Why you should better use organic milk

There are often several reasons for buying organic milk. The focus is probably always on the desire to do something good for yourself. They also want to make the world a little better, because the more organic is consumed, the less conventional animal husbandry there is. But does organic milk actually offer the benefits it promises? Content Is Organic Really Better? Cheap organic versus premium quality? Buy organic - you have to pay attention to this Which organic seals are there? Organic milk as a question of ethics Antibiotics Organic and the environment – ​​how sustainable is organic? Conclusion

Is organic really better?

Organic milk is subject to strict EU-wide regulations. As a result, we get high-quality milk that is said to be better than conventional milk. Above all, better means healthier.

This is mainly due to the content. Here, organic differs from normal milk in one important respect. It has many more of the famous omega-3 fatty acids, while conventional milk contains more omega-6 fatty acids.

Unfortunately, the situation with pesticides is not quite as good: even organic milk can contain traces of them! However, the reason is not fraudulent activity, but the ancestors of organic farmers. Because they still used pesticides, the soil contains their residues. When the cows graze on this ground, it is almost impossible to prevent some of it from getting into their feed. But don't panic: The load always remains far below the permissible limit values.

Cheap organic versus premium quality?

In the meantime, organic products are even appearing in discounters and have thus become affordable for a large number of people. However, this is accompanied by fears that this is just window dressing.

Fortunately, not everything in the EU can simply be called organic. Rather, the EU organic regulation prescribes what works and what doesn't. The long-established organic associations such as Demeter or Naturland are subject to much stricter rules. But organic is everything. Because the animals are always better off here than in conventional agriculture.

As far as supermarket milk is concerned, one of the few German premium organic suppliers is now also represented at Lidl: Bioland has been part of the discounter's standard equipment for a few months.

Buy organic - you have to pay attention to that

Other sources of supply for organic milk are the farms directly, weekly markets, health food stores or health food stores. Also pay attention to the type of milk, because there are differences. Pregnant women and small children in particular should not drink raw milk. It is untreated and may contain germs that are harmful to people whose immune systems are weak or not yet fully developed. Pre-favoured milk is then also taboo.

Heated milk is easier to digest. There are differences here that you will also find with conventional milk.

Which organic seals are there?

The countless organic seals sometimes seem a bit confusing. In principle, however, it is simple: there is the EU seal, which is mandatory for all organic products in the EU. Then there is a country seal. The German organic seal is therefore usually found in addition to the EU seal. In addition, there are often German organic associations with their logo, such as that of Demeter or Naturland.

Organic milk as a question of ethics

If animal welfare is particularly important to you, you can't avoid organic. Because here the animals are demonstrably better off than in factory farming. In short, there are some significant advantages that organic cattle benefit from:

The points of nutrition and exercise are of particular interest for the quality of the milk. A cow that can go out to pasture will graze there. What is fed consists of a high proportion of roughage - and 100% organic farming. So it contains no genetic engineering, no harmful fertilizers and comes to 60% from the region, so it does not pollute the environment.

So organic is not only healthier for you. It is this especially for the animals that give you their milk. This is also due to the regulations on stable keeping.

With conventional cow farming, there are hardly any rules as to how much space the cows should have. With organic, on the other hand, there are regulations. Inside the barn it's a bit more - at least six square meters - than outside, where the cow has at least four and a half square meters at her disposal. In addition, the animals should have access to exercise, so they are allowed to graze regularly. If that is not possible, they should have an open space to run around.

antibiotics

Antibiotic residues are the same in organic and conventional milk because they should not be present at all. If everything goes right, dairies won't buy the milk if they find antibiotic residues in it. Therefore, organic has no advantage over conventional milk.

Organic and the environment – ​​how sustainable is organic?

This is where most skeptics can be found, because this question is not easy for a layperson to understand. So it is fitting that Stiftung Warentest also tested organic milk in issue 10 of 2017, also from the point of view of sustainability.

Well-known conventional brands such as Weihenstephan were less sustainable. On the other hand, the foundation certified organic milk in particular as having a high level of sustainability. Products such as the Transparent Dairy, Dennree or suppliers for the supermarkets Aldi, Rewe, Lidl and Penny were certified as having good sustainability.

Conclusion

In every variant, organic milk is better than that from conventional production. Even the less strict EU organic regulation pays attention to certain rules that affect the content of organic milk. Because organic cattle are fed differently, their milk contains more valuable omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, animal husbandry in organic farms is clearly better than in normal farm stalls. In terms of price, organic milk is now affordable, even for people on a tight budget. That's why organic milk is the first choice if you want to pay attention to your diet.

If you want to go one step further, you can also use plant-based milk alternatives. Whether soy, oat, rice or almond milk - the selection is now so large that there is a suitable milk substitute for every taste. In addition, they are now available in almost every supermarket - just try it out!

Photos: Aaron Amat; Countrypixel / stock.adobe.com