Deciphering the Milk Aisle, introducing A2 and ultra-filtered milks
Are you a dairy milk drinker? Many of us are. A few new and intriguing types of milk have become widely available. I am talking specifically about A2 , and ultra-filtered milk. There are some important functional details about the composition of milk that make these two innovations especially interesting from a nutrition perspective.
What a dairy cow eats affects the types of fat found in its milk.
I would define milk as a functional food. From early childhood through young adulthood, when included as part of a balanced diet, it helps to build bone density, and it’s a good source of fat and protein. Along with healthy fats and proteins, milk is also full of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and peptides. Unfortunately, it is hard to digest for some of us and many people have lactose intolerance and casein or whey intolerance.
Ultra-filtered Milk
Lactose is main source of sugar (carbohydrates) in milk.
Its function in the body is to aid in the absorption of calcium, magnesium, and zinc through processes that occur in the small intestine.
Lactose feeds beneficial bacteria (prebiotics) in the microbiome and creates an environment that is more suitable for absorption of vitamins and minerals in milk (cellular permeability, acidification and fermentation, among other processes). This also can cause some people to experience GI distress when they’re missing the right enzyme to break it down.
Ultra-filtered milk has much of the lactose removed and the remainder is broken down to sweeter sugars. Regular milk has about 8 grams of protein per serving, ultra-filtered milk has about 13.
Ultra-filtered milk has not had all of the lactose removed so it is not a safe alternative for individuals with lactose intolerance.
Ultra-filtered milk is significantly more expensive than traditional milk, but may be useful for older adults that need to increase their protein or adults with type 2 diabetes that need to lower the sugar in their diet.
A2 Milk
The primary proteins in milk are casein and whey
A2 milk contains only one type of casein (A2 beta casein), recent research has shown that milk with only A2 protein causes less GI distress in individuals that are sensitive to casein.
People that tried A2 milk said they experienced less bloating, stomach pain, gas and digestive distress.
if you have ruled out a lactose allergy, but still have GI distress when drinking milk, try A2 milk.
If you do not experience digestive distress when consuming milk, there is no evidence that switching to A2 milk will be beneficial, it will just be more expensive.
Organic vs Conventional
Many of the vitamins in milk are fat soluble, meaning they don’t absorb well or don’t absorb at all without fat. Vitamin D, Vitamin A, and Vitamin K2 are all fat soluble. These are especially important for building bone health in children and young adults, 90-95% on bone mass is built by age 20.
Higher fat milk slows down carbohydrate absorption and reduces blood sugar variability. This can lead to more sustained feelings of fullness.
The fat in milk supports steroid hormone production, especially estrogen and progesterone. This is important for nervous system stability and fertility in women.
Organic milk has been shown to have higher levels of healthy fats including omega-3s. This is likely due to the types of forage these cows eat compared to conventional farming practices.
You heard it here first, but I predict their will be an A2 ultra-filtered milk on the market very soon. Let’s all keep an eye out for it.
Edit: since this blog was published, Pioneer Pastures has introduced the first ultra filtered milk with A2 protein. Let me know if you’ve seen it on your shelves!
