Should You Switch To Organic Milk For Your Toddler?

The word ‘organic‘ on food labels has certainly gained more popularity among mothers in the recent years.

With a plethora of food choices and given the available budget, most mothers nowadays would typically opt for organic foods for their children because organic foods are known to be healthier than regular or conventional ones. Organic foods are safer to consume, free of harmful chemicals, and environmentally friendly as well.

This said, when it comes to choosing milk for your children, should you go organic too?

REGULAR MILK VERSUS ORGANIC MILK

For generations, milk plays an important role in a child’s nutrition as it contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that support a child’s growth and development.

Ever wondered what the key differences between organic vs. regular milk are? Is organic milk really better than regular milk for your little ones?

Here is everything you need to know about these two types of milk:

According to the strict organic regulations set by the USDA, organic milk must come from organic cows that are fed on a natural and organic diet or a grass-rich diet. What they feed on must be grown without chemical fertilisers or processes, pesticides or genetically modified seeds. In addition, the cows that produce organic milk must not be treated with antibiotics and given hormones for the purpose of reproduction or growth. There are absolutely no shortcuts.

Meanwhile, conventional or regular milk is produced by non-organic cows in ways that do not need to hold up to the same strict guidelines as organic milk’s production. Non-organic cows are fed with genetically modified animal feed, which is prohibited under organic standards.

Whilst non-organic cows are generally given more concentrated feed to increase milk production; in organic systems, the cows need to be fed with at least 30% of their diet on pasture. Hence, organic dairy cows have lower yield. Also, organic dairy farming is more sustainable and helps to protect the animals’ health and welfare.

Moreover, the costs associated with organic dairy farming is higher than conventional farming – thus, reflected in the shelf price difference between organic and non-organic milk.

WHY IS ORGANIC MILK BETTER FOR YOUR CHILDREN?

Did you know that milk produced by happier and healthier cows leads to more nutritious milk, consequently healthier for kids too?

Organic cows are happier and healthier compared to their counterparts because they are raised in a more humane condition – they are not confined in a barn all the time, fed with healthy diets, and graze on a pasture.

Research shows that pasture feeding has a positive impact on the nutrient profile of milk. Milk from cows that consume significant amounts of grass contains higher concentrations of beneficial nutrients, such as Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, vaccenic acid, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than milk from cows lacking routine access to pasture. Furthermore, numerous studies have found that organic milk has a higher nutritional content and contains more disease-fighting antioxidants than non-organic milk.

In summary, organic milk has more of the good stuff because it is produced as nature intended, without synthetic chemicals or processes.

As such, by choosing organic milk, you can get the extra nutritional benefits of milk without exposing your children to harmful chemical contaminants, such as antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, or controversial pesticides.

If you are looking for organic milk that is healthy and safe for your growing children, consider serving Bellamy’s Organic EQUISPIRE Toddler Milk Drink Step 3 for your little ones!

BELLAMY’S ORGANIC EQUISPIRE – A PURE START IN LIFE

Founded in 2004 by a Tasmanian mother, Bellamy’s Organic EQUISPIRE is dedicated and passionate about creating high-quality, nutritionally balanced, and delicious organic baby food and formula – free from all the bad stuff, so you can be confident in giving your little ones a pure start in life.

Bellamy’s Organic EQUISPIRE uses certified organic cow’s milk in their formulas, and with less than 1% of the world’s dairy milk is certified organic, this is surely pretty special!

ORGANIC MILK FOR TODDLERS