I used to be strict about buying only organic milk a few years ago, but eventually I stopped due to the rising cost. Buying organic milk made me feel goods about supporting proper farming practices and I thought I was putting cleaner food into my body.
Now, in the year 2011, it seems our conventional milk supply and farming practices have been cleaned up. So, should we buy organic or conventional milk?
Did you know that most all milk is antibiotic free? There are strict regulations and testing in most countries. If a cow needs to have antibiotics for an illness, the cow is either removed from milking, or treated and put back into milking when antibiotics are not detected in the cow anymore.
First, all cows produce a small amount of bovine somatotropin--the hormone that causes milk production. But, in 1994, Monsanto first produced an artificial growth hormone, rBGH or rBST. By 2000, over 25 countries banned rBGH. The US has not banned rBGH, but most milk farmers do not use it due to public demand. In the US, it is expected that about 5% to 15% of farmers still use rBGH. Even though the FDA says rBGH milk is safe, I avoid it.
So, if you can buy hormone and antibiotic free conventional milk, it basically comes down to the farming practices. Most milk comes from small farmers.Mostly all farms do not have 100% grass fed cows.Organic cows are not fed GMO foods.Organic farms do not use synthetic chemicals which can end up in the milk.Organic cows receive higher quality treatment, but it is difficult to tell how "high quality" this is.Some researchers speculate that organic milk is of a higher quality and higher in omega-3's.
It is really a personal decision whether or not you choose organic or conventional milk. Some have a taste preference for one over the other. Regardless, skim milk is a high quality protein, good source of calcium, and healthy beverage in moderation. For me, I will try to buy organic when I can. How about you?
