Why organic dairy?
More and more people are buying organic milk in the UK. Not only do many people think that organic milk and dairy products taste better, but producing milk organically is also better for the environment, the welfare of cows and our own health.
Organic milk has all the nutritional goodness of non-organic milk but, due to the cows' more natural diet, it also has some additional health benefits.
According to the Organic Milk Suppliers Co-operative (OMSCo), sales of organic milk are growing by 30% each year. In fact, more people are buying organic milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products than ever before. This rising consumer demand has partly been driven by the publication of scientific research highlighting the nutritional benefits of organic milk.
OMEGA 3
Studies have shown that organic milk is naturally higher in certain nutrients than non-organic milk one such nutrient is Omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFAs). This is due to the fact that organic cows are fed higher levels of natural red clover than non-organic cows. Research comparing the Omega 3 content of organic and non-organic milk has shown that organic milk can contain up to 71% more Omega 3 than non-organic milk and has better ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 than non-organic milk.
This is great news, as most people in the UK are deficient in Omega 3 EFAs, which are essential for maintaining a healthy heart, supple and flexible joints, healthy growth and strong bones and teeth. A good supply of Omega 3 is essential for proper brain function. A diet rich in EFAs can help children with learning difficulties like dyspraxia and dyslexia and can help with the behaviour of children with ADHD. There is good evidence that increasing the intake of EFAs can result in better academic performance and recent research suggests that it can have significant effect on reading skills.
As well as providing the building blocks and fuel for the brain, EFAs also help promote smooth skins and can alleviate dry, itchy skin conditions such as eczema.
VITAMIN E, VITAMIN A AND ANTIOXIDANTS
Research has also established that organic milk has higher levels of Vitamin E, Vitamin A and antioxidants. Organically reared cows, which eat high levels of fresh grass, clover pasture and grass clover silage, produce milk which is on average 50% higher in Vitamin E, 75% higher in beta carotene (which our bodies convert to Vitamin A) and two to three times higher in the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthine than non-organic milk.
Drinking a pint of organic milk a day provides 17.5% of the required intake of Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) for women and 14% of that for men, and as much beta carotene as a portion of some vegetables such as Brussels sprouts.
CLAs
All milk contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is believed to boost immune function and reduce the growth of tumours.
