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Milk is a staple in most kitchens, but the type you choose matters.
With the growing interest in grass-fed dairy products and their associated benefits, grass-fed milk is becoming a popular choice for some.
Milk from grass-fed cows has higher levels of some key nutrients than regular cow’s milk. There are claims that it can also be more environmentally friendly.
This article compares grass-fed and conventional cow’s milk to see how they differ in terms of nutrition, health benefits, and environmental sustainability.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), grass-fed milk is cow’s milk derived from cows fed forage. Forage includes: (one)
- grass
- vegetables
- brassica, such as cabbage, cauliflower, turnipskale
- browsing (young shoots and twigs)
- cereals in their vegetative or pre-grain state
During the growing season, grass-fed cattle must have access to pasture (one).
While conventional cows are generally grain-fed, grass-fed cows consume grass as their primary feed source and cannot be fed grain or grain by-products. This diet can lead to a healthier animal and a different milk composition compared to regular dairy products.
Research suggests that grass-fed cows produce milk and cheese that are better tasting and creamier than grain-fed cows (two).
Although grass-fed milk is marketed as such, the US Grade Standards for dairy products are voluntary. This means grass-fed milk does not have an official product label.
However, the American Grassfed Association independently created its own standards (3).
The group advocates, promotes, and supports American grass-fed and pasture-based farms and ranches, from farm to market.
Summary
Grass-fed milk is cow’s milk produced from cows that have been fed roughage. There is no official product label for grass-fed milk, but organizations such as the American Grassfed Association maintain independent standards.
Not always. organic milk does not necessarily imply that the cows were exclusively grass fed.
Organic dairy cattle are fed organically grown forage (including grass), hay, or grain feed. They have more living space and access to pasture than regular dairy cows (4).
Organic dairy cattle that eat organic grains produce organic milk, but it is not grass-fed milk.
These cows do not receive hormones or antibiotics because the farmers must comply with all the requirements demanded by the USDA. Ecological agriculture protocols (4).
resume
Organic milk is not necessarily grass-fed, as the cows may have been fed a grain diet.
The caloric and fat content of each variety of milk is comparable. The amounts of carbohydrates, proteins and calcium are identical. This is also true between milks of different fat content.
Grass-fed milk has more sodium and cholesterolwhile regular milk has extra potassium.
The following is the nutritional information for one cup (240 mL) of each type of milk:
Total fat content is similar per cup for conventional and grass-fed milk. The two are distinguished by their fatty acid composition, which is the most significant difference.
Regular milk and organic milk contain comparable amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, but grass-fed milk has more (7).
Changing cattle from a grain-based diet to one based primarily on grass and legume forages can significantly change their fatty acid profile (7).
Specifically, diet can alter the balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acidswhich has health implications.
According to a variety of sources, humans have evolved a diet with an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of around 1.
Western diets are high in omega-6s and low in omega-3s, resulting in an unbalanced ratio of around 15:1. This is due in part to excessive consumption of highly processed foods and limited consumption of fish, along with added seeds and vegetable oils in the Western diet (8).
The following are the reported omega-6 to omega-3 ratios for each type of milk from a 3-year study of 1,163 milk samples:
Other studies support the idea that grass-fed milk contains higher percentages of healthy fatty acids (9).
Summary
Grass-fed and grain-fed milk are comparable in terms of calories, total fat, protein and calcium content. However, grass-fed milk contains more than one type of fat called omega-3.
The higher levels of omega-3 in milk from grass-fed cows, as well as its balanced fatty acid profile, may help prevent diet-related chronic diseases (7, 8).
Omega-3 fatty acids have powerful anti-inflammatory effects. They support brain and heart health and have been shown to reduce symptoms of metabolic syndrome (10).
Metabolic syndrome it is a set of risk factors that increase the chances of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
A high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 increases the risk of inflammation, heart disease, diabetes, and weight gain (eleven, 12).
According to one review, omega-3s may support the immune system and sports performance of athletes (10).
athletes who omega-3 consumed they improved their recovery time, reduced their chances of illness and outperformed in competition. In addition, omega-3s benefit mood (10).
When cattle are grass-fed, health-promoting phytonutrients (antioxidants with the potential to heal and protect) are found in their meat and milk.
In fact, grass-fed cattle have numerous phytonutrients in amounts comparable to those found in plant foods. Phytochemicals may have anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and heart-supporting properties (13).
Summary
The higher levels of omega-3s in grass-fed milk fight inflammation and may prevent chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Research indicates that omega-3s have a beneficial impact on the immune system and also on athletic performance in athletes.
Grass-fed milk has a higher production cost, in part because grass-fed milk farms they have to maintain much more acreage to support each cow.
Depending on the brand you choose, grass-fed milk can be three times more expensive than normal milk.
For example, the cost of a carton of Horizon Organic’s grass-fed milk is about 68 cents for 8 ounces, compared to 20 cents for the same amount of regular milk (14, fifteen).
Summary
Grass-fed milk is more expensive than regular milk due to the higher cost of raising cows on a grass-fed diet.
Consumers are increasingly looking for food options that are environmentally and ethically responsible (sixteen).
Compared to conventionally raised cows, grass-fed cows eat a more natural diet and seem to live in better conditions. They can forage freely as they are not restricted by limited space.
The grass-fed movement is based on an agricultural practice known as regenerative agriculture. Argues that grazing cattle is essential to a healthy ecosystem and that grass-fed cattle improve pasture health and soil fertility, while reduce greenhouse gas emissions (17).
However, a grass-fed diet requires more grassland, which could exacerbate deforestation and biodiversity loss.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), deforestation emits billions of tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Every year, hundreds of thousands of animal and plant species perish as a result (18).
Therefore, the sustainability of grass-fed milk is not straightforward.
One study investigated four grass- and grain-fed beef production systems used by California ranchers. The researchers found that grass-fed production systems had higher global warming potentials (GWPs) than grain-fed systems, but required less water (19).
Grass-fed cattle take longer to gain weight (and ultimately reach lower slaughter weights) than grain-fed cattle. Therefore, it takes more time to cultivate them.
Additionally, grass-fed cows produce more methane than cattle fed grain and corn.
To maintain current demand and production rates, it would take 30% more cattle to convert all beef produced in the United States to grass-fed systems. This conversion would result in an increase in total methane emissions of approximately 8% (twenty).
Summary
While grass-fed cows can improve pasture health and reduce soil erosion and greenhouse gas emissions, grass-fed cows also produce more methane and use more land, which reduces biodiversity.
Grass-fed milk is derived from grass-fed cows. It may or may not also be organic.
Grass-fed milk and regular milk have comparable calorie and fat content, with equal amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and calcium.
The main nutritional difference is that grass-fed milk has more omega-3s than regular milk, which can help prevent diet-related chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
However, grass-fed milk is more expensive and requires more land to produce, which has environmental repercussions.
In fact, grass-fed dairy products have several animal welfare benefits. However, there is debate as to whether it is compatible environmental sustainability efforts.
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