Should You Buy Organic Dairy for Oral Health?
What does “organic” mean?
Organic dairy means that over 95% of the product should be free from the following:
- Certain Pesticides (some approved ones are allowed)
- Chemical fertilizers/ dyes
- Genetic engineering
- Irradiation
- Antibiotics
- GMO
When choosing milk or dairy, what should you look for?
Dairy is an important part of overall health. Dairy contains rich calcium and vitamin D to fortify bones. At ProGrin Dental, we believe that dairy is an important part of oral health. Without strong bones, we could not chew our food adequately. Many people wonder what kind of dairy is the healthiest to buy. Should you buy organic dairy or non-organic dairy? We tell our patients it all depends on their budget and their priorities. According to studies, organic foods are not nutritionally more valuable than non-organic foods. However, organic farms generally have a much smaller carbon footprint and model a more ethical way of treating animals. Many studies do point to the fact that organic products may avoid some harmful chemicals. If you are looking for more nutrition, you probably should not spend the money on organic. If you want to support more ethical farming practices and avoid chemicals/ antibiotics, you may want to purchase organic. If you choose to go the organic dairy route, here are a few other things you will need to be on the lookout for:
- rGBH free
- Grass-fed (does not include chemical feed)
- Local (small farms)
- BPA free containers
- Low heat pasteurization (or raw)
- Pasture Raised
- No Growth Hormones in the animal
- No additives (carrageenan and gums)
What’s the verdict for organic dairy vs. non-organic?
We recommend sticking to dairy that is free of hormones and humanely treated. Buying organic dairy is ideal, but if it does not fit into your budget, the list above contains some important elements to look for.
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