Organic Milk

[JHZR2]

We still nurse our baby after over a year - Im not rushing to wean, and nursing is a very healthy and nutritious way to go. I know the immune system is in good shape, and we provide wholesome foods, including lots of fruits and vegetables. Ours eats fruits, veggies and other diverse foods way better than any other babies Ive seen in our group of friends. Even our sitter complements. But as solid foods are taken more and more, nursing has become a wake up and bedtime thing only. The rest of the day its all real food. And some milk. My wife and I aren't big milk drinkers, never have been. And there's lots bad about consuming milk, even though neither of us are lactose intolerant. We do, however keep milk on hand because for years we have made our own yogurt... And we provide milk alongside water to be consumed by our baby. We have been buying organic milk. Since we had a costco membership, we have been buying the fairly expensive Kirkland milk, because it claims to have 50mg of DHA & EPA omega 3 per serving. The half gallons of organic milk at our local supermarket (Shop rite) also make the same claim... However tonight I was at the shop rite to get a few groceries, and saw that the new half gallons of milk do not state that they have the 50 mg of DHA and EPA. Now, Wegmans organic milk is far cheaper... Around $5.19/gal as opposed to $3.99/half for the Shoprite and Costco stuff. But it states nothing about DHA, EPA, omega-3, etc. So, are there different "grades" of organic milk? Are some more nutritious? Ive been buying based upon the labels, and since yogurt is our primary breakfast food, and our child drinks milk during the day, I don't mind spending more for a higher quality and more nutritious product. But does anyone know about this? I plan to contact Wegmans and Shop Rite about this and see what they say... I know also that the dairy industry is playing lots of games, including aspects of sweeteners into milk, etc.

Quote:

Four years ago, the International Dairy Foods Association and National Milk Producers Federation, which lobby on behalf of the industry, petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to change the official definition – the so-called “standard of identity” – of milk. And not just milk. In all, the industry wants to change the definition of 18 dairy products, including yogurt, sour cream and half and half, to allow it to add artificial sweeteners – without including any prominent label for consumers.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/artificial-sweeteners-milk So I don't care to be caught in their games and lies. We do have local dairies that deliver milk in glass bottles, and do exchanges at local supermarkets. We also have a much closer whole foods coming soon. There are lots of options... Trying to learn more. I haven't peer-reviewed his claims, but info like this is all over, which is why its important:

Quote:

Most recently, two new studies have confirmed that boosting your child’s intake of DHA as an infant and into the school-age years may be a simple way to generate measurable improvements in their brain function.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/08/19/omega-3-fat-dha.aspx What do you know???

 

[4D-56]

2c: From my perspective, since you are feeding your own child, its reason to get radical, to ask all of the questions. I personally would not drink any "milk" out of a carton on a shelf. as far as im concerned, its not milk. My perspective comes from knowing that what was in the huge stainless steel tank in the Dairy next to the milking parlour was without a doubt, MILK. I do also remember watching that tanker drive away after collection and wondering as a small child, what they do to it...who know?! haha. Drink milk if you can get the real thing from a farm, in glass, NOT plastic. Go to the source and ask the awkward questions, this is your child you are feeding! I see store shelf "milk" as a food product, not a food. If you cant get the real raw, untouched stuff, why even bother? As far as im concerned every human on this planet IS lactose intolerant since we are human. The dairy industry does not care about you or your child, they are in business to make $$$$$ Whole Foods Market has a great image, but again, dig deeper, ask the questions. We live in an age where we have to get smart, especially here in the states.

 

[spasm3]

I buy the bgh free milk also.

 

[rjundi]

We started buying organic milk when our first child was young after my wife stopped nursing. Now they drink inexpensive store brand. Not sure what we will do with our third coming. I would check closely how much a teaspoon of ground up salmon offers vs a carton of enriched milk. I think most products don't really offer that much. We feed our kids lots of scraps of salmon the seafood department sold as chowder bits for $1/lb to us. Good luck.

 

[JHZR2]

Yes I love to smoke salmon and we feed that often too. Problem is that non-farmed, real salmon is awfully expensive too. Much of what is sold is farm raised, and can be other species found in South America that "orange up" when fed certain algae. But point well taken.

 

[Spazdog]

Aldi milk is labled "our farmers pledge not to use RBGH" It's not "Certified Organic", but it is likely the same stuff vac'd out of a cow udder. Albertsons milk has a statement in small print stating that the FDA has determined no difference between RGBH and non RGBH treated cow's milk blah blah blah blah..... Don't get me wrong. I'm not opposed to dairy. Cheese predates written history. It's as natural to me as bread or beer which similarly predate written history. (although I do not recommend feeding children beer) I just don't see having an organic label as being automatically "better". In some instances, it is. But not always. Sometimes it is just more money.

 

[JHZR2]

Organic isn't the main interest to me here... its the DHA & EPA Omega-3 fats that are in it. The cheaper stuff doesn't make the claims. Now, if the cows are fed some different diet, that is organic, not urine-infested slop, and that helps their milk to be more full of healthy fats, thats good all around.

 

[The_Eric]

To me the big thing is the RBGH and I believe antibiotic free stuff. Another thing is what they're feed. We are fortunate to have a few diaries close at hand. One makes the BEST whole milk I've tasted yet (but packages in plastic jugs) and another delivers to the stores in returnable glass bottles. I really like that from a RRR standpoint. I think for you, the best thing is to do some reading on what really is organic and what's just a marketing ploy/label. Once you do that and can spot a healthy product on the shelf, you can make an informed purchase. I'll ask my wife tomorrow for some links, so you can do some reading. EDIT: just saw your post. I WOULD be concerned about an organic product, as children can be affected by the junk they pump cows full of these days. I know the pundits will refute it, but there are plenty of supporting studies. I would be much less concerned with the stuff you listed and concern myself with keeping unnatural junk out of my kid's body. Feed your child a healthy, balanced diet from food with as few chemicals as possible,make sure to it gets plenty of exercise as it grows and the rest will come out as it should.

 

[johnachak]

Be careful of farm milk' It MUST be Pasteurized.

 

[The_Eric]

Originally Posted By: johnachak

Be careful of farm milk' It MUST be Pasteurized.

LOL! Not necessarily. The downsides are that pasteurized milk all of it's beneficial microbes and also lose some of it's nutritional value. For the mass market, it for the better, but not absolutely a must.

 

[CHARLIEBRONSON21]

My two year old has been drinking horizon organic for almost a year and a half now... Doing fine.

 

[LoneRanger]

Yeah right, don't drink pastuerized milk. Let's go back to the days of disease laced milk. Pastuerization caught on for a reason back in the old day. You do know the cow udders get infected at times from irritation by the milking machines and pus can end up in milk, right? Let me have some of that unpastuerized pus laced milk. Yum ! ! I drink a lot of fully pastueurized retail skim milk out of plastic jugs bought right from the grocery dairy shelf and I feel pretty doggone good. Yum, think I'll go have a glass right now!

 

[Ndx]

Glass, milk from farm where cows are grass feed no antibiotics is the way to go.

 

[dparm]

I don't know about you, but by me almond milk is the same price as organic milk. It's a lot healthier in many respects: lower fat, higher calcium, extra vitamins, less sugar, etc. FWIW, I drank "regular" milk my whole life and I did not develop lactose intolerance or any other health issues. Tens of millions of people can say the same. I only recently started buying organic because it was ultra-pasteurized and keeps longer (due to my travel schedule). Within the past few weeks I noticed the almond milk was priced similarly and was healthier, so I've been buying that. I'm not terribly concerned with getting the extra Omega-3s and such in organic milk because I eat a diet that already provides me with those. If you think you are truly deficient in that area, you can always get a supplement or just make a tiny adjustment to your diet.

 

[Billy_D]

You can buy three Half gallons of Horizon milk with DHA for like $10.69 at Samsclub. I think they all derive the DHA, and EPA Omega 3 in the milk from Tilapia. My children get the organic milk. I buy Reiter Milk for me and my wife. Their milk is supposedly produced without synthetic hormones.

 

[BHopkins]

I find it fascinating that ultra pasteurized milk would be considered organic milk. It seems that the ultra pasteurization process is getting milk further away from what it is, naturally. While part of the intent of organic foods, is the belief that it is healthier, isn't part of it also to get food that is closer to natural? Perhaps I am missing something here, but shouldn't organic milk be non-pasteurized / non homogenized? I know raw milk is kind of scary to many, so perhaps just non homogenized? A nearby cheese factory was one of the leading developers of the ultra pasteurization process, and they sell a lot of ultra pasteurized milk in their plant store. While it is drinkable, and the long shelf life is very convenient, it is not what regular milk is supposed to taste like.

 

[earlyre]

well the USDA won't let you sell unpasteurized milk en mass in the USofA. to be certified organic, normally means no artificial chemicals used in production. for plants, grown without pesticides, in soil free of pesticides. assuming for milk: 1)no rBGH 2)no antibotics 3)fed organic (pesticide free) diet I know the Meijer milk(i work @ one of their stores) is all rGBH free. but the organic milk is ultra pasteurized, in an Opaque plastic jug, for $6.39ish /gal

 

[izualangel]

IIRC the Omega 3 claim on organic milk means they have added some sort of fish extract. Read the ingredients. I found a place locally where I can get raw goat milk, so I have not bought organic milk from a store in a long time.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: izualangel

IIRC the Omega 3 claim on organic milk means they have added some sort of fish extract. Read the ingredients. I found a place locally where I can get raw goat milk, so I have not bought organic milk from a store in a long time.

Nope, they are just more careful with the feeding of their cows. I also buy raw milk at a coop near my home, we all need to put the 'Big Food' producers out of business as they have ruined our food supply...

 

[Shannow]

Yes, if you search the New Scientist stuff from a decade or more ago, this was discussed...cows that eat pasture have lots of Omega 3, better trace minerals etc....a couple of weeks on grain, and the Omega 6s take over in the meat, and the milk lacks nutrients... Amazing that herbivores eating grass are more healthy/natural...