LOS ANGELES—Many of us are aware of the advantages of switching to organic; from the food we eat to the beauty products we use daily. New evidence has recently emerged to reinforce this, which highlights the huge benefits of swapping standard dairy milk for that of organic dairy milk.

Cows. Photo by Jocelyn Holt

A recent study funded by the European Union at Newcastle University in the UK, published in the Journal of Dairy Science and the Journal of Food, Science and Agriculture, revealed that significantly higher levels of antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals were found in organic milk compared to that of standard milk. It found that organic milk contained 67 percent more antioxidants and vitamins than regular milk, and was also found to have far lower levels of harmful saturated fats and higher levels of healthy fatty acids.

Scientists in the study found organic milk contained 60 percent higher levels of the healthy fatty acid, conjugated linoleic acid (or CLA9), and similar levels of vaccenic acid, along with 39 percent more of the fatty acid Omega-3. These have all been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Milk. Photo by Jocelyn Holt

Lead researcher to the study, Gillian Butler, said that "switching to organic milk and dairy products provides a natural way to increase our intake of nutritionally desirable fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants without increasing our intake of less desirable fatty acids. By choosing organic milk, you can cut saturated fats by 30-50 percent."

The benefits of choosing organic milk don’t stop there. In switching to organic, you are helping the animals too. The welfare of the cows becomes a number one priority in order for the milk to be categorized as “organic.” Cows that are organically farmed are fed on a diet which consists of 80 percent fresh grass grazing, while conventional farms feed their cows with only 37 percent of their diet from grass grazing. The rest of the organic diet consists of pesticide-free grain, silage, hay and vegetables, and the grass pastures must meet organic certification, which is usually a minimum of three years free from the use of chemicals and fertilizers. The cows are also not injected or fed with any chemicals or hormones which are often given to stimulate milk production in conventionally farmed cows.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) stipulates that “organic milk or milk products must be from animals that have been under continuous organic management for at least one year prior to the production of the milk or milk products. A one-time feed exemption for whole herds that newly transition to organic production allows the transitioning cows to be fed crops and forage from land included in the farm's organic system plan during the third year of transition. The crops and forage must be grown on land that has been free of prohibited substances for at least 24 months prior to harvest of the feed.”

The results from the study reinforce the already widely-accepted notion that switching to natural, organic produce is better for us all around. Organic tastes far better than conventional produce too, thanks to the absence of manmade chemicals and harsh pesticides. So for a tiny difference in cost on our weekly shopping trip, we can see a significant difference in our own well being.

Professor Carlo Leifert, head of the study, concluded that "this paper is a major milestone in the project and clearly shows that if you manage livestock naturally then it's a win-win situation for both us and the animals."

As a devout animal lover, when there is an option to choose a product which will make life better for both us and the animals, I will take it every time. Switching to organic milk is a small price to pay for not only feeling better within ourselves, but also for improving the quality of life for our furry friends too. 

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