Milk A1 vs A2

Cows make a difference

Recently I was able to purchase A2 milk for the first time from a local store!

First of all, I should mention that I drink very little milk, although most of my life I was a “three or more glasses a day” milk drinker. Now I basically only use diluted milk to make hot chocolate – one of my favorite things to enjoy. Note: I have formulated my own hot chocolate mix that is 100% healthy and contains no sugar.

What do I look for in milk?

• Grass fed cows!

• Whole milk (never skim, 1% or 2%)

• Non-homogenized

• As little pasteurization as possible

• A2 rather than A1 cows

One problem with cow milk is a genetic mutation that occurred a couple thousand years ago in Europe. This resulted in cows that produce more "A1 beta-casein". Casein contains an amino acid "BCM-7" which is an opiate. Casein in A2 milk contains the amino acid proline at position number 67, casein in A1 milk has the amino acid histidine at position number 67. The proline forms a strong bond with BCM-7, but histidine forms a weak bond with BCM-7. When humans consume A1 milk the opiate BCM-7 amino acid is released and causes detrimental effects (including neurological impairment). People with healthy digestive tracts are less vulnerable to this poisoning. Older breeds of cows (Jerseys, Asian and African cows) tend to be more A2, while newer breeds (Holstein) tend to be more A1. The French, in their desire for fine cuisine, have always refused the A1 cows as having "bad milk", this has resulted in superior French cheeses.

Image courtesy of RawPixel.com

When milk and other dairy products are not homogenized, components of the milk are digested in the stomach and the small intestine, including the enzyme xanthine oxidase. However, when the milk is homogenized, its xanthine oxidase is not broken down but instead passes into the general circulation in the body. Xanthine oxidase is another molybdenum requiring enzyme in the body. The elevated presence of xanthine oxidase may exacerbate already limited molybdenum levels and add to further imbalances in copper. This would suggest that it is wise to eat a casein free diet or use milk products that are not homogenized.

What’s wrong with drinking milk?

Dairy products contain too many hormones (this is natural hormones, not even considering the injected additional hormones of modern farming). Dairy lacks magnesium resulting in weak bones. Casein protein in dairy binds to iron reducing iron absorption. The common myth is that dairy is a good source of calcium. Where do cows get their calcium? From vegetables (the grass they eat). Vegetables are also our better source of calcium. Dairy contributes to over consumption of protein (a topic that is debated by experts with both people advocating for more protein and others advocating for consuming less protein). Research demonstrates dairy based diets have far greater cancer rates than vegetable based diets.

Raw Milk?

A lot of people advocate for raw milk. Selling raw milk is illegal in the USA, thus it can be extremely difficult to obtain.

Unfortunately our society is still terrified of bacteria and viruses and largely attempts to sterilize everything (not realizing this is a futile effort). Too many people don’t realize the beneficial aspects of the right kinds of bacteria.

All in all, milk (compared to other foods) is a rather poor medium for pathogens to grow, so it tends to be safe. Many people feel that proper dairy farming has no pathogen issues, the problems come in when you have industrial farming and very unsanitary conditions for the cows to live in.

My advice:

Enjoy what works for you. Overall, I’d recommend minimal dairy consumption and only consuming “healthy” dairy products (see what I look for at the beginning of this article).