Medically reviewed in July 2021
Should you buy organic? A study suggests it might make sense with this dairy product: milk.
In the study, researchers compared the milk from organic dairy farms with the milk from conventional farms—and they found that the organic moo juice delivered considerably more healthful fats and antioxidants.
Home on the range
Cows from organic dairy farms are raised free of hormones, antibiotics and pesticide-containing feed. But that's not all. They also tend to eat differently, grazing on nutrient-rich grass and clover instead of the grain often fed to commercially raised dairy cows. And this extra-nutritious organic-farm diet may have a major impact on the composition of the milk, researchers say.
Raise your glass
In the study, organic milk sported 39 percent more alpha-linolenic acid and 60 percent more conjugated linoleic acid than the conventional milk. Good stuff; research suggests that these healthy fats may help fight cancer and protect against type 2 diabetes. The milk from organically raised bovines also provided more vitamin E, beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Find out all the health pros and cons of drinking milk.
Not a milk drinker? Check out this other source of alpha-linolenic acid.
