I’m all for buying organic, local and free-from for the majority of my produce & meat whenever possible (see Organic Apple a Day posting). But what about organic milk? It’s almost triple the price of conventional milk. Whereas you can find organic produce & meat for a reasonable price if you shop around, and are willing to skip some of your regular weekly purchases if it’s not available.
If you purchase organic milk, what are your reasons?
You may buy organic milk because:
a. it’s not pasteurized,
b. it doesn’t contain any Bovine Growth Hormone or BGH (makes cows produce milk),
c. it’s antibiotic free
d. it has more vitamins & minerals and
e. it’s grain & grass is pesticide free
I did some research over the weekend comparing organic vs. conventional milk in Canada, and here’s what I found…
a. First of all, in Canada, all milk (organic and conventional) that is intended for consumption must be pasteurized “legally requiring it to be heated to at least 72 degrees Celsius for at least 16 seconds and then cooling it to 4 degrees Celsius. This ensures that any harmful bacteria are destroyed” and gives milk a shelf-life of 2-3 weeks. Ok, so both organic & conventional score the same on that one.
b. You may buy organic milk because the thought of drinking milk pumped with hormones is pretty gross (this is why we don’t buy the huge pterodactyl size chicken breasts that are always on sale anymore). However, in Canada (& Europe), the use of Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH) is illegal. In fact, on Natrel’s website they make this claim: “the Bovine Growth Hormone is illegal in Canada because its use is thought to be harmful to cows and considered unethical. Absolutely none of our milk comes from cows treated with this hormone.”
c. You may buy organic milk because you want to ensure that it’s antibiotic-free. However, cows that produce organic & conventional milk are both treated with antibiotics when they get sick. Once they get better, organic cows are put back into the milking rotation after a minimum of 12 months or sometimes never, and conventional cows’ milk is tested, and they get put back into the rotation when the tests come back antibiotic free.
d. You may buy organic milk because you think it’s more nutritious. According to Daniela Fierini, a registered dietitian with the hematology-oncology program at Princess Margaret Hospital at University Health Network in Toronto, “Nutrient-wise, organic and regular cow’s milk are the same. Both are great sources of protein; equally provide significant amounts of calcium, magnesium, riboflavin, vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin D and zinc; both are available in reduced-fat varieties and neither contain preservatives.”
e. Here’s the difference you’ve been waiting for – cows that produce organic milk are only fed pesticide free grain & grass. However, according to Fierini, many conventional dairy farmers use good quality feed, and low levels of pesticides are used. I would really like to believe that. Especially for our local Canadian farmers like Natrel for example, who only distribute in Ontario, Quebec & B.C.
Personally, I don’t drink dairy milk on a regular basis because I don’t like the thought of drinking another animal’s milk. I drink unsweetened almond milk. That being said, many people drink milk, and I think it’s important to make conscious & informed decisions when it comes to buying food – organic or not.
Did this information change your opinion of organic milk? Do you trust our local farmers to use good quality grain & grass? What kind of milk do you buy and why?
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasteurization
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14458802/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/article970193.ece
http://www.natrel.ca/english/index.html
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
hi Lauren. I enjoyed your depth in researching the organic milk issue. sometimes the price does not necessarily justify the end result. I do believe in moderation (previous issue). Many thanks for sharing this information. Cynthia
I was really stressing about not buying organic milk and this really helped me feel a bit better that I haven’t been. Thanks so much for this information!
Please post more on the topic if you ever find out more!
Oh – I buy non-organic milk …. skim milk and in bags… Its because the organic milk was way too expensive!
I’ve only recently started buying organic, but the price makes it hard, I’m very glad to know that the growth hormone is illegal here in Canada. I still though would like to know if the cows my milk comes from have adequate amounts of grazing time. Shame on the USA for not also banning the growth hormone, they’re greed is going to get them in the end.
Thanks for the comment! I agree – it’s difficult to know what is in the cows’ feed when you buy non-organic milk; however, the standards for non-organic milk in Canada are good, so if you can’t afford organic; it’s still a good option.
Hi Lauren,
Have you ever done any research on lactaid milk? Any thoughts on that as a better alternative? I have been a huge milk fan my whole life but lately thinking about how milk comes about to us has been getting to me so if you have any thoughts or comments on Lactaid milk I would appriciate it!
Hi Rhonda,
Thanks for your question. Lactaid milk is still dairy milk, but with an enzyme called lactase added to it to help those who suffer from lactose intolerance better digest dairy (without symptoms). If you’re not lactose intolerant I don’t think it would be necessary for you to make the switch. And you can still put lactaid milk in ‘dairy or cow’s milk’ category, so you’re still faced with the same decision: conventional or organic. The bottom line: if you want to know 100% that your milk is free-from chemicals, antibiotics, hormones etc. than I would recommend you make the switch to organic. Hope that helps!
Hi,
I live in Saskatchewan and i buy Non-organic milk from local stores like Walmart, Extra foods, Superstore. Are those milk exported from US? Will those contain BGH? Secondly, if you could name few brands that are really good or some stores that sell best milk, that would be of good help.
Thanks
Thank you for your question! When you look at the milk carton it will usually say if it’s a US or Canadian company. Because the use of BGH is not regulated in the US – you can’t be sure when you buy a US dairy product.One Canadian company that I would recommend is Natrel for non-organic milk. Or you can avoid dairy milk all together and try unsweetened almond milk (that’s what I drink!). You can also get calcium from many other food sources – vegetables, legumes, nuts & seeds.
The only thing I am having trouble finding out about is the treatment of the cows. It seems that the difference between non-organic milk and organic milk is minimal, but what about how the cows are treated. Do they spend time outside grazing or are they confined all the time? Any body have any insight on this or resources?
Good question. I read a book for my course called “The End of Food” by Thomas Pawlick, which is a great resource. After reading that book I got the impression that grass-fed & organic raised animals are treated humanely. It’s also a great book about the processed involved in organic farming (of produce), and looks at how big farms & food companies operate in comparison. I would highly recommend it!
Hi Lauren,
Thanks for your subject about organic and non organic milk,you are not alone to think about switching. There so many reasons why you should keep drinking only organic milk:
1. The first difference is the taste,organic milk has a natural taste of the milk(you can test it with two different glasses one with organic and non organic,which means that non organic milk lacks natural elements. Hormones and antibiotics are detected in non organic milk and it’s not reasonable to believe that there is no risk associated to the consumption of non organic milk.
2. The non organic milk comes from non organic foods and sometimes GMO(Genetically Modified Organisms) are used produce the grass and grains.
3. The quality may not be the same,non organic milk is produced in a big quantity by feeding cows ultra rich foods so the DRA(Daily Recommended Amount) may be higher than it should.
If organic milk costs more,with non organic milk you will pay more in Gym or in hospital.
There are so many things we should do to protect ourselves by eating organic,not only milk,we should avoid all unhealthy foods! we are what we eat!
Thanks for sharing – you make some great points! And I totally agree about the statement “you are what you eat!”
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/vet/faq/growth_hormones_promoters_croissance_hormonaux_stimulateurs-eng.php
Umm…according to Health Canada, the bovine growth hormone is approved for use in Canada and the USA for beef cattle. It’s illegal in Europe. Where did you get info that growth hormones are not allowed in dairy cows? I find it odd that Health Canada would saw growth hormone is allowed in Canada for beef yet you say growth hormones are banned in dairy cows…
Thank you for your question. You are right, hormonal growth promoters are approved for use in conventional beef cattle in Canada, which is why I always buy organic beef, which is free-from hormones. However, this article from Health Canada states that: “Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) is a synthetic version of the naturally occurring growth hormone somatotropin. It is approved for use in the US to increase the production of milk in dairy cattle. However, it is not approved for sale in Canada.” And I agree with you – it is odd that hormones are used on conventional beef cattle, but not dairy cattle. Hopefully more people will buy & advocate for organic beef, which will create a larger market for organic beef, and drive prices down! One can only hope
Hi there, all great information! I grew up in rural Saskatchewan on a beef/dairy farm. My mother milked the cows every morning and all 4 of us kids had copious amounts of raw milk that was probably higher in milk fat than today’s whole milk. An observation about my health and that of my 3 brothers that I have made is that we all have extremely low cholesterol and I have good bone density. My mother, who never drank any of that milk that she laboured so hard for every morning in freezing temps has high cholesterol, and osteoporosis. She catches every cold and flu virus that comes around, where as we are all generally very healthy……no allergies, no food intolerances (and none of us were breastfed). There is no hard scientific evidence here but other than the milk (and the wine I like), we all had the same diet and the same genetics. We ground our own wheat for flour, grew our own vegetable garden and ate our own beef, chicken and pork. My father didn’t do anything extraordinary in his farm practices but he never gives his animals any kind of growth hormones and he certainly doesn’t spray poisons on the grass/hay that his animals eat…..this is also true for all the neighbouring farmers. Growth hormones are usually given to animals at the feedlots to make the steers grow faster to get them to market faster. I guess what I am trying to say here is to get to know your local producers. Buy locally and it doesn’t always mean buy organic. I buy organic when the cost is not prohibitive and when I don’t know the practices of the producers (when I buy U.S. or further beyond). And by the way, I never buy organic milk but I would buy raw if it wasn’t illegal or extremely hard to get.
Hi Donna,
That’s really interesting! Raw cows milk that hasn’t been pasteurized is definitely the way to go; pasteurization kills all the good vitamins & minerals! The problem is that raw cows milk isn’t possible for mass distribution, which means large dairy/food companies won’t support it. And I totally agree with you about getting to know your local producers. I would much rather buy my produce/dairy/meat from a local farmer that I know & trust (and that I know doesn’t use hormones/antibiotics/chemicals) instead of buying organic. I usually buy most of my organic food during the winter months when local food isn’t as readily available in Ontario. Thank you for your comment – more people have to start thinking like you, and support their local farmers!
You mention the statement that natrel has on their website about rbgh and while they are a canadian company and rbgh is `illegal` here some of the milk for their products is actually manufactured and produced in michegan. They even go on to say they have no plans to bring production to canada. I’m not sure how many products but at least their natrel baboo is which is meant for children :/ I myself drink almond milk aswell but with my daughter being young and not taking so well to the new drink when I switched I continued giving her this instead. I was very displeased to find out that the milk she has been drinking is coming from the US
Hi Kayla,
Thanks for the info on that! It’s very frustrating when the products that you thought were safe & healthy turn out not to be. There are other Canadian dairy companies out there that you can research: Liberte, Sealtest, Parmalat…I’m pretty sure most of their products that are distributed in Canada are manufactured in Canada, but as you’ve shown it’s best to double-check!
I only buy organic Meadow milk. When I contacted them few years ago, they said their cows are left to gaze and only fed grass. During winter season, the cows are fed hay from their own farm.
http://www.organicmeadowcoop.com/index.php?page=dairy-pool
Hi Lee,
That sounds great – thanks for sharing the link!