Let ’s clear up the constituent Milk River versus pasturage - fed Milk River mental confusion once and for all .
The difference between Milk River alternatives such asoat milkandalmond milkis well-defined , but when it comes to choosing between different forms ofcow ’s milk , even the sound options can seem emphatically less obvious . Even after you ’ve decide on which productive per centum you want ( whole , skim , 1 % , 2 % , etc . ) , you ’ve still got to settle between formal , constitutive , or , the latest summation to the dairy farm section , grass - fed . Thankfully , the labels are there to help , so some simple decoding can go a long elbow room in deciding if grass - fed milk is upright than constitutional for you or your family , or if organic Milk River is the way to go .
What Is Organic Milk?
In club for milk to be certified as constitutional by theUnited States Department of Agriculture(USDA ) and carry the " USDA Organic " seal , the milk must come from cows that have not been treated with antibiotics or given endocrine for growth or facts of life . Cows producing organic milk eat up a mixture of constituent grains and grasses , where every pace of the food chain must be demonstrate constitutional — from food the brute eat tothe soil the nutrient is grow in — and the Milk River must come from cows that receive at least 30 % of their diet from pasture , which equate to at least 120 days out in the sassy strain . The eternal sleep of the year , cows must live in well - sanitized spaces with dear respiration and water supply , and must be given access to practice session area , fresh melody , and sun year - circular .
The Takeaway : All USDA - labeled organic milk is grass - fed to some extent .
What Is Grass-Fed Milk?
Unfortunately , the full term " eatage - fed " is less regulated than the terminus " organic " on a Milk River label , and many companies have slapped the term on their cartons without much thought or oversight . mark likeOrganic ValleyandMaple Hillworked together to make a monetary standard and " Certified Grass - Fed Organic Dairy " seal through a third - political party , Organic Plus Trust . " When you see ' 100 % grass - fed ' on Organic Valley grassmilk milk it mean all of the moo-cow ’s nutriment come from fresh grass , dry and hive away forages , and a small amount of supplements like molasses … but no grains , " explains Elizabeth McMullen , a public relations specialist with the Organic Valley Coop . " This is reliable class - round . "
The Takeaway : count for the " Certified Grass - Fed Organic Dairy " seal to verify your Milk River is really from grass - feed cows .
Is Grass-Fed Milk Better Than Organic?
All organic milk comes from cows that get spate of meter alfresco , but cows that eat up a 100 % grain - free diet are more often than not hefty andproduce better milk . Cows are " ruminants , " which mean they have a four - chambered venter ( i.e. , a rumen ) designed to digest grass . eating overawe anything other than grass can shift the pH of the stomach and potentially produce an acid stomach environment . The added food cows get from eating an organic all - grass diet by all odds makes a divergence in the milk they produce . In fact , a study from Food Science and Nutrition found that the milk from grass - feed cows contain 147 % more omega-3s than conventional milk and 52 % more omega-3s than constitutive Milk River .
The Takeaway : Not only is a grass - fed diet better for the Bos taurus , but it ’s just for the multitude drinking the Milk River , too !
Of course , monetary value , expiry date , and availability all bet role in your dairy farm aisle ( ornondairy Milk River ) decisions , but now you ’re outfit with more information to make the choice that ’s skilful for you and your family .
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Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont . " guidepost for Organic Certification of Dairy Livestock . " U.S. Department of Agriculture .
Benbrook , Charles M et al . “ Enhancing the Fatty Acid profile of Milk Through Forage - Based Rations , with Nutrition modelling of Diet Outcomes . ”Food Science & Nutritionvol . 6 , no . 3 , 2018 , Wiley , pp . 681 - 700 . 28 Feb. 2018 , doi:10.1002 / fsn3.610
