Study finds organic milk contains better nutrients

[S.Annadana]

Study finds organic milk contains better nutrients
By Shari Rudavsky
Posted: June 24, 2008Read Comments(2)Recommend E-mail Print Share Del.icio.us Digg Reddit Yahoo Google A A A recent study bolsters the argument that the text beneath the white mustache on the well-known ads should be amended to read, "Got organic milk?"

Natural-food aficionados, organic dairy farmers and some nutritionists have long argued that organic milk is healthier than its conventional counterpart because it does not contain substances such as antibiotics.


Now, there's an increasing body of evidence to show that organic milk contains some beneficial substances that other milk lacks.

A recent study by a researcher at Newcastle University (United Kingdom) sheds light on what's so special about organic milk. Cows that graze on real grass and clover produce milk that contains more antioxidants, vitamins and the good-for-you fatty acids.

The study found that the milk of these cows was particularly nutrient-rich in the summer, when they had the greatest access to fresh grass. During this season, the milk contained 60 percent more of the fatty acid CLA.

This finding did not surprise Mark Kastel, co-director of the Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based watchdog for the organic industry.

Such thinking has helped draw more consumers to organic milk and through this to more organic products in general, he says.

"The first part is about protecting your health and your family's health by avoiding chemicals that are known to be deleterious," Kastel says.

"There's also a growing body of scientific literature that indicates organic food is healthier for you."

Research shows that organic milk has lower levels of pesticides and fungicides, many of which can be considered to be carcinogens.

Other chemicals found in conventional milk are suspected of triggering developmental problems by mimicking hormones, Kastel says.

So, many households are turning to organic milk.

From 2004 to 2005, sales of organic milk increased by 25 percent, surpassing $1 billion, according to a May 2007 report from the USDA's economic research service. Overall sales of milk remained constant.

But not all organic milk is created equal, the Cornucopia Institute has found. The institute has produced an organic dairy scorecard (using cow icons) to rate organic brands on just how organic they truly are.

Zionsville's Traders Point Creamery, the only Indiana-based one on the list, rates a perfect five cows.

The institute plans to update the scorecard, available at www .cornucopia.org, in the coming month.