I’ve been buying organic milk and dairy products for the past several years due to concerns about growth hormones and antibiotics found in standard milk and dairy. I grew up drinking 1% and 2% milk, so I continued buying it as an adult assuming it was the best nutritional choice for my family. After reading recent studies, my perspective shifted. New research suggests that consuming whole fat dairy is linked to reduced body fat. While scientists aren’t exactly sure what causes this seemingly counter-intuitive correlation, there are a few theories. Some believe that full fat dairy leads to a greater feeling of satiety, causing people to eat less and feel full. Others point to bioactive substances in the milk that might alter our metabolism. I’ve also learned that organic whole milk contains more helpful fatty acids than conventional whole milk. It has a better balance of fatty acids and is higher in healthy omega-3. This is largely due to the fact that organic farmers must allow their dairy cows to graze in the pasture for a certain amount of hours per week. More and more, the evidence seems to point towards organic whole milk as the best choice for many dairy consumers. People with high cholesterol and other health issues associated with saturated fat intake may want to think twice about making the switch. But for the rest of us, whole milk may be a better choice for maintaining a healthy weight.
I don’t know why I was surprised to learn all of this. After all, whole milk is more natural and closer to what our grandparents and great grandparents were drinking. Of course many argue that raw, unpasteurized milk is the ideal “old fashioned” and nutritionally better way, but I refuse to jump on that bandwagon due to my concerns about food borne illness. That said, overall I’m convinced that we need to take a step back from processed items. The more we gravitate towards simple, natural, organic ingredients, the better off we’ll be. I will continue to enjoy organic whole milk with my family. Not only is it nutritionally superior, it is a heck of a lot tastier than lowfat and nonfat milk.
What do you think? Have you considered switching to whole milk? Are you already drinking it? What do you think about organic dairy vs. non organic? Or have you eliminated milk from your diet completely? I’d love to hear from you.
Michelle Ochs says
been drinking whole organic milk for about 4 yrs,there a big difference in taste,even the kids could tell, and enjoy it more
Vicki in NC says
I’ve been drinking Organic milk for a long time for all the reasons you wrote about. Something about REAL milk makes me happy. Fortunately, I live in a rural area where there is an abundance of organic food. I buy produce, eggs, and meat from local farms…and fresh goat cheese. It isn’t Kosher, but it is healthier than store-bought meats and produce. I’m not Orthodox and don’t follow strict dietary laws.
Terri says
We switched to organic, non-homogenized HTST pasteurized, whole milk last November and won’t ever go back. Regular milk makes me sick, I can drink milk from a local farm with no problems. And it cooks and bakes so nice! Because it is lower temp pasteurization, we can make cheese from this milk. Some organic milk from the larger companies use a high temp process which kills everything and it will not work for cheese. This milk tastes like nothing else we have ever had. We even have a milkman! We love visiting the farm and meeting the animals, we feel more connected.
Tori Avey says
Love that Terri! So interesting. I’ll look into it for my family too. Thanks for sharing!
Liz says
I don’t have a milkman 🙁 BUT, I do buy from a local dairy that sells the non-homogenized low temp pasteurization. Fortunately, this dairy’s products are so popular, they are carried in almost every grocery.
I typically don’t “drink” milk but I use it as you do, Tori. I switched to organic whole milk some years ago, but just in the past 2 to this local dairy.
I also make nut milks and use cashew cream in place of heavy cream in everything. I use almond milk as well. I have a VitaMix which makes the nut milks very easy.
Tori Avey says
Liz I love my Vitamix! Great for homemade nut milks. 🙂
Beth R. says
I switched to almond milk after wasting so many gallons of unfinished skim milk. Soon, however, I realized that store-bought almond milks were filled with preservatives and chemicals I didn’t want in my body. And, I don’t have time to make my own nut milks. Because both my husband and I can tolerate dairy, we made the switch back to milk and we are now buying organic low-fat or non-fat milk that comes from a sustainable farm in our state. Both my husband and I are triathletes and were in desperate need of extra calories and protein, and real milk helps meet these goals.
Leona Shemza says
I am so glad you are sharing this!! We switched a year ago it took some convincing to persuade my 2% husband that it was healthier and not much more fat either 1% & 2% is just a gimmick and a yucky one at that!! Yay Organic!!!
Patty Rodrigues says
Made the change to all organic dairy awhile ago… I have found we don’t consume as much.
Vicki Lynn Kammerer says
No, but I don’t believe in using any of the altered foods…I want real cream, real butter, real milk, real food. 🙂 I’m an old fashioned Jewish woman. No fake food, thank you. I grew up on dairy farm milk. My teeth are strong and I’ve never had a filling or a cavity … my bones don’t break when I fall … and I’m healthy as a horse. Knock on wood! <3 you.
Tori Avey says
Vicki I am so with you there! More and more I find myself feeling like we should eat more natural and “back to basics,” like our great grandparents ate.
Alene Wright says
I haven’t convinced myself to make the jump from 2% organic, but aside from the healthful reasons you’ve pointed out, carbs are also always higher in nonfat dairy products.
Stephanie Rotthaus says
I am a breast cancer survivor . Whole milk is a concern for me because of growth hormones. But I need the D and calcium because of my bones. I have sourced out other foods and vitamin replacements for the D and calcium and given up milk altogether. I don’t miss it.
Ruth Okon says
Interesting. I use full fat dairy because I am lactose intolerant & it gives the gut longer transit time to try to digest it. Worth investigating. Thanks.
Tori Avey says
Ruth that is fascinating! I’ve never heard that before but it makes sense.
leise says
A huge percentage of people who think they are lactose intolerant (like 90%) are actually just allergic to the toxic chemical used in the homogenization process in milk. Switching to organic milk will almost eliminate it… better still raw will remove the problem completely.
Rona Livnat Kronenberg says
I also recently switched from organic 1% to organic whole.
Gina Malito says
Hmmm…
Bev Hoffman-Rush says
No I haven’t heard
Julie Ann McKinney says
I only use organic milk….before I switched I thought I might be lactose intolerance. So glad that my issue was conventional milk, not REAL milk.
Donlee says
Hi Julie I always drank conventional milk about a gallon a week. My stomach would rumble and sometimes cause acid reflux. So last night I bought my first Organic milk and I am very happy no Rumbling and best of all its the best milk I have had in a long time
christie says
We switched from organic 2% to organic whole milk about a year ago for the same reasons. It was really hard to do as I grew up in the era of “fat free is best” but all signs point to organic whole milk being best for my kids. Better at keeping them full and better for their brain and health overall.
Diane Miller says
I only use almond milk.
Chris says
So with the almond milk..do I need to get organically grown almonds for the milk? I cannot find aplace to go get a list of hormone and antibiotic free milk/dairies. Just how do you know?
Tori Avey says
Chris, that would be your choice. Some people prefer organic, some don’t.
Caitlin Wheeler says
I switched to cream in my coffee.
Cheryl Phillips Raiken says
I first made the switch quite a few years ago to organic milk, but last july I gave us dairy all together, and currently only use coconut milk.
Connie Golden says
Cheryl: I haven’t checked, but can coconut milk be frozen? I don’t think I can use a whole 1/2 gallon before it would go bad.
Donna Lebow Bogash says
We did too. I heard about it several weeks ago and changed it over for my son.
Susanne says
I made the switch to organic a year or two ago. It makes sense to avoid pesticides, hormones and antibiotics in our food. Not as sure about the whole v skim question: My teenage son drinks whole milk and the rest of us drink fat free.
Jeffrey Trigger says
Organic doesn’t mean pesticide free. Please don’t assume that. I’m not so concerned about GMO crops, as the scientific studies show lots of benefits, and the vast majority of anti-GMO crowd are spreading propaganda that is often times false or at best not backed scientifically. I am concerned about adding hormones to cattle. I need to do research on that issue to see if it’s harmful or beneficial, but, with the risks associated in humans with hormone therapy, one could HYPOTHESIZE (notice, this science geek did not use theorize) that there are similar issues in cattle as they are mammals. Could those hormones also affect humans as well?