Raw milk from A2 Cows

Raw milk from A2 Cows

What it all means and why it matters.

One of the cool things about living in Pennsylvania is that raw milk is legal for purchase. It’s exasperating that we, as a so-called “free” country, have outlawed this simple, yet very complex food but it is what it is. I’m blessed to be living in this state surrounded by so many plain farmers that believe in real, whole foods.

That’s why I wanted to tell you about a new subject on the raw milk horizon. It’s knowing whether the raw milk you purchase is from A1 or A2 cows.

Now, what does that mean? Well, it has to do with genetic origin and the type of protein the cows produce in their milk. Genetics and its study are some of the most fascinating and convoluted things you can learn about so I’m going to keep this very simple because heck if I know much about it.

Here it is:

A1 cows are almost always cows that are black and white and of European descent including these cute girls. They produce milk that includes A1 Beta Casein.

Photo via holsteinusa.com

A2 cows are likely cows that are brown and come from Jersey, Guernsey, Asia and Africa like these sweet things. They produce milk that includes A2 Beta Casein.

Photo via jersey.com

It’s impossible to tell which cows produce A2 milk unless they’ve been tested. While certain breeds are predominately A2 or A1, cross breeding has muddied the waters over the years.

Recently, Lancaster county organic farmers have started systematically testing their cows one at a time and turning over their milk producers to A2 producing cows.

By now I suppose you’re all wondering why this even matters. I mean, if you’ve already searched out raw milk, you’ve done some research and that’s great! But, if you’re like me you’re always in search of a higher quality, more nutritionally dense product. And here it is. Raw milk from A2 cows!

Studies have shown that A2 milk is easier to digest than A1 milk. (You can read more about these studies in the book by Keith Woodford below) When a food is easier to digest, it often means we gain even greater nutrition from that food than a similar food that taxes our digestive system. For those of us who experience discomfort and digestive issues when consuming (pasteurized and/or organic) milk, that’s a wonderful thing.

An example of our family’s personal experience is my son who has been “lactose intolerant” since birth. He was fortunate to be born the year before the genetic modification of soybeans because he was fed a soy formula from 3 to 12 months. (That’s a post for another day. It was a different time back then and I knew very little. I have forgiven myself for my ignorance.) We gave up soy a few years later but he drank Lactaid until making the switch to raw milk last summer at age 19. Since then, he has been able to incorporate unlimited amounts of raw A2 milk into his diet without any repercussions at all. He is even able to tolerate ice cream and all cheese at this point. While I’m not sure of the reason for the change in his digestive tract, I like to think it had something to do with the enzymes that come with raw milk and the switch to a milk that comes as an easily digested complete nutritional package.

If you’d like to learn more about A1 and A2 milk, here are some resources. It gets very sciencey so I’m NOT the person to explain it in detail but have at it if you’d like to geek out on more info.

Jordan Rubin explains A1 & A2 Beta Casein (short video)

The Devil in the Milk by Keith Woodford

Slide Show explanation

If you’re looking for some information on where to purchase A2 milk in the Lancaster & Reading area of PA check out my local resources page.

If you’re looking for raw milk elsewhere, check out realmilk.com. They are a resource page for the Weston A. Price Foundation, an organization I feel strongly everyone should check out for up-to-date health and nutrition information.