Is Organic Milk Healthier?

Studies show that organic milk has a slightly higher concentration of vitamin E, iron, and omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. These nutrients are important for brain function, vision, and children’s growth and development (one, 3, 4, 5).

However, these differences may only be marginal and may not offer more nutritional benefits than conventional milk (one, 4).

Other reviews suggest that agricultural practices that allow cows to graze and forage, rather than organic farming itself, may be responsible for the improved fatty acid content of organic milk (one, 3).

Also, organic milk is lower in iodine and selenium, two nutrients that are important for thyroid health (one, 6).

Organic and conventional milk have similar levels of essential minerals, such as calcium, potassium, and sodium.

Conventional milk has slightly fewer calories and less saturated fat and protein than organic milk.

One cup (240 ml) of each type of milk contains:

Summary

Organic cow’s milk is higher in polyunsaturated fatty acids than conventional milk, although both have comparable levels of calcium, potassium, and sodium. Organic milk is lower in iodine and selenium and slightly higher in calories.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for organic dairy cattle prohibit the widespread use of antibiotics (9).

However, in emergency situations, for example if an animal’s life is in danger, a veterinarian may administer antibiotics. The use of antibiotics must be reported to the USDA and the cow must be separated and sold to a non-organic farm (9).

Conventional dairy farms, on the other hand, use a variety of antibiotics on cows. The drug is often used to treat mastitis, an inflammation of the mammary glands (10, eleven).

Antibiotics, such as beta-lactams, can be found in the final dairy product, albeit at safe levels, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (10, eleven, 12, 13).

Drug residues refer to small amounts of drugs found in dairy products after they are used to treat animals during rearing. These may include antibiotics or growth hormones (10).

The FDA has established safe levels for drug residues in milk and meat. Drug residue levels above the FDA limit are illegal (10, 12).

A recent study found that, compared to regular milk, the levels of antibiotics and pesticides in organic milk were undetectable (14).

This is in part because many drugs are banned from organic farms. Animals on these farms are often treated with alternative therapies, including botanicals, vitamin supplements, and homeopathic therapy (fifteen).

Additionally, when approved drugs are used on organic farms, farms must adhere to waiting periods. For example, when a cow receives the opioid butorphanol, she cannot be slaughtered for meat for 42 days and her milk must be discarded for 8 days (16).

Cows naturally produce bovine growth hormone, also called bovine somatotropin (bST), to regulate milk production. Many conventional dairy farms run a synthetic version to produce milk at a lower cost (14).

The FDA has determined that bST is safe for humans. The agency approved the use of bST under the trade name Posilac^TM in the 1990s17).

This means that milk and meat from cows treated with Posilac^TM are safe for human consumption17).

A recent study found that regular milk has higher levels of bST than organic milk (14).

Since lactating cows naturally have high levels of bST and the natural and synthetic compounds of bST are so similar, the FDA has not set a limit for the amount of bST in cow’s milk (10).

Organic cow’s milk lasts longer than regular milk (40 to 60 days unopened compared to 15 to 17 days for conventional milk) due to ultra-high temperature (UHT) processing (18).

Generally, pasteurizing cow’s milk involves heating it to 161 ° F (71.7 ° C) for 15 seconds. This process protects vitamins and organic compounds in milk (18, 19).

UHT, on the other hand, heats milk to 280 ° F (137.8 ° C) for 2 seconds and offers greater protection against bacterial growth. That’s important on organic farms, as cows don’t take antibiotics (18).

Not all organic milk will undergo UHT, so shelf life can vary between organic dairy products (18).

Summary

Regular milk has higher, albeit safe, levels of drug residues, including antibiotics and growth hormones, than organic milk. Organic milk has a longer shelf life due to the pasteurization processes it undergoes.

Consumers are aware of the environmental impact of conventional agriculture and are more likely to support agricultural practices that are environmentally sustainable (20, twenty-one, 22).

Although long-term studies are scarce, organic farming may be more environmentally friendly than conventional farming. It is characterized by higher soil quality and lower nutrient losses (23, 24).

However, there is conflicting information regarding nitrous oxide, carbon and ammonia emissions. Organic farms can produce higher levels of these emissions, but more research is needed (23, 24).

Regardless, organic milks are priced slightly higher than regular options. A gallon of Whole Foods organic whole milk costs $ 5.99, compared to $ 4.09 for a gallon of regular whole milk (25, 26).

Summary

Organic farming practices can have more positive environmental results than conventional farming practices, but organic dairy products often have higher prices.

Organic milk has a more desirable fatty acid composition than regular milk, although it is lower in iodine and selenium, two essential nutrients for thyroid health.

It also has undetectable levels of antibiotics and growth hormone, likely due to a combination of alternative therapies, such as botanicals, vitamin supplements, and homeopathy.

In general, organic milk has a similar nutritional profile to regular milk, but lower levels of drug residues. Some studies also suggest that organic farming may be more environmentally sustainable, but more research is needed.