There is more and more evidence that milk from grass-fed cows is better for your health. Milk from grass-grazed cows is higher in omega 3 fatty acids. In fact, milk from grass-fed cows contains 2-4 times more omega-3 fatty acids than milk from confined cows that never see grass and eat only corn silage, dried corn, and soy.  These fats, along with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), are an essential, vital nutrient for heart and brain function.  CLA is derived from omega-3 fatty acids.  Studies show that there is 5 times more CLA in grass fed milk, like Johnston Family Farm milk.  CLA may be one of the most potent defenses against cancer.  Grass fed milk is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant in which most American diets are deficient.

According to Eat Wild:

“Meat and dairy products from grass-fed ruminants are the richest known source of another type of good fat called “conjugated linoleic acid” or CLA. When ruminants are raised on fresh pasture alone, their products contain from three to five times more CLA than products from animals fed conventional diets. (A steak from the most marbled grass-fed animals will have the most CLA, as much of the CLA is stored in fat cells.)

CLA may be one of our most potent defenses against cancer. In laboratory animals, a very small percentage of CLA—a mere 0.1 percent of total calories—greatly reduced tumor growth.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to know more:

• Most Americans have undetectable omega-3 blood levels. Dolecek, T. A. and G. Grandits (1991). “Dietary Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Mortality in the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT).” World Rev Nutr Diet 66: 205-16.

• Pastured ruminant product contains 3-5x more CLA. Dhiman, T. R., G. R. Anand, et al. (1999). “Conjugated linoleic acid content of milk from cows fed different diets.” J Dairy Sci 82(10): 2146-56. Interestingly, when the pasture was machine-harvested and then fed to the animals as hay, the cows produced far less CLA than when they were grazing on that pasture, even though the hay was made from the very same grass. The fat that the animals use to produce CLA is oxidized during the wilting, drying process. For maximum CLA, animals need to be grazing living pasture.

• CLA may defend against cancer.  Siscovick, D. S., T. E. Raghunathan, et al. (1995). “Dietary Intake and Cell Membrane Levels of Long-Chain n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and the Risk of Primary Cardiac Arrest.” JAMA 274(17): 1363-1367.

• Eating grassfed products daily may lower risk of breast cancer. Aro, A., S. Mannisto, I. Salminen, M. L. Ovaskainen, V. Kataja, and M. Uusitupa. “Inverse Association between Dietary and Serum Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Risk of Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women.” Nutr Cancer 38, no. 2 (2000): 151-7.