“Organic” labeled milk is becoming a huge rage! It seems that many people are assuming that the word “organic” on milk containers means healthy. Yes, it may very well be better for the environment, and a means of taking better care of the animals, but are the health claims correct? The word “organic” includes a doubled price tag, so it is worthy to consider.
I am convinced that organic milk can only be slightly better than conventional milk. Why?
The New York Times recently noted that “organic milk” essentially means “it comes from a cow whose milk production was not prompted by an artificial growth hormone, whose feed was not grown with pesticides and which had ‘access to pasture,’ a term so vague it could mean that a cow might spend most of its milk-producing life confined to a feed lot eating grain and not grass.”
Unless you choose your brands carefully, many dairy farms are doing the least bit possible to meet these requirements, as the requirements are very vague in the first place (Read more about this here and here). Currently, nothing is being done to more clearly define and uphold these standards.
Both conventional and organic milk are pasteurized (most are ultra-pasteurized), and homogenized, and present far more of a serious concern. Just check the labels. According to Real Milk:
Pasteurization destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamin content, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamins C, B12 and B6, kills beneficial bacteria, promotes pathogens and is associated with allergies, increased tooth decay, colic in infants, growth problems in children, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease and cancer. Homogenization is a process that breaks down butterfat globules so they do not rise to the top. Homogenized milk has been linked to heart disease.
What’s the better option?
Although I do want to support the organic farming industry, I think there are currently far better options…
Raw milk! Finding a local source to purchase raw milk straight from the cow or goat are the best alternatives. This milk is free from any pasteurization or homogenization. Where to find? Visit here.
If you cannot come by raw milk, choose coconut milk or homemade nut milk. If you cannot afford raw milk (prices vary greatly from state to state), buy in smaller quantities and cut back in other areas. Better to have little raw milk than substitute with any conventional milk. Raw milk can save money for many because it has multiple uses – you can make homemade butter, yogurt, kefir, and the like. Knowing where your food is coming from is far greater security than just picking up a container labeled “organic”.
Coconut Milk – Try Kimi’s Coconut Milk Tonic for everyday drinking or in recipes. Store bought Rice milk & almond milk are both high in phytates and thus not very good options. Soy milk is highly indigestible. Coconut milk contains amounts of coconut oil in it, which has wonderful anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-cancer and thyroid and weight loss benefits. Coconut milk works great for making homemade kefir (for all your soaking needs), in smoothies, baking and the like.
Homemade Almond Milk - this would be another good option using soaked almonds, although more time consuming. For a recipe, visit here.
Further Reading:
Stephanie at Keeper of the Home wrote a great post on evaluating the best diary options for your family, comparing organic, raw, rice, nut, coconut and other varieties of milk. I greatly appreciated her thorough coverage of the topic.
Organic Milk: Getting What you paid for?
Major Confusions between Organic and Healthy – article by Dr. Mercola addressing some of the desceptions of the organic industry. He encourages you to stop wasting your money on organic milk and choose raw milk!
The Pasteurized vs. Raw Milk Debate: What you need to know
While I applaud your efforts to learn more about the food you feed to your family, I cannot agree with you on the benefits of raw milk. Unless you have your own cow and know for yourself about the hygenic methods used to milk it and store it you cannot be certain it will not harm you and your children. Preganant and nursing women especially should avoid this as well as young children. You cannot trust anyone other than yourself (if you have your own cow) to milk that cow and store that mild hygenically every time. That farmer may have good intentions but you cannot be absolutely sure. I hope this does not come across as anything other than concern. Sometimes I don’t communicate too well.
In Christ,
Rebecca
Thanks for your concern. I believe this is just a personal decision we each must make and research. I personally know and trust my milk farmer. He is a Christian man and making his best effort to serve my family along with others. Unfortunately, it is impossible to grow all of own food if I were to only trust myself as you suggest, sometimes it does take a step of faith, but we have never had issues with our milk, and I have been drinking it through two pregnancies. Evidence shows that store-bought milk is actually more harmful than raw. At least with buying locally and knowing my farmers (not only with milk but with our produce), I can be assured of their right practices far better than any store bought and mass produced item.
I have just found your blog and have really enjoyed reading your thoughful posts!
Our family tends to buy organic/ free-range products mainly because they are better for the environment and the the animal’s have a happier life.
It can be more expensive but I’d rather go without in other areas and know that I’m helping farmers who care about being good stewards to our beautiful earth and it’s animals.
Suzy ~
We went raw almost a year ago and have never looked back! I love the fact that I know exactly where my milk comes from and that the cows are out on pasture to their hearts content every day.
For those of us who live an hour or more from a raw milk source, can you freeze this milk? Do you know if freezing would ruin the milk or the nutrients? It would be more efficient for me to buy raw milk in bulk, since I would have to travel about 90 miles to purchase raw milk.
I’ve been wanting to do this for a while, but the distance from a source has prohibited me from looking into it much. I wish I could just start a milk farm for people in our area!!
Yes, it is perfectly save to freeze raw milk. It may affect the texture somewhat but it will not ruin any of the nutrients. Weston Price addresses the question here as follows:
Q. Is it okay to freeze raw milk? Is it okay to freeze it in glass?
A. Yes it is fine to freeze milk–even the enzymes are preserved. You can freeze it in glass if the container is open and not completely full, although plastic is safer from a breakage standpoint.
My family also lives some distance from where we get our raw milk. We have cut expenses by rotating picking up our milk along with other family members and friends. We only drive to get our milk (and theirs)one time a month and have our milk delivered to us the other weeks. This is just another suggestion.
We have also froze our milk and cream (to save for the winter months when the cows are not producing) and have had no problems with it.
That is exactly what we have done. We have a group of 6 families that take turns on the route. It works great if the milk is a bit of a distance.
Thanks, ladies; this is encouraging. I really hope to make the switch soon.
I envy you living in an area where it is legal for farmers to distribute raw milk. Here in Georgia, our benevolent government has taken it upon itself to decided that the freedom of choosing what your family eats and drinks should not be given to the people since we are obviously too stupid to take care of ourselves. Argh!!!!!!!
My family had been looking in to buying a cow for a while now, and the one thing that is really holding us back is that we would apparently have to throw away a lot of milk since we could never consume as much milk in a week as a cow produces in a day and it is illegal to sell it.
Actually, there are ways around this law. We could label it as being for pet consumption, or we could have all our friends who are interested in buying raw milk actually buy the cow. They would pay weekly or monthly to be part owner of the cow and, naturally as owner, get some of the milk. The question is, just how long is it until the make the above methods illegal, too?
Here in Canada it is illegal to sell or distribute raw milk because it is “dangerous”, though of course cigarettes are apparently safe because you can buy them. There is a farmer in Ontario who sold “shares” in his cow and then distributed the milk to the “owners” but he is currently being prosecuted for his actions, so they are ensuring that there is no way to get around the law.
It is a struggle for us because we firmly believe that not only is raw milk better, but that conventional milk is actually harmful. We are not in a position to have our own cow so that is not an option. We have friends who have a cow and they are willing to let us have raw milk, however I question whether, as a Christian, it would be right to take it.
First of all I hesitate to put our friends at risk in that way – there could be significant consequences for them if they get caught. Secondly, Scripture commands us to obey our civil authorities, except of course where the laws contradict God’s Word. Does my desire to protect my families health give me the right to break the law?
I have been fortunate to find a little health food store about two minutes from my house that carries organic whole milk that is low-heat pasteurized and is not homogenized, so for now that is what we are buying.
I am so sorry to hear of your difficulties in getting raw milk. That would be very difficult and frustrating at the same time. It sounds as if your friend is willing to just give it to you? I was under the impression that the problem might arise for them if they actually sold the milk to you. Just a thought. The option of low-heat and non-homogenized milk is a great alternative. This is very hard to find around here.
Hi SarahMichelle, I also live in Canada and was wondering what brand is that you get that is low heat pasteurized. I try to buy organic milk for my daugthers and I’m always looking for better options healthwise.
Thanks
Hi Sarahmichelle,
Why dont you offer to buy a share of the cow. That way you could own say 1% of the cow and since you own part of it, you could enjoy the milk legally. Just an thought.
We have been buying raw milk from a certified organic dairy farmer 15miles away.
It is wonderful, as I can’t digest pasteurized milk properly. Even better is talking to the owner, realizing that his heart is providing healthy milk from healthy cows that are grass fed & pastured as much as Wisconsin weather permits. He feels the current organic standards are set way too low, and I agree. He is planning on establishing the legal protection of a cow-share program this winter, which I happily anticipate, although not the increase in pricing due to his legal expenses.
When life is really hectic, and I can’t make it to the farm during the window of time to buy milk, we do purchase regular milk from the store. This has only happened 2 or 3 times now. We just choose to use minimal milk until we can get to the farm, and never buy organic milk at the store. Why? Where I live I can only get organic milk if it is ultra-pasteurized, which is truly not worth the exorbitant price charged. (Double what we pay at the farm)
Lindsay,
Have you actually made the almond milk from your link above? I am curious about your almonds. I’ve found alot of articles talking about required pasteurization and that almonds are being sold as “raw” but have been flash pasteurized. Do you buy raw that are actually still viable, and do you know any specific brands which are genuinely raw or falsely raw for that matter, so I can sort out good and bad possibilities. I love almonds. They are one of my primary snack foods, and my oldest daughter loves them. Thanks!
I have not made the almond milk myself, but rather have friends that recommended the recipe to me. Yes, I have read about the confusion over “raw” almonds. All retail almonds are now treated, either with heat or more commonly chemicals, but they can still be labeled as raw – craziness!
Luckily you can get around this by buying direct from growers. One company that has been recommended to me is D & S Ranches.
Have you ever made cashew milk (requires soaking)? It results in a very creamy “milk.” I follow the recipes at Spunky Coconut and/or Elana’s Pantry, both great blogs. Unlike almond milk, you don’t need to strain it.
For store-bought milk, I also wanted to recommend So Delicious’ new coconut milk, which is coconut milk that is intended to be consumed as a dairy sub like soy milk (it’s found near the refrigerated soy milk). But it’s soy and dairy free…and really delicious (though pricey)!
Our Family has been an “Organic Family” Ever since I found out that I was pregnant and now that our little guy is 16 months old we are still living as organically as possible. I have a few questions about the Cows Milk though.
My son drinks Organic Soy Milk with DHA in it because I have always been a research hound and I found that many people say that Cows Milk in general is not very good for humans. What I read was that the proteins can not be absorbed into our system and many of the nutrients are lost making cows milk just another beverage. They stress that Cows Milk is for Cows. Are the health benefits greater for humans when the milk in unprocessed?
My other concern (although kind of silly) is that I am super picky about the taste of mu milk. Sometimes I get a gallon of Cows Milk from the store (Which My husband and I drink) and I let it go to waste merely because the taste is not good. I understand that much of the taste comes from the Cows diet but does unprocessed milk taste much different than processed?
Thank you for your post, I have never given Raw Milk and thought.
Nikki
A lot of the disadvantages you mentioned of cow’s milk are due to the pasteurization and homogenization process. Raw is definitely a different story. Goat’s milk is supposed to be the best as far as nutrition and better for you than cow’s milk but the flavor is very different and many do not like it. You may be interested in reading a few articles published by Weston Price Foundation (authors of the book Nourishing Traditions) and their discussion on the health concerns of soy. Read more here. Here is one quote:
High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
As to the taste of raw milk, it is simply delicious! It takes so much more rich, creamy and flavorful than store bought. It is a totally different experience. I would drink it all the time if I could!
Just out of curiosity, what on earth does raw milk taste like (compared to processed milke that is)? I have never had any.
Like I mentioned above to Nikki, raw milk is simply delicious! We love it and cannot compare it to the store bought kind. I will never go back personally!
This really is a great topic to bring up. Prior to my son being born I bought milk from a local dairy that never used growth hormones. This milk was significantly cheaper than organic milk so it was a good option.
When my son was two weeks old I noticed a lot of digestive problems and through elimination discovered he had a sensitivity to cow’s milk and soy. That meant I had to cut those things from my diet because he was receiving those allergens thorough my breast milk. I have done plenty of research and found a lot of great information about the benefits of raw milk (as well as the dangers of soy). There is a local organic farm that sells raw milk that I have purchased. He hasn’t had any issues with raw milk but it is expensive so I don’t by it frequently. When it isn’t in the budget I make my own “milk” from rice, oats, or coconut. I have almonds so I think I will give that a try too. Thanks for the info.
I have been thinking about raw milk and wanting to try it out, but I didn’t know where to get it near us. I was sure there had to be a farm somewhere, but didn’t know where. Then the other day I passed by our Whole Foods and they had a big sign saying they carried raw milk now. I haven’t checked out the price, but I’m hoping I can try it out. As for organic milk, that’s pretty important to me, if raw milk would be too expensive, I will continue to at least buy the organic. If for no other reason than I don’t want my daughters getting the hormones that they keep injecting into these cows (as well as other things.) I just read an article about this in a Vegan Life magazine and WOW is it all disturbing. But I’m really hoping the raw milk will be affordable because I do believe it is much healthier. I too would be interested in knowing about the taste. I’m not a milk drinker at all, my girls and husband like it and I use it on oatmeal, but that’s pretty much it for me. I’m just wondering if they would still like it. If nothing else, I guess if they don’t like it, it will cut them back on wanting it.
Thanks for this, Lindsay! A great topic that needs to be talked about more!
I understand the difficulty of not being able to get raw milk. I also live in Canada, where it cannot be bought or sold. We have gotten around this by being a part of a cow share, where we are part owners and are paying the farmer a maintenance fee to care for and milk the cow on our behalf. We feel good about this decision, and that we are well within the boundaries of obeying our authorities and yet still doing the best we can for our family. There are no laws to prohibit what one does with their own cow and it’s milk (nor should there ever be!).
As for organic, I do still feel that if raw milk is unavailable or very unaffordable, it’s a better choice than conventional milk to be used for making yogurt, kefir, etc. Though I don’t feel that organic regulations are nearly stringent enough (they are so vague, aren’t they?), they are still better than conventional in most cases. We never drink this milk straight, but only use it for cultured products, and I still feel good about spending a little extra on the organic for even small benefits.
One way to keep organic milk cheaper, though, is to buy it on clearance if you plan to culture it anyways. It will last well in your freezer or fridge. I also do this with clearance raw milk whenever I’m down in Washington!
I am totally on board with you here. Though I can get raw cow’s milk for $5 a gallon, it’s pretty far away- at least 30 miles if not more one way to pick it up. When gas was high, I stopped buying it and bought the best I could, which is organic pasteurized and homogenized milk.But, now that gas is less, I want to start back on the raw milk.
However, my kefir grains did not like the raw milk. It took a month before I got drinkable kefir, after putting them back in storebought milk. Kefir is so important to us that I hate to mess with it. I ended up buying milk at the store too, so it seemed kind of pointless. We did enjoy the fresh butter though. Creme fraiche didn’t work out either. How do you successfully separate the cream from the milk when it’s in a gallon jug?
The raw cream naturally rises to the top as it sits in the fridge, but mine comes in a gallon size glass jar. I simply use a measuring cup to skim it out. If you have a different container from which you can’t skim as I mentioned, I would try transferring it to a gallon jar and then allow it to sit for awhile in the fridge and then skim as described.
Interesting post on milk…it’s amazing how many opinions there are out there on milk. I personally have become a fan of goat’s milk. Moses was 12 months old when I started him on cow’s milk and he got two ear infections that first month when he started drinking it. I had no idea cow’s milk was linked to causing ear infections.
http://www.milksucks.com/babyear.asp
http://www.naturalnews.com/000930.html
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=131
these are just a few websites if you’re interested.
Anyways, i immediately switched to goat’s milk and he’s never had another ear infections. I also like goat’s milk for it’s other benefits. Here is a good list: http://altmedangel.com/milkcomp.htm
I drink it too, and honestly can’t say that I’d ever drink cow’s milk again. I really like making homemade almond milk, but haven’t done it in awhile. ANyways, just thought I’d share.
Have a great day Lindsay! God bless you!
I switched to raw milk for my 18 month old son. He was born with MSPI. (Milk/Soy Protein Intolerance) and until the switch to raw milk could not ingest any milk or soy products! I researched raw milk, and wanted to try it, since he rejected all the substitutes. No rice milk. No almond milk. Usually his reaction to milk and soy products would be immediate, between 12 and 24 hours. But with raw milk he has had NO adverse effects! He loves it, and he is able to tolerate it! I’m so thankful for raw milk, and you bring up a very good point about the debate between “organic” milk and “raw” milk. I personally recommend raw milk, and if you’re in Ca. Whole Foods is a carrier of two different brands!
My son and daughter (4 and 2) seem to have trouble with milk. They use to have no problem until they got the flu last year. My husband is in the military and we are now living in Okinawa. I wouldn’t trust buying unpasteurized milk off base, but I have found some shelf milk that they tolerate somewhat well. Does anyone think that unpasteurized milk might be the answer to this problem or once a milk allergy always a milk allergy?
I have heard that pasteurized conventional milk can cause milk allergies. It would be worth a try to put them on unpasteurized milk for awhile. It that doesn’t work, you may want to use it to make cultured products (as in kefir, yogurt, etc). Most people with milk allergies do not have problems with cultured products.
I really loved this post – enough to delurk and leave a comment!
We have gone raw for almost a year now and it is simply wonderful, though there was a time of adjustment to the difference in taste. In the spring when the pastures are new and the cows have just freshened, it is grassy tasting and what I describe as hormonal.
It is a sacrifice of time and finances as the farm is a 50 mile round trip, but I too believe it is worth it for my children. We belong to an association where we own part of the cow and in our state, we can drink raw milk from our own cows. The group works together to take care of the needs of the cows and we pay the farmer monthly rent for her pastures. I am on of the milkers and can attest to the great care taken in cleanliness (at least on our farm) and if the farmer wants to be able to say the milk is organic, there are strict guidelines that must be followed. Since being on the raw milk, I have seen a great improvement in my allergies! While goats milk is more easily digested by humans, there are still so many great benefits in raw cows milk, as have been very well addressed in others’ comments.
One last thing, we also supplement with rice milk and almond milk, but I recently read something disturbing about almonds in the U.S. They must be pasteurized and are done so by three processes: steam, RADIATION and chemicals. The manufacturer is not obligated to disclose which method they use. So I may be preaching to the choir, but I would just encourage the consumption of raw almonds if making your own milk.
Thank you for this post, I really enjoyed it!
Lindsey, I just started reading your website today and I love it! My husband and I are always trying to find new ways to live more naturally especially when it comes to eating.
I would like to suggest a more radical alternative to milk. We use Hemp milk. Despite what a lot of people may think, Hemp milk does not contain THC which is what it found in Hemp’s “cousin” plant, Cannibus. To those who are educated about the Hemp product you will know that this plant has been used since the beginning of Man and to many is truly considered a Miracle Plant. Just one cup of Hemp milk a day provides you with more nutrients and Omegas that any other milk product out there! It comes in many different flavors and I love them all. I strongly recommend using Hemp products on an everyday basis.
I hope this helps
p.s.
You can find the Living Harvest Hemp milk at large grocery stores such as Fred Meyer and most health stores like New Seasons and Whole Foods.
Hi Lindsay, what do you personally drink – raw cow’s milk or raw goat’s milk? Also, what do you do with the cream you skim off the top? Thanks!
We drink raw cow’s milk. I can’t stand the taste of goat’s milk. I don’t always skim the cream off. Sometimes I use it to make ice cream, butter and the like.
Hi,
I have been buying organic 2% milk for my husband and I, and occasionally Soy Milk for myself (he refuses to drink it lol) because we are trying to get pregnant and I read about the benefits of the estrogen in soy milk. I was wondering if anyone had any opinion on soymilk – good or bad – for us. I’ve tried coconut milk, and I’m working my way around to almond milk, but hubby is going to be a lot slower than I am to conform. Any help?
I would recommend reading this article. Quite eye opening to the history and production of soy milk and other soy products.