Organic milk is the healthiest on the market, a new study suggests.
According to the New York Times, the study found organic cow's milk is healthier than conventional milk. The study published Monday in the Journal PLOS One, suggest that organic milk contains more heart-healthy fatty acids than regular milk.
Study author Charles Benbrook, a research professor at the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources at Washington State University, stated that drinking whole organic milk "will certainly lessen the risk factor for cardiovascular disease."
"There's really no debate around the world -- when you feed dairy cows more grass, you improve the fatty acid profile of milk. You also increase the protein level," Benbrook said. "All milk is healthy and good for people, but organic milk is better, because it has a more favorable balance of these fatty acids"
Cows that are fed a corn-based diet will produce milk that is often higher in omega-6 fatty acids. WSU researchers tested nearly 384 samples of organic and conventional milk over 18 months around the country.
Organic milk is considered healthier because of the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, where organic milk contained 62 percent more omega-3 fatty acids and 25 percent fewer omega-6s.
A diet with too much omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3s has reportedly been linked to heart-disease, cancer and inflammation. Researchers found the "ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in the organic milk was 2.28, much lower than the 5.77 ratio in conventional milk." The number does not apply to nonfat milk, where fatty acids are strips away.
"It's true that both omega 6s and omega 3s are essential - we have to have some of them," Benbrook said. "But it's when they get out of balance, the adverse health effects appear to kick in."
If organic milk is out of the budget, whole milk contains the most beneficial fatty acids. Individuals should also avoid skim or 2 percent milk
"The heart-healthy fatty acids in milk are part of milk's overall fat content," Benbrook said. "This benefit will be reduced about 50 percent when people choose 2 percent fat milk, and by about two-thirds when purchasing skim or low-fat dairy products."
Benbrook said the main idea is for people to try and cut down their intake of foods that are very high in soybean or corn oil, which includes items such as fried food and chips. Either one contains a higher omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.
"Improvements in the nutritional quality of milk and dairy products should improve long-term health status and outcomes, especially for pregnant women, infants, children and those with elevated cardiovascular disease risk," Benbrook said.
