Preliminary evidence from a recent European-wide study on Quality Low Input Food (QLIF) has found that levels of antioxidants in milk produced by organically-raised cattle were 50 to 80 percent higher than in normal milk, just as organically-grown wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, onions and lettuce delivered 20 to 40 percent more antioxidants than non-organic produce. Higher levels of other nutrients, such as iron, zinc and vitamin E, also showed up in the findings.

With sales of pasteurized organic milk on the upswing, Dr. Joseph Mercola, founder of a natural health website, reports that more local dairies nationwide also are offering unpasteurized, or raw, milk to meet demand. Proponents like raw milk’s easy-to-digest amino acids, proteins and enzymes, many of which would be destroyed by pasteurization. Some states have, nevertheless, banned raw milk; for discussion of the issue, start with RealMilk.com.

Natural milk activist Rahman Dalrymple notes that, in any case, it’s crucial to know the source of the milk: the health of the animals, how they are fed (organic green grass versus starchy grains), where they are confined (clean pastures or manure-laden pens) and how the milk is collected.

Sources: QLIF.org, Mercola.com, Raw-Milk-Facts.com