We’ve been getting all sorts of questions about dairy lately, especially around the many different types of milk options out there. So hopefully this post will clear some things up. Later this month we’ll be sharing our thoughts on cheese, sour cream, yogurt, and other dairy products as well so be sure to stay tuned!
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Raw Milk
Before our switch to real food I honestly had no idea what “raw milk” even was. I actually remember the day I first discovered that there's an entire world out there of raw milk advocates complete with websites, blogs, non-profit organizations, and the like. I’ve learned that the people who drink raw milk really LOVE their raw milk and feel strongly about their choice.
Raw milk is literally the way the milk comes out of the cow. It has not been pasteurized (heated to kill pathogens) or homogenized (processed to suspend fat globules) in any way, shape, or form. In the most basic terms it’s exactly what the calves get. And I actually think this quote from Wikipedia sums up why raw milk can be such a heated topic these days:
“Health food proponents tout the benefits of raw milk and the ills of pasteurization and homogenization. The medical community warns of the dangers of not pasteurizing milk. Preferences vary from region to region.” – Wikipedia
So speaking of our “region” raw milk is actually illegal here in North Carolina. I’ve had many people tell me I can drive just over the border into South Carolina to buy some, but to be honest I was actually kind of relieved that I didn’t have to make the tough decision if we should drink raw milk or not. I know the advocates say raw milk can cure all your ailments (or something like that), but others say there are health risks with milk that hasn’t been pasteurized (which kills both potentially harmful and beneficial bacteria – just like cooking raw meat).
So I’ve basically chosen to just stay out of it and drink the milk that is available to us here in town, which is obviously a personal choice that has been influenced by the state in which we live.
Plus I tried raw milk once and it didn’t exactly taste like the “milk” I am used to drinking (and enjoy), but I am certainly very happy for everyone who drinks raw milk and loves it. To each his own!
Pasteurized, Non-Homogenized, Whole Milk (from Grass-Fed Cows)
This is the type of milk that we’ve determined to be the least processed milk available here in North Carolina, and what we started drinking sometime last year. My whole 33 years prior to that I mainly drank skim milk so let me tell you what I was SCARED to gradually go from skim to whole (we briefly drank 2% in-between).
I did it though and honestly have never looked back. The milk we drink now is soooo good and fresh…it tastes how I think milk should taste! And to offset the switch to full-fat dairy we also reduced our consumption a bit, which helped from a budgeting standpoint as well.
The brand we buy is called Homestead Creamery (I get it from Earth Fare - pictured above) and it’s from cows that are mostly - but not 100% - grass-fed. Cows were designed by evolution to eat grass (not corn) so they are healthier when they do, which in turn gives more nutritious animal products to us as a result.
The milk we buy is also pasteurized at a slightly lower temperature than standard grocery store milk so for me I feel like this gets us a little bit closer to that whole “raw milk” option without going all the way. And while Homestead Creamery is not USDA Certified Organic they do follow all organic practices. Getting officially certified is expensive and timely so it’s always good to ask this question when purchasing from smaller farms.
Organic Milk
If you can’t find local, grass-fed, non-homogenized milk in your area then I think a “big brand” (i.e. Organic Valley or Horizon) of organic, whole milk is the next best bet. One downfall of highly commercialized organic milk though is that it’s actually ultra-pasteurized at a high temperature, which leaves even less beneficial bacteria.
This is why the expiration dates are sometimes further out than their conventional counterparts. I am not sure if they did this to give organic a longer shelf life (before it started becoming more popular), but regardless that’s the way it’s done and it usually says it right there on the package so it’s not a secret.
As I once heard Dr. Oz say though you can’t “peel” or “wash” off dairy like you can when it comes to conventional produce so I agree with his advice to go organic when it comes to dairy products (including milk).
Low-Fat Milk
As part of our switch to real food we did away with all low-fat and non-fat products, including milk. You can read more about that switch in our “Mini-Pledge Week 6: No Low-Fat, Lite or Nonfat Food Products” post. In short, according to Michael Pollan in his book In Defense of Food:
“To make dairy products low fat, it’s not enough to remove the fat. You then have to go to great lengths to preserve the body or creamy texture by working in all kinds of food additives. In the case of low-fat or skim milk, that usually means adding powdered milk. But powdered milk contains oxidized cholesterol, which scientists believe is much worse for your arteries than ordinary cholesterol, so food makers sometimes compensate by adding antioxidants, further complicating what had been a simple one-ingredient whole food. Also, removing the fat makes it that much harder for your body to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins that are one of the reasons to drink milk in the first place.” - Michael Pollan
After recently learning that the orange juice industry doesn’t even include their mysterious “flavor packs” (to keep the juice tasting the same year-round) on their list of ingredients I wouldn’t count on seeing “powdered milk” listed as in ingredient on your skim milk jug anytime soon either.
Long story short - I don’t think anyone can argue that low-fat and skim milk isn’t “more processed” than whole milk, which is of course one of our family’s top concerns when it comes to making food choices.
Milk Alternatives
Some people just can’t tolerate dairy and thankfully for them there are all sorts of milk alternatives out there these days. I do want to say though that I don't personally believe there’s any reason to avoid dairy unless you have an allergy or intolerance.
If you are one of those that needs to skip the lactose be sure to look for milk alternatives that are unsweetened, but no matter what always read the ingredients. My top choices would be either unsweetened full-fat coconut milk or almond milk…or even brown rice milk. Soy is already an additive in so many packaged foods so I would favor some of the other choices out there instead.
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Question: What kind of milk do you drink (and why)?
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Local Dairy Resources
To search for local farms in your area that might offer grass-fed dairy products like milk check out the following resources:
Sarah says
My family discovered raw milk about a year ago and we've been drinking it ever since. I honestly didn't know what it was either when I first stumbled across it & the first time I bought it I was a bit hesitant. Now there is no going back. My daughters won't even touch the 1% they offer at school.
Angie says
Oops I mean http://www.milkdocumentary.com
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Angie. Thanks for the link. ~Amy
Angie says
http://Www.themilkdocumentary.com
I viewed Got the Facts on Milk and can never see dairy in the same way. Have you seen it?
Eliya Bolgrin says
I have been buying original coconut milk for the last 6 months (I am EBF and my son has a dairy sensitivity) and I never even considered that it would have added sugar and other additives I can't pronounce! I just looked at the ingredient list this morning and was shocked! I assumed because it was "original" that, well, it would just be coconut milk! I am taking my 3 cartons back to the store today and getting the unsweetened!
Mark Strosahl says
We recently picked up a locally made, grass fed cow milk. It comes in glass bottles ($2 deposit!) but it tastes very good and it's nice helping out the local. It's not certified organic as I'm sure it's too expensive for the small local farm. Pricing it is a bit more expensive of course.
Denise says
The Homestead Creamery milk I just purchased from Kroger is Homogenized. Is there a difference between the product they send to Earth Fare? I know they do have milk from 2 different dairies.
Devin says
Hey Denise,
I noticed today at my local Earth Fare that the only the whole milk & buttermilk
is not homoginized. Wonder if that is the case at Kroger? The 2% and nonfat(skim) were homoginized. They describe the whole
Milk as "creamline" and when you open it there is a plug of
cream at the top.
Scott says
Good Afternoon Everyone. I think this is a great site. It gets good information out there. There are a lot of people here who seem to care and are very coval.
However, I have some things to say in response to some of the posts. I work in Public Health and we constantly try our best to provide people with good information on nutrition. We advocate eating as little unprocessed food as possible. Whole fruits, vegetables, grains etc. However, we are also aware that the information we have is not perfect. It can't be. Everyone is different and we have to ensure that we reach the most people and get them to be as healthy as possible. Every doctor I have ever had and every doctor I work with says the same thing. Watch what you eat, exercise, eat whole grains, eath vegetables and fruits. Do fresh dairy in moderation, eath lean meats etc. Yes they still believe in minimizing fats but that is because that is what the current science is telling them. When I say current science I mean science from peer reviewed scientists and publications. No doctor out there says or believes that processed foods are good for you.
Now pasteurization came into use in the 1800's because at the time tuberculosis was carried by cows and therefore could be in their milk. We don't have to worry much about tuberculosis these days but it only takes one case to cause people to panic. The prevention of the diseases is the basis for pasteurization. Remember that they are trying to prevent diseases that killed people in the past and also to improve the shelf life. So low level pasteurization can be beneficial. Oh and by the way there is no real scientific evidence that pasteurized milk causes detrimental health. However, it is highly processed and there are preservatives so that is not good for long exposure. And please don't give me links that you think will convince me. I am a biochemist and I do understand biochemistry pretty well. I did research with proteins etc. I don't know everything but I do understand the research that is available. And I am not convinced. Current science has shown that the proteins are not significantly changed between raw and low level pasteurization. High Level is a different story. They are almost certainly denatured with high level or ultra high pasteurization. Regarding processed, I am convinced that lifetime exposure to processed foods is unhealthy.
Neither the government or the companies are trying to poison and kill people. It is counterintuitive to believe that they are. Getting people the correct information and providing them with choices is the best way to go. There are many people who know that processed foods are not the best for them but they do it because it is convenient and they don't want to change. That is their choice. I myself work for the government, advocate change and have instituted changes myself. But I still believe that we are all just people just like everyone else. The people in government are just people. The people in the corporations are just people. We all have family, kids, friends. So please stop accusing "people" in government and corporations of trying to poison us. It doesn't make sense and it doesn't get your message across. Everyone knows in their heart that eating processed foods on a daily basis is unhealthy. Some people do it because they don't care. Some do it because it is cheap and accessible. Please don't say that anyone can afford to follow in your footsteps because I know for a fact that some people cannot. Some do it because they believe that they are invincible. I thought I was in my teens! LOL.
I realize that I may be rambling here but this has been building up for a while. Every person is different. What you do may not be right for them. If they choose to live their life the way they do then great. All you can do is prevent your information to them. Make it available.
Please stop accusing the government and the corporations of trying to poison and kill you. That is not the case. The government realizes that processed foods may be dangerous in the long run. They make sure that things will not cause you acute distress. That is their job. They also have to balance everything. The people have rights, the corporations have rights. There are laws in place to protect both. This means that change cannot happen over night. Remember that processed food came into being to make it easier for more people to be able to eat. The shelf life was longer and you didn't have food going bad. Poor people could afford to eat more. Everyone was happy for a while.
Keep pusing and things will change. Less processed food will be available as more people demand fresh food.
Please forgive me for this long winded approach. I have just been reading a lot of literature from proponents of healthy eating and anti-government and anti-corporation individuals. It just makes me so sad that people really believe that scientists, government, corporations, medical personal are out to harm them. My fellow nurses, doctors, techs, friends in government really care about what they are doing and believe that they are working in the best interest of the public. We all know some changes need to be made. Believe me. They are all working for change and are doing their best.
Erika says
We are pretty lucky. The Homestead Creamery farm is just about 10 minutes from our house! They have a great little country store with their milk, ice cream and also tons of grass glazed meats at great prices.
art says
I am lactose intolerant. If I have dairy products that are not raw (milk cheese butter) 30 to 60 minutes later I have a real need for a bathroom (dont worry I wont go into detail) every time. This is when I started to question what pasteurization did.
Also raw milk will taste different from different cattle. I prefer Jersey grass fed. I cannot tell the difference with cheese or butter. If you buy raw, know your dairy. They must be clean freaks or you can get sick! Raw milk cheese and butter is much safer.
Kelly says
What about H2 milk? My chiropractor mentioned that's what his family drinks which they go in on a co-op for. Is that better than organic? Is organic still a good choice if you can't buy H2 or should we go no milk at all?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there, Kelly. Sorry about my delay getting back to you on this one. I have to be honest and say that I know nothing about H2 milk but it is something I will look into. I'm simply not finding great info about it but will revisit this if I find better. ~Amy
Lacia Lynne Bailey says
Couple things...
Many people who say they are lactose intolerant, are actually reacting to other milk components, they are "dairy" intolerant, not lactose. If you take the Lactaid enzyme and it solves your problem, then you are truly lactose intolerant. For the other folks, experimenting with different kinds of milk, raw thru UHT continuum, cow vs goat, may solve your problem.
The most important thing about UHT is how the heat changes the proteins. You can't even make cheese out of it anymore, the proteins have so changed. For some people they can no longer digest it properly. Some have immune reactions to the unrecognized proteins. I had this problem. Raw milk I can drink no problem. Cooked milk starts giving me problems, digestive and immune.
Some folks digest goat milk better, and lots of research says it has less/no mucus effects for many people.
Small dairy goats, either Nigerian Dwarfs or mini-dairy breeds, are doable for many suburban and even some urban folks. Partnering with another neighbor family is ideal, so chores are lessened and you can get days off milking.
The last option is mine. There's nothing like the love, great compost, freshness, and real knowledge about your milk source, as you get having your own couple of goats. I know its not an option for everyone, but it is for more folks than think about it.
Fresh goats milk tastes nothing like the grocery store stuff. The same easy to digest qualities of goat milk mean it starts breaking down easily with pumping/bottling, shipping etc and starts getting those goaty flavors. Fresh milk is sweet and nothing like that.
So just some different ideas for folks.
Glenna Spruill says
Hi I just wanted to thank you for your site. I also have a comment. Supposedly, our bodies are not meant to consume milk after we are infants. The enzyme renin ,I think, isn't produced after we are babies. Do you know anything about this and what have you heard?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Glenna. Beyond knowing that it is an enzyme produced by the kidneys, I can offer no wisdom. Sorry. I know that dairy consumption can be a controversial subject but you have to evaluate based on your own needs and convictions. Always look for organic (essential for avoiding hormones and antibiotics), grass-fed when possible, "closest to the farm" dairy. ~Amy
Sara says
I live in Southern Maryland and I get raw milk from an Amish farm. They do give their cows feed, along with being grass fed, but they buy all natural feed without GMOs. They sell it for cheaper than supermarket regular milk! I have gotten to know the family and they are so nice and it really makes me trust them more (I wanted yogurt one day and she told me it didn't set up exactly right for some reason and that if I still wanted it, it was free of charge. She also marks milk that wasn't gotten that day so that you know it may have a shorter shelf life.) I have noticed my husbands stomach issues have dissipated since drinking raw milk, and it tastes soooo good! They also sell butter, cottage cheese, cheese (which would be similar to cheese curds), sour crema, (very similar to crème fraiche) and yogurt. All with raw milk, for prices similar to supermarket. I never knew what real cottage cheese was supposed to taste like. YUM. If you live anywhere near the Amish, I HIGHLY suggest you drive around their area and see who is selling dairy products! Though I wouldn't suggest buying their baked goods, as they use margarine. Also, buying raw milk doesn't have to be that scary... you can always pasteurize it yourself if it is as cheap as it is for me.
Angie says
RAW milk all the way!! :) It's amazing.
No low fat junk here, either.
Christina says
For the last few months, we've been getting milk from Zaycon (https://www.zayconfoods.com/milk), whole milk, minimally processed, non-homogenized. It's different than regular, but pretty tasty once we got used to it. (we do supplement with regular milk because the zaycon deliveries aren't as often as we need yet!)
I've definitely started moving away from the low-fat stuff because of all the additives.
Ashley says
Many years ago (10?) I started to make a correlation between dairy (love of my life) and my stomach gurgling. As time went on it got worse, until a couple years ago I finally came to the realization that I'm lactose intolerant. My stomach will gurgle even if I eat a chocolate or a small cookie that has dairy in it. BUT every time I went on a trip to Europe, I could eat ANYTHING without any issues!? Upon my arrival home everything was totally different - as though it was an alternate reality or something.
So recently I decided to buy one of those "European Style Yogurts" just to see what would happen. Nothing!! So then I went and bought a local non-homogenized, pasteurized milks from the store - same deal!! So I am changing my assumed lactose intolerance to an intolerance of the processing that happens.
I will also say that I never liked the taste of milk growing up, and would use the absolute minimum in my cereal so my dad wouldn't make me drink the leftovers. And I hated when going to a friends house that would serve a glass of milk with the meal - yuck! But I actually found that this new milk tastes good!
Krista says
Hey! So I bought some pasteurized, non-homogenized whole milk (grass fed) the other day and it was my first time drinking non-homogenized! I kind of freaked out. What are you supposed to do with the cream?? Haha, I realize I am an extreme amateur among these raw milk drinking people... but really, do you drink it? Blend it up? Help :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Krista. Honestly, I've never consumed raw milk. Raw cheese, yes. Anyway, I have to defer to the wisdom of our readers on this one... :) ~Amy
Krista says
Oh sorry, I meant the non homogenized(not raw) like is talked about in th article.
Courtney says
You can shake it up and mix it in for 'whole milk' or you can take the cream out with one of those things you use to baste a turkey and put it in a food processor to make butter! Raw milk is super versatile.
Cindy says
I know you wrote this back in July, but I can't help but chuckle reading it, Krista. I just purchased some non-homogenized milk for the first time and totally freaked out too. I have read though that you can either skim it off (although most people online think you're crazy if you do!) or use an immersion blender to really get it to mix with the milk. I'm going to try that with the next batch :)
chris says
Drinking pasteurized milk is horrible for one's health. It promotes heart disease in a very big way. It is one of the worst junk foods on the planet. Raw milk is nutritious and very safe and healthy.
Stephanie Ribelin says
Since I've had my 2 kids I've started to come over (slowly) to the organic world. My son is a BIG TIME milk drinker, so we've decided to go to organic for dairy. I recently purchased a single Horizon Organic milk, but realized it said UHT processed for longer shelf life. As I started reading about UHT processing, I noticed that some of the big manufactures (ie, Horizon and Organic Valley) do this. Here I thought all Organic Milk is safe, but now I'm reading that UHT processing is bad because it kills all the good and bad bacteria. We usually purchase Trader Joes Organic brand, but who knows if thats safe. Thinking of changing to almond milk. What are your thought about UHT processing? Thank you
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there Stephanie. This is an interesting read on the subject: http://www.foodrenegade.com/just-say-no-to-uht-milk/. ~Amy
Anne-Marie says
My preference is raw milk. It's what I grew up on. We got our milk from my uncle who had about 2 or 3 cows he milked. Yum!
I found a farm about 40 minutes from where I live that I could get raw milk from. I visited her to be sure it was not large, was clean and the cows were healthy. I love it! As an adult I had developed lactose intolerance. After a few weeks of drinking the whole milk from her Jersey cows that cleared up.
Susan says
Raw milk is legal for pet consumption only in Alabama, but we humans have Working Cows Dairy, which produces and sells organic, low-heat pasteurized milk that is very tasty. Their website is http://www.workingcowsdairy.com. The owners are originally from Holland and it is somewhat apparent that English is not their first language. I mention this only because I wouldn't want anyone to think this is indicative of the quality of the products they offer.
Kathryn says
We buy the same type from Earthfare (just opened in Louisville and I LOVE it). They have another brand that is from KY but they do carry Homestead. I love the visible cream line and my kids won't go back to the other stuff.
KayaBT says
I was doing research on raw milk, which I didn't end up going for because I was a little on the fence. It is illegal also in NJ, but legal in PA (which I could also go over the border to get). What I learned from the NJ farmers I spoke to, who drank their own farm's raw milk, was that you would want to drink raw milk from a very small local farm with the highest quality cow breed (I think this was a Holstein but now I cannot remember). Basically, you want to know that the farmer knows it's cows and when they are ill. This is when sick cows can make people sick.
Instead, my holistic doctor recommended Amasake, which is a rice drink that has live enzymes. We did half amasake and half water, then added some other things like whey protein, sunflower seeds, olive oil, etc to make it more wholesomely nutritious as a drink. This was our alternative to our toddler drinking regular whole milk because he was prone to colds.
Luisa Perkins says
We drank raw milk for 11 years. It's fantastic. The only reason we don't drink it now is that we moved to California last year, and raw milk is $16 per gallon here.
SusanG says
I was so excited to see your pic of Homestead Creamery on your site!!! We discovered it in our local Kroger a few months ago and have started drinking a ton of milk again because of it. It tastes so much better, and I feel good about supporting a local dairy (I work for an agriculture college in VA, so I'm all about supporting the farmers).
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello KMunoz. We buy organic (grass fed if available) versions of those products typically at Earth Fare, Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. ~Amy
KMunoz says
Quick question: do you buy your dairy products, like sour cream, yogurt, etc, from the same milk producer? Or do you just go for the organic brands at the store? I'm wondering because I consume other dairy products much more frequently than I do milk. What are your thoughts on those? I'm gradually incorporating all the 100 days rules, and it's been really eye opening. Thanks so much!
Joy says
I just thought I would comment here to share some info I recently learned. I was giving (ultra pasteurized) organic whole milk to my kids, but then Oberweis Dairy came and gave me their pitch and it sounded good. I knew it was not organic because they remove sick cows and allow them antibiotics and then wait for them to be free of antibiotics before allowing them to be put back into the milking rotation. However, when I asked if they fed their cows GMO feed, the sales person said no. I decided to call their headquarters to ask, and when I talked to the girl who answered the phone, she also told me no. I asked if she was positive and she said yes. Then she said, well, let me look it up in the manual. Turns out...they do allow GMO feed. I followed up AGAIN via email to their headquarters and got the confirmation that they DO ALLOW GMO feed. Since the info was so difficult to get, I thought I would share it here. Hopefully it helps someone out.
Now I am giving my kids grass fed, non homogenized, low temp pasteurized whole milk.
Joy says
Just to clarify for those who don't know- Oberweis is a home delivery dairy service. I think a similar one for the west has Winder dairy...
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Nonnie. I feel your pain. I am not certain what you are asking, though. Are you looking for milk alternatives? I have found almond and coconut milk to be great replacements. If I'm off track with my response let me know. ~Amy
Nonnie says
Love love love your site - problem is I LOVE milk - but it does NOT like me - Any suggestions for Lactose Intolerance? I am so sorry if this has been addressed before but trolling through 300 emails - so many of which are about how we don't need milk - I happen to love it - but I just can't do it anymore - Help please!!!!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Jen. I have not done a great deal of research on Lactaid but it is fair to say that it is highly processed as milk products go. We have a simple recipe for almond milk that might be of interest: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/31/food-allergies-dairy/. Also, the 365 brand at Whole Foods has almond milk without carrageenan. Hope that helps. ~Amy
Jen says
The almond milk at my store contains carrageenan. I usually get Lactaid milk, which has the following ingredients: Fat free milk, lactase enzyme*, vitamin A palmitate and vitamin D3. How bad is this, especially compared with the other non-dairy choices? Thanks.
Kay says
Love the site but the problem I have with this particular article is that we(humans) don't need milk at all. Raw, organic, etc..milk is for cows. Unless it is breast milk from your mother why should we fall for the lie that humans need milk from an animal. It doesn't make sense
Becky says
Thanks largely to you and the resources you share on your site, I've begun to eliminate processed food from my diet. I've been visiting your site several times a day as I acquaint myself with the rules. When I went grocery shopping today I spent a lot of time in the organic section of my Loblaws grocery store (in Ontario, Canada). I had to do a double take when I saw the price of the 4L bag of organic 3.8% whole milk, but I'm determined to give this new way of life a solid go. I bought the milk as well as some organic cheese and plain yogurt of the same brand (Organic Meadow). I didn't read the ingredients on the plain yogurt until I got home and was disappointed to see organic skim milk powder in the ingredients. Isn't powdered milk of any kind bad? Here's the website:
http://www.organicmeadow.com/products/organic-yogurt/Organic-3-8-Plain-Yogourt.htm
I guess I'm going to have to be more diligent next shopping trip. I suppose it's still better than the yogurt I used to get in the sense that it's less processed overall.
Thanks for making the path to real foods easier to navigate! Keep up the great work. It's most appreciated. :)
NC Mom says
Hi - just discovered your web site and can't wait to read through posts! I also live in NC so love that I recognize the names of stores and brands (sad that I live farther from Earth Fare now...boo hoo). Question about the whole milk...I have a 2 & 4 year old who LOVE drinking milk. In large quantities...so finding your article is timely...I've recently been trying to encourage water consumption and almond milk (though if you buy commercial, it's super processed) to reduce the amount of milk consumption. I would love to buy Homestead whole milk, but would really need to watch the consumption for cost and fat/cholesterol reasons...is it possible to thin down the milk with water at all? I realize that it will taste like watery milk (that my husband and I would probably hate), but perhaps the kids would still like? Just curious if you had wean them off drinking so much milk, and if so, what you substituted. Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi NC Mom. I think one of the big lessons learned is that it is okay to cut consumption of those big ticket items that we don't need so much of anyway. Your family can consume high quality more nutritious dairy just less of it. Diluting the milk, if it works for you, should be fine, too. Also, this recipe for almond milk is easy and tasty: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/31/food-allergies-dairy/almond-milk/. Hope that helps. ~Amy
Stina Howell says
How do you feel about powdered milk? I have recipes that call for powdered milk and I was wondering if it was a healthy ingredient? Thanks.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Stina. This is an excerpt from the above article in which Michael Pollan addresses powdered milk: “To make dairy products low fat, it’s not enough to remove the fat. You then have to go to great lengths to preserve the body or creamy texture by working in all kinds of food additives. In the case of low-fat or skim milk, that usually means adding powdered milk. But powdered milk contains oxidized cholesterol, which scientists believe is much worse for your arteries than ordinary cholesterol, so food makers sometimes compensate by adding antioxidants, further complicating what had been a simple one-ingredient whole food. Also, removing the fat makes it that much harder for your body to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins that are one of the reasons to drink milk in the first place.†Hope that answers your question. ~Amy
Naomi says
What about milk with no hormones?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Naomi. Yes, choose milk without hormones. ~Amy
Wendy says
I've been buying Earthfare organic milk. Is that a good thing to do? We go through 3 gallons so I have to buy the cheapest milk I can get.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Wendy. Earthfare organic milk is a good option. ~Amy
Betsy says
Raw milk is not illegal in NC. However, it must be labeled, as in many other states, that it is for "pet consumption". It is perfectly legal to buy raw milk and drink it. If you are going to consume dairy at all, it should be raw if possible. Also in your post you mentioned you tasted raw milk once and didn't like it, but just before that you said you didn't even know what raw milk was....hmmmmm
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Betsy. Thank you for your input. I definitely have to do more research on this whole topic. It is fascinating. Just to clarify: Lisa said that she didn't know what raw milk was *before* she started her Real Food journey. Hope that helps. ~Amy
Erin says
Hi. The half gallons of organic milk are ultra-pasteurized but the full gallons are just pasteurized. At least that's how it is with most of the brands I've seen.