to this point....most farmers dont add the milk from a sick animal into the tank of healthy animals as there are fines and possible money losses involved.

Organic milk lasts longer??? why?? well its not because its organic it is because they double pasturize it...which gives it a longer shelf life than regular -cheaper milk...in others words the pasturization process kills more of the enzymes that break down the fats that eventually cause milk to sour....if you notice skim milk also last longer (because there is less fat in it same amount of enzymes just no fuel for them to eat) . So one of the costs your are paying for is this doulbe treatment process that is not necessary to imporve the health benifits of the milk you drink.

On a side not e - I would not buy RAW milk unless you know the source....pasturization kills bacteria....raw milk can contain harmful bacteria...especially if you dont know how clean the working operations of a farm are dont buy the raw milk. In fact farmers who sell raw have to have a special license to do so...so make sure the source has this license...otherwise steer clear.

But still some feel that organic is better for them....let them spend the extra money....to each their own just know all sides of the choices you make.

Canada doesn't use antibiotics or growth hormones in any milk production, regular or organic, and organic has a shorter life up here....just to let people know not everyone lives in the USA.

So true, applies to EU as well, growth hormones, plus GM foods are banned

sunsnstatheart

There is really not a large difference organic vs. non organic milk....

First lets address the amount of growth hormones in non-organic milk. Farmers who go organic (BST_ growth hormone free) make a pledge to do so....but there is no scientific way to actaully tell if the hormones are used on cows because cows natrually produce BST all on their own. Son any test on any milk producing cow will show BST in its milk.

As far as no antibiotics goes....when an animal is sick no matter what farm it is on the farmer will treat the illness...antibiotics can be used, there are ways of tracing most antibiotics and milk from farms are tested to this point....most farmers dont add the milk from a sick animal into the tank of healthy animals as there are fines and possible money losses involved.

Organic milk lasts longer??? why?? well its not because its organic it is because they double pasturize it...which gives it a longer shelf life than regular -cheaper milk...in others words the pasturization process kills more of the enzymes that break down the fats that eventually cause milk to sour....if you notice skim milk also last longer (because there is less fat in it same amount of enzymes just no fuel for them to eat) . So one of the costs your are paying for is this doulbe treatment process that is not necessary to imporve the health benifits of the milk you drink.

On a side not e - I would not buy RAW milk unless you know the source....pasturization kills bacteria....raw milk can contain harmful bacteria...especially if you dont know how clean the working operations of a farm are dont buy the raw milk. In fact farmers who sell raw have to have a special license to do so...so make sure the source has this license...otherwise steer clear.

But still some feel that organic is better for them....let them spend the extra money....to each their own just know all sides of the choices you make.

Canada doesn't use antibiotics or growth hormones in any milk production, regular or organic, and organic has a shorter life up here....just to let people know not everyone lives in the USA.

You mean North Montana?

mmapags

I'd be concerned about the hormones and stuff in regular milk. But I'd also have everyone in the house on the same milk. There is no reason for anyone to drink fat-free or reduced fat anything, period. Animal fats, especially from organic, grass fed products are very healthy.

I raised my son into a healthy and physically fit young guy without milk or milk substitutes. You honestly don't NEED to give children cow's milk for any real reason. Think about why a human might possibly NEED the milk of some other animal....really. What other animal in the world needs some other animal's milk to survive and grow? If you want to give them milk, and if they like it, that's a whole different thing. But they will grow and be perfectly healthy without it, I swear. My son is a very athletic guy--in his final years of studying professional ballet, so he dances about 6 hrs a day, and has danced that much on a daily basis since he was 11 years old. He's nearly 18 now. All without milk or milk substitutes.

What does "NEEDING" milk have to do with anything? You can make the same statement about pretty much any single food item. There is always an alternate source of those nutrients. The discussion is, Is Organic Milk Better. Not, who raised thier children on milk substitutes.

jjmp824

Because organic milk should be free of harmful hormones and antibiotics that may be found in "regular" milk, I always give my kids organic milk when they drink milk.