Do you remember your parents or grandparents talking about the “milkman”? The one who brought glass bottles of fresh milk to their house every day?
The local farmer would package her milk in glass bottles and the milkman would deliver it in a truck, leaving the fresh bottles in the box by the door and picking up the old bottles. Then he’d move on to the neighbors.
Over time, as people moved into the suburbs, the distance between houses increased, making the milkman’s route much longer and less cost-efficient. At the same time, refrigerators came into use and dairy farming practices changed.
Dairy cows that used to graze on organic green grass and eat hay in the winter were now herded into huge barns and fed grain grown with chemical pesticides and fertilizers.
Eventually, nearly everyone got their milk at the grocery store, and grass-fed organic milk, along with the milkman who delivered it, became a thing of the past.
But in recent years, a revival has begun.
An increasing number of farmers are letting their herds out of the barns again and returning them to pasture. This is great news for the cows, who are healthier, and for the consumers, who get milk with better quality and taste.
Just as exciting as the revival of pastured dairy is a recent discovery about milk protein. Scientists have discovered what causes the irritation so many people experience when they drink milk.
It’s a specific protein found in modern milk supplies, called A1 beta-casein.
Many people find that when they try milk that comes from cows bred for a different protein, A2 beta-casein, they are able to enjoy milk again.
Here’s what scientists have found…
Why Milk Sometimes Causes Digestive Discomfort
Milk is a nutritional superfood, offering protein, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, B vitamins, iodine, healthy fats and amino acids.
But many people find that when they drink it, their digestion goes haywire, with bloating, gas, discomfort and other problems.
For a long time, experts pointed to natural milk sugar, lactose or the milk proteins, whey or casein, as the culprits.
People with lactose intolerance are unable to fully digest the lactose in milk because they lack the enzyme lactase.
The condition affects about 36% of Americans, including about 80% of African Americans and Native Americans. People in this situation can take supplemental lactase to enjoy milk.
In the case of suspected milk protein intolerance, those who are highly sensitive should carefully avoid it. However, in many cases, the discomfort people feel after consuming milk may have nothing to do with lactose.
Instead, there is a common protein found in most of today’s milk that may be the main cause for these uncomfortable symptoms…
There Are 209 Amino Acids in the Beta-Casein Chain – And This One Makes All the Difference
The protein in cow’s milk consists of two types: whey and casein. The primary protein is known as beta-casein.
Beta-casein protein comes in two forms, A1 and A2, that affect your body differently. Most of modern-day cow’s milk is a combination of A1 and A2, often referred to as “A1/A2.”
The 209 amino acids on their protein chains are exactly the same, except for one…
At the 67th amino acid in the chain, A1 has a histidine, while A2 has a proline. And unfortunately, that histidine can cause quite a bit of trouble.
When the A1 protein is digested in your small intestine, it produces a peptide called beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7). Peptides are small chains of amino acids.
This BCM-7 can cause inflammation in your gut lining, stomach discomfort and other symptoms similar to those experienced by people with lactose intolerance.
The structure of A2 protein, on the other hand, is similar to that of the protein found in milk from goats, sheep and buffalo, as well as in human milk. This protein is much easier for humans to digest.
Historically, cows produced milk that contained only the A2 form of beta-casein. However, over time, a genetic mutation occurred that produced the A1 beta-casein variation, resulting in cows with both proteins.
That’s why most cow’s milk today, whether it’s from your local grocery store, or even from a local organic dairy, is predominantly A1/A2 milk, which means it contains both.
Fortunately, a family dairy in California heard about this scientific discovery, and they got to work breeding an alternative…
From The Rich Green Pastures of Northern California… A2 Organic Milk, Easy on Your Digestion
Located in Northern California just minutes from the ocean, the Alexandre Family Farm™ is one of a kind. For decades, the proprietors have farmed organically, building up their soils with rich natural fertilizers.
When they learned about the benefits of A2 milk, they decided to breed the A1 beta-casein out of their herd. The result is that today, they have a 100% A2 herd producing 100% A2 organic milk, allowing thousands of people to enjoy dairy again.
We’re excited to partner with Alexandre Family Farm to bring you Solspring® Organic A2 Dry Whole Milk, a convenient way to enjoy their exceptional milk any time.
The Alexandres have been committed to regenerative farming practices since their farm’s founding. These practices help restore life to the soil and sequester carbon to help with climate change.
They also produce milk with a rich, creamy taste that is easier to digest.
Bringing the benefits of this top-quality milk home to your family, Solspring® Organic A2 Dry Whole Milk…
- Is available in two smooth soy- and gluten-free flavors – Original and Chocolate.
- Provides a convenient way to enjoy the highest quality milk available.
- Offers the excellent nutritional properties of milk without the potential digestive woes caused by A1 beta-casein.
- Is produced using low heat production methods for enzyme and flavor retention.
- Can be used in a variety of delicious ways – Add it to smoothies, stir it into oatmeal or use it in pancake batter to boost the protein and nutrition content. Use it in any recipe calling for milk, such as sauces, gravies, mashed potatoes, as a creamer for your coffee or tea.
Solspring® Organic A2 Dry Whole Milk powders easily reconstitute into rich, delicious milk, making them convenient choices for baking and travel.
Organic A2 Dry Whole Milk - Chocolate is smooth and delicious, free of the A1 protein, soy, artificial sweeteners and other additives common in commercial chocolate milk drinks.
Non-Organic Dairy’s Toxic Load and How to Avoid It
Eating organic is a great strategy for decreasing your body’s toxic load – it helps you avoid exposure to toxic pesticide residues.
It’s also helpful for improving your nutrient intake, since organic foods tend to test higher for many nutrients than their conventional counterparts.
And while organic is important for produce, it’s essential for animal products.
When you consume meat or dairy products, you’re getting a concentrated dose of everything the animal ate. Testing has repeatedly found pesticides in conventional milk products.
Not only that, but growth hormones and antibiotics are regularly found as well. In fact, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that around 35% of an adult’s daily intake of toxic dioxins comes from dairy products. It’s even higher for children.
To compound the risk, common organophosphate, organochlorine and pyrethroid pesticides are lipophilic, which means they dissolve – and accumulate – in fat.
This makes whole milk, with its delicious and healthy fat content, a concentrated source of these bioaccumulative toxins.
By contrast, organic milk production standards forbid the use of antibiotics, growth hormones and feed treated with pesticides, so they never contain any of these.
But while organic standards are a start, in some cases, loopholes in the certification requirements lead to big CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations) getting an “organic” stamp on their milk – even though their cows are mostly confined in barns.
That’s why, for our Solspring® Organic A2 Dry Whole Milk, we sought out a farm that’s not only certified organic but certifiably committed to regenerative pasture-based practices…
A Farm Steeped in Family Tradition, Committed to Regenerative Grass-Fed Farming
Other than a few months of the year when it’s too wet, the Alexandre Family Farm’s dairy cows graze year-round in open green organic pastures.
Located in Humboldt County, California, where the redwoods meet the sea, the temperate weather allows for the soil, land and pasture to flourish every day of the year.
Cool seasonal grasses and legumes thrive, with cows enjoying a richly varied diet including perennial, annual and Italian Ryegrass, red clover, New Zealand white clover, plantain and chicory.
Care of these grasses forms the basis of health, for both the cows and the land.
Cows are naturally designed to eat grass. While they have the ability to digest grain, the process evolved as a backup for when their normal food – grass – is scarce, not to be their everyday digestive process.
A cow fed a regular diet of grain has to switch to a whole different digestion process, one that requires ten times more stomach acid.
This changes the natural microbe ecosystem in the cow’s digestive tract, impacting her health with problems like bloat, acidosis… and early death.
By contrast, a grass-fed cow enjoys normal, healthy digestion and a healthy lifespan. She also consumes the balance of nutrients nature designed for her, passing the benefits on to you. Milk from grass-fed cows…
- Is richer, with a higher fat content.
- Provides higher amounts of vitamins A and E.
- Contains higher levels of isoflavones, lignans and trace minerals.
- Contains higher levels of CLA and omega-3 fatty acids, with a healthy 1:1 balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
All of this combines to make Solspring® Organic A2 Dry Whole Milk rich and nutritious, with health-promoting fatty acids and great flavor.
The Alexandre’s depth of commitment to family tradition and regenerative organic farming is described by the Cornucopia Institute as, “Exemplary – beyond organic.”
How “Regenerative Organic” Restores Life to the Soil and Makes Great Milk
The Alexandres’ commitment was recently recognized in a big way as their farm was awarded status as the first Regenerative Organic Certified dairy farm in the U.S.
This means the certifying body, Regenerative Organic Alliance, recognizes that the farm meets high standards for ecosystem health, animal welfare and fair labor practices.
Regenerative Organic practices improve the biology of the soil and the farm ecosystem while sequestering carbon to help the environment. Regenerative farmers rarely plow, till, or disc their fields. To improve soil fertility, they use composted farm manure to apply nutrients on a seasonal basis.
Everything that’s done on the farm is focused on feeding and protecting the microbes responsible for producing most of the nutrients in the soil. Microbes break down organic matter in the soil, releasing carbon and nutrients for plants to take up.
The Alexandre’s own EcoDairy™ seal represents the family’s longtime commitment to the highest quality dairy products through regenerative farming practices, including:
- Animal Feeding – Livestock is raised and fed on organic pastures.
- Animal Health – Compassionate, humane treatment of animals is a priority, ensured through a third-party certification program, Certified Humane.
- Animal Genetics – The farm is dedicated to producing only A2 milk.
- Holistic Farming – Management practices that focus on biodiversity are applied at the micro-level to grass varieties and microbes in the soil, enriching biodiversity at the macro-level in plant and animal species across the farm.
- Green Grass 365 – “Living” green grasses are available every day of the year, supporting the farm’s commitment to 100% grass-fed cows.
- Sustainability – The Alexandres work to increase biomass in the soil every year, helping sequester carbon in the soil to aid in reversing climate change.
All of this conscientious management leads to happy, healthy cows that produce amazing milk. And we are excited to bring that milk to you with Solspring® Organic A2 Dry Whole Milk.
Enjoy the Creamy Nutrition of Organic A2 Milk Produced on the Rich Pastures of Northern California
Loaded with calcium, magnesium, phosphate, iodine and vitamins A, D and E, along with B vitamins, quality fats and amino acids, whole milk is a rich and nutritious food.
Made by nature with a beautiful balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates, it supplies a healthy source of energy in a delicious, creamy package.
We’re pleased to bring you the highest-quality milk available with Solspring® Organic A2 Dry Whole Milk, in Original and Chocolate flavors.
Exclusively produced by lucky cows who graze year-round on Regenerative Organic Certified pastures, this milk brings you additional benefits with digestion-friendly A2 proteins only.
Enjoy the creamy taste and nutrition of milk again, and help cultivate a healthier world. Order Solspring® Organic A2 Dry Whole Milk – Original or Chocolate – today.