Moments in My Life

We have recently switched our milk from Swiss Dairy 2% milk to Stremick’s Heritage Organic Lowfat 1% milk.  I have never seen this brand at any outside retail stores. The more common organic milk sold outside is Horizon brand. Unfortunately, not Sam’s club or Costco carries this brand for their regular carton milk.

There is definitely a different in taste.  This organic milk taste more ‘milky‘.  We still get this milk from Sam’s Club at bulk price. The one gallon of Swiss Dairy 2% cost $2.30 while a three half gallon cartons of Stremicks Heritage Organic Milk cost $9.88. That is almost three times the price of the Swiss Dairy milk. So why we switched? Because I am afraid the added hormone and chemical to the feeds for the cow or to the cows themselves will affect growth and our health since we drink milk very often. My son drinks three times a day while I take it once a day. One half gallon carton will last slightly less than two days for our household.

Edit: I just found an article that encourage us to drink organic milk.

Seven Reasons Why Kids Should Drink Organic Milk

Organic milk, produced without synthetic chemicals, hormones or antibiotics, is the best choice for kids And families, according to Dr. Alan Greene, one of the nation’s leading pediatricians. Sought after for the wealth of information he gives parents At DrGreene.com, Greene is a pediatrician at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford University clinical assistant professor of pediatrics, father of four and author of McGraw-Hill’s “From First Kicks to First Steps.”

In recognition of June Dairy Month, Dr. Greene is offering the following seven reasons why families who drink milk should choose organic:

1. Produced without antibiotics. “Antibiotic overuse is a major public health problem. One of the main places where antibiotics are used today is in agriculture. Organic milk comes from organic cows that have not been treated with antibiotics, so it doesn’t contribute to the growing problem of bacterial resistance.”

2. Produced without synthetic hormones. “Hormones are powerful. Even trace amounts can cause dramatic changes in living beings. When you choose organic milk, you know that added synthetic hormones are not stimulating the cows’ milk production.”

3. Produced without harmful pesticides. “Agricultural pesticides are now widespread. They can even be measured in raindrops falling from the sky, fog rolling over the hills, ‘fresh’ snow, and in water we drink. Organic agriculture reduces pesticide exposure because it comes from organic cows that are fed food grown without chemical pesticides.”

4. High in Conjugated Linoleic Acids (CLAs). “CLAs are important ‘good fats’ that have been linked to decreased heart disease and diabetes. In fact, in the May 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health reported low-fat dairy products, including milk, might lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in men.

“Milk made from cows who pasture has higher CLA content. Since many organic farmers rely upon pasturing and give their cows fresh green grass whenever weather permits, organic milk often has a high CLA content.”

5. Excellent source of calcium. “Most of America’s school children are failing to get the calcium they need each day for their growing bodies. Kids 4-8 years old need 800 mg per day. Kids 9-18 need 1,300 mg of calcium per day. Organic milk contains about 300 mg per eight-ounce glass and is one great way to help kids get the calcium they need. Organically flavored milks, such as chocolate and strawberry, are popular options for kids, too”

6. Organic milk is wholesome. “Organic milk is a natural, whole food beverage - unlike most beverages promoted for kids that are packed full of artificial chemical ingredients. Many of them contain high fructose corn syrup, aspartame and/or artificial chemical dyes.”

7. It’s the right thing to do. “Unlike factory cows, organic cows must have access to open air. Organic cows from some dairy farms are allowed to graze freely in organic pasture when it is in season. This kind of farming is kind to animals, supportive of wildlife, healthy for rural communities, respectful of our air, water and soil, and healthy for children.”