Organic Milk – Health benefits for children and adults

a girl smiling holding a glass of milk

 

High-quality milk drinks can provide essential nutrients to help keep your child strong and healthy. But before you head out to the store, you should always bear in mind that not all milk products are the same.

While it may cost a bit more, there are several reasons why organic milk may be the best option for your child. Organic milk is free from harmful chemicals such as pesticide residues and artificial hormones. It also typically contains higher levels of antioxidants and nutrients to aid overall development.

Here is a quick guide that highlights five health benefits of organic milk:

1. May help children prone to skin allergies

Going organic may help reduce the incidence of skin allergies. A study conducted in the Netherlands found that children who consumed organic dairy products had a 36% lower risk of eczema.

Organic milk drinks may also contain high levels of antioxidants which have anti-inflammatory and immunity-boosting properties. Giving your children their daily dose of antioxidants can help reduce the risk of allergic reactions and strengthen their overall immunity.

2. Cognitive development and performance
 
Studies have shown that diets rich in Omega-3 fatty acids aid in cognitive development and performance. 
 
Apart from fish and nuts, organic milk drinks can also be a great source of omega-3. Studies show that organic milk contains 56% more omega-3 than conventionally produced options.

 
Note: Keep your children’s diet in check! Take a look at this guide to know more about food options that are rich in Omega-3
 
3. Reduced exposure to harmful chemicals and artificial ingredients
 
Organic dairy farms follow strict requirements and regulations to ensure the highest quality products free from the use of synthetic chemical pesticides and artificial hormones. Cows graze in natural meadows and are not given prophylactic antibiotics, performance-enhancing substances, and GMO food.

Organic milk must pass stringent quality control standards to be certified organic.  A certified organic seal means strict compliance with organic dairy farming standards starting with soil quality, livestock feeds and management, food processing, and thorough screening of ingredients.
 
When you choose certified organic milk, you can be assured that you’re giving your child high-quality nutrition free from pesticide residue, other harmful chemicals, and artificial ingredients.

4. Reduced exposure to antibiotic residue
 
Prophylactic use of antibiotics in dairy cows for faster growth and disease prevention can result in trace amounts of antibiotics present in the milk produced. Antibiotic residue levels from the milk of conventional cows may lead to antibiotic resistance and may trigger an allergic reaction.

Organic farms emphasize their cows' well-being and raise them in better living conditions without the preventive use of antibiotics. Sick cows that require antibiotic treatment are separated and quarantined to ensure that trace amounts of antibiotics are not present in the milk they produce.
 
5. Free from GMOs
 
The use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) has been associated with potential health harms, including allergic reactions. Over the past few years, there have been many debates and questions regarding the use of GMOs. To this day, conventional farmers use GMOs to increase the yield of their crops; however, in many countries, GMOs are banned due to the unknown health risks they may pose to humans. 

Feeding cows with GMO synthetic feeds is strictly prohibited in organic dairy farms. Instead, cows freely graze on natural pastures reducing the potential health risks from GMO crops. 


HiPP Organic Milk

HiPP is a family-owned company dedicated to organic farming principles for over 60 years. At HiPP, we believe that organic is best for children and for our animals too. This is why our cows are cared for using traditional methods –spending most of their time grazing freely on organic green pastures, with plenty of access to fresh air and open plains. They eat organic feed that’s free from genetically modified ingredients, chemicals and pesticides. And, with our focus on the highest animal welfare standards, we ensure our cows are never routinely given hormones and antibiotics.

HiPP is the number 1 Organic baby food brand in Europe. Our Organic Milk products are Certified Organic and produced according to strict organic regulations, free from the use of synthetic chemical pesticides, artificial hormones, GMOs, and artificial ingredients.

To learn more about HiPP products, visit our products.


References:

  1. The Organic Center. What are the Benefits of Organic Milk and Dairy Products? The Organic Center resource page. Available at: www2.organic-center.org/what-are-benefits-organic-milk-and-dairy-products. Accessed 18 Dec 2020. 
  2. Kummeling I, et al. Consumption of organic foods and risk of atopic disease during the first 2 years of life in the Netherlands. Br J Nutr 2008;99:598-605. 
  3. Moreno-Macias H, Romieu I. Effects of antioxidant supplements and nutrients on patients with asthma and allergies. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2014;133:1237-44.
  4. Puertollano MA, et al. Dietary antioxidants: immunity and host defense. Curr Top Med Chem 2011;11:1237-1244. 
  5. Stonehouse W. Does Consumption of LC Omega-3 PUFA Enhance Cognitive Performance in Healthy School-Aged Children and throughout Adulthood? Evidence from Clinical Trials. Nutrients 2014; 6:2730–2758.
  6. Nursing Times. Organic milk ‘is healthier’ than conventional milk, study says. Nursing Times resource page. Available at: www.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/nutrition/organic-milk-is-healthier-than-conventional-milk-study-says-24-02-2016/. Accessed 18 Dec 2020.  
  7. Średnicka-Tober D, et al. Higher PUFA and n-3 PUFA, conjugated linoleic acid, α-tocopherol and iron, but lower iodine and selenium concentrations in organic milk: a systematic literature review and meta- and redundancy analyses. Br J Nutr 2016;115:1043-1060. 
  8. Gál K. What are the best sources of omega-3? Medical News Today resource page. Available at: www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323144. Accessed 18 Dec 2020.  
  9. Mayo Clinic Staff. Organic foods: Are they safer? More nutritious? Mayo Clinic resource page. Available at: www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/organic-food/art-20043880. Accessed 18 Dec 2020. 
  10. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Organic 101: What the USDA Organic Label Means. USDA resource page. Available at: https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2012/03/22/organic-101-what-usda-organic-label-means. Accessed 18 Dec 2020.
  11. Landers TF, et al. A Review of Antibiotic Use in Food Animals: Perspective, Policy, and Potential. Public Health Rep 2012;127: 4–22. 
  12. Graham F, et al. Risk of allergic reaction and sensitization to antibiotics in foods. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2014;113:329-330.
  13. Sachi S, et al. Antibiotic residues in milk: Past, present, and future. J Adv Vet Anim Res 2019;6:315-332.  
  14. Tikofsky L. Organic Dairy Herd Health: Managing Disease in the Organic Herd. eOrganic resource page. Available at: eorganic.org/node/8000. Accessed 18 Dec 2020.    
  15. Alliance To Save Our Antibiotics Organization. Antibiotic Use in Organic Farming. Alliance To Save Our Antibiotics resource page. Available at: www.saveourantibiotics.org/media/1914/20210406_antibiotic_use_in_organic_farming.pdf. Accessed 28 June 2021. 
  16. Boston University School of Public Health. Genetically Modified Organisms. Boston University School of Public Health resource page. Available at: sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Modules/PH/GMOs/GMOs5.html. Accessed 18 Dec 2020.  
  17. U.S. Food & Drug Administration (USFDA). Why Do Farmers in the U.S. Grow GMO Crops? USFDA resource page. Available at: www.fda.gov/food/agricultural-biotechnology/why-do-farmers-us-grow-gmo-crops. Accessed 18 Dec 2020. 
  18. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Division on Earth and Life Studies; Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources; Committee on Genetically Engineered Crops: Past Experience and Future Prospects. Genetically Engineered Crops: Experiences and Prospects. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2016.

Chat with us on Messenger at m.me/hipp.ph