Organic Milk Really Is Better for You

The jury is still out on the health benefits of organic food, but organic milk appears to have some genuine advantages over conventional milk, according to new research. Almost 400 samples of both kinds of milk found that the organic stuff, from cows grazed in grassy pastures, was richer in heart-healthy fatty acids than milk from corn-fed cows, reports NBC. "All milk is healthy and good for people," the lead researcher says, but organic milk has a better balance of omega-3 fatty acids versus omega-6, which has been linked to heart disease when it is too high in the balance.

"There’s really no debate around the world—when you feed dairy cows more grass, you improve the fatty acid profile of milk. You also increase the protein level," says the lead researcher, who suggests people who can't afford organic milk stick to full-fat milk. The study was largely funded by an organic dairy cooperative but experts say the data appears credible, the New York Times notes. Some nutritionists, however, disagree with the way omega-6 acids were viewed as harmful, and questioned whether any milk at all is necessary in an adult diet. (More milk stories.)