Is A1 Milk Injurious to Our Health? | Why Is A1 Milk Criticized?
Is all milk created equal? Why is A1 milk criticized? Is A1 milk bad for our health?
As a gal raised on a farm I hesitate to admit that I was gobsmacked to learn that, well, milk isn’t just milk. Who knew? Now that I have learned this I will share it with you.
What is A1 milk and why is it considered unhealthy? Is A2 milk significantly more expensive, and why?
Why is A2 milk so expensive?
Is A1 Milk Bad for Our Health?
First, let’s learn how to differentiate between A2 and A1 milk.
Milk has been a drink choice for young and old for centuries. Sources include cows, sheep, camels, goats, and more. For those who do not enjoy the taste, are allergic to animal milks, or know how bad milk is for health, there are other options such as soy, coconut, oat, almond, flax, rice, and hemp—some of which are worse than either form of dairy milk!
Recently there has been a huge buzz about a new kind of cow’s milk called A2 milk. Those who are unable to tolerate regular milk might like to hear that A2 milk is easier to digest and absorb than other milk.
Natural raw cows milk is 85% water and lactose or milk sugar. Fat, protein, and minerals make up the remaining 15%. Approximately 30% of the protein is called beta casein and the remainder is whey. There are two variants of casein, these being A1 and A2. These affect the body differently. One form can trigger disease, while the other provides health benefits and triggers less disease.
We will start with A1 milk.
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Why Is A1 Milk Criticized?
A1 milk is produced mostly by Holstein cows and contains both A1 and A2 casein. Casein is said to aid in the development of autoimmune and chronic diseases as well as Type 1 diabetes. If you have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, A1 milk can be problematic. A1 milk is more difficult to digest and contributes to intolerance
to dairy products.
A2 milk is usually obtained from older breeds of cows such as Jerseys. Not all A2 milk contains only A2 casein. Read your labels. They must claim that they are 100% A2. Those with gluten sensitivity can usually tolerate this type of milk. A recent research study found that when A2 casein is digested it forms different compounds with different functions from those formed when A1 is digested. For example, A1 compounds can contribute to disease and aging. A2 compounds contain anti-
hypertensive and antioxidant properties.
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Why Is A2 Milk So Expensive?
With A2 dairy there is a lower incidence of gastrointestinal issues as opposed to A1 which causes
delayed transit through the gastrointestinal tract, loose stools, and digestive discomfort. Switching from A1 to A2 milk resulted in reduced symptoms of a milk intolerance in preschoolers. This, in turn, caused improvement in cognitive ability.
Another study found that A2 milk drinkers presented with far less bloating, gastric disturbances, and stomach pain.
The structure of A2 protein is more comparable to human breast milk, goat, sheep, and buffalo milks. If casein is the “only bad guy” of dairy for you, it might be
advisable to try A2 if you just do not want to go completely dairy free. It is even possible to get A2 beta-casein cheese.
As with anything that is less likely to land you in a hospital than it’s cheaper counterparts, A2 milk can be significantly more expensive than A1 milk, as it probably should be.
Do Non-Bovine Animals Produce A2 Milk?
Becoming more and more popular, A2 milk can be obtained from goats and sheep as well as the A2 genotype cows. It is also available in most grocery store chains,
and health food stores. It is usually labelled as A2 protein milk.
One disclaimer:
A2 milk still contains lactose and milk protein, so those with lactose intolerance, galactosemia, or a milk allergy should not drink it. It is advisable to turn to healthy non-dairy alternatives in this case.
Is drinking milk bad for the environment? No, “gl0bal w@rming” is an absolute crock.
Bottom Line
So, why is A1 milk criticized as being bad for health? And why is A2 milk significantly more expensive?
Well, the truth is that no dairy milk is great for humans, despite a couple of potential, minor benefits. Too much milk will 
actually rob our bones of calcium and cause a plethora of other health issues in the long run.
But if you can’t live without it, buy A2 milk. It is probably healthier than almond or soy milk, despite the popularity of the milk substitutes. There is very little actual almond in most almond milk and why you should never feed a baby soy
As mentioned above, there are some okay non-dairy milk alternatives in health food stores or online. Just know that you have to be very cautious. Just because something is fashionable doesn’t mean it is good.
I hope this has given you milk lovers an alternative to enjoy if you just cannot tolerate regular milk, or at least A1 milk. There are ways to still enjoy a cool glass of milk or a dollop in your coffee, tea, or cocoa.
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Cheers, JD!
I didn’t know there were different types of milk to choose from. It’s interesting that A1 is a bad choice of milk though. A2 sounds like an ideal choice of milk to choose from, since it’s also easy to digest as well, which is great before sleeping as well! From now, I’ll try to look for A2-type milk. Thank you for sharing this info. Happy holidays!
Glad you found the article helpful.
Cheers!
I am an intense lover of milk. I never knew there are two distinct types of milk. Thank you for coming up with the A1 and A2 milk. Most important is your highlight on the problematic nature of A1 milk and its ability to contribute to type 1 diabetes. I have a family history of diabetes. So we will do our best to avoid the A1 milk
Thanks, Alice. That is a good point, isn’t it… about why do humans feed their babies cow milk? I quit drinking milk a long time ago, because of horror stories I heard about how it is processed, etc. But like you, I will still put it in my coffee sometimes!
I am well aware that I have lactose intolerance, but I still choose to drink milk. No matter what kind of hot drink I have — coffee, tea, chocolate, etc, I need to pour in even just a teaspoon of milk. I guess you can classify me under those who can’t live without milk ☺. You see, for me, it’s not just the taste but it’s me knowing that there is milk in my drink, lol. Alternatively, I drink soya milk, even though it costs relatively more than regular milk.
Generally, we think that milk is good for our health because of its calcium content. Reading your post made me think really hard about what milk really does for us. I am reminded of a local commercial that encourages moms to breastfeed their babies. It says, “Cows give their babies cow’s milk, cats give their kitten’s cat’s milk, and so do dogs and other animals. So, why do humans give their infants cow’s milk?”
It makes sense, right? Why should humans consume dairy products? Thanks for this post; the next time I go milk shopping, I will check the label whether it is A1 or A2.