What's preferred: ultra-past. organic milk or regular pasteurized non-organic?

[noobmom]

I'm wondering what's better: ultra-pasteurized organic milk or regular pasteurized non-organic milk (e.g. regular milk you buy the store)? I used to always buy the organic, but I read something about the ultra-past. being either bad for the nutrient content or something similar, I can't remember now.

I have two reasons for asking. Sometimes if I go through a lot of milk in a week I run out of my normal milk, which is pasteurized, non-homogenized, local milk from pastured cows which I buy from a co-op. It's very rare for them to have any milk in the second half of the week. If I go to the grocery store to buy some, my only choices are the ultra-pasteurized organics (Horizon, Organic Valley) or regular milk (PET, Mayfield, store-brand). Whole Foods is almost an hour from my house and although they carry my milk of choice too, that's out of the question if I just need a half-gallon of milk.

The other reason is because I'd like some good info to pass onto friends and family. These are people who would not go the extra mile to buy raw or local milk, so I'm just wondering what's the best choice for them.

Thanks!

[CrunchyChristianMama]

I always say organic for dairy products. Too much of the junk given to non-organic fed cows ends up in the milk. I hate that it's ultra-pat., but would rather that than non-organic.

[luv-my-boys]

I vote for organic milk but personally I stay away from Horizon dairy products. Their "organic" practices have come under scrutiny.

[Cristiaz]

imo, raw is best if its available to you.

[Pepper44]

Have you ever tasted the Horizon milk? I think it tastes TERRIBLE. It doesn't even remotely taste like milk. It smells like something gag inducing and tastes even worse. I've never tried the organic valley kind. I'm not sure if Horizon is disgusting because it's ultra pasteurized or for some other reason.

I drink local unhomogenized milk also. On the occasion that they are sold out of the two types of delicious local milk our Whole Foods has, I will buy regular grocery store milk to cook with if we really need it. I don't think grocery store milk tastes like real milk either, but at least we can smell it without gagging...unlike the Horizon kind.

[fruitfulmomma]

This article might help...
http://www.westonaprice.org/motherli...rizedmilk.html

[snowbunny]

If those were my only options, I'd skip milk altogether. It's not all that necessary and you can get calcium, trace minerals and vitamin D other ways. Raw, organic and grass-fed is choice #1 for us, followed by vat-pasteurized, grass-fed organic. I wouldn't do UHT organic because the high temperature REALLY changes the milk and I wouldn't do non-organic because of the weird crap they feed cows which then can transfer into the milk.

[Seawen]

I liked how this Farm Aid article laid out the whole UHT thing
http://tinyurl.com/mqczgt

[mnnice]

Can you buy Organic Valley gallons in your area? They are not ultrapasturized.

[Holiztic]

I agree about raw, grass-fed organic being the only truly healthy milk.

What you are drinking the first half of the week is certainly second choice.

Here's what I recommend, get some kefir grains, buy extra milk the first half of the week (or periodically when they have it) and make half of it into kefir, which will last for a while in your fridge (no idea how long, we drink ours too fast!) It also brings the nutrition value of your past. milk back up somewhat!

Final thought: UHT (ultra-past) milk is shelf stable--it requires NO refrigeration, they only refrigerate it in the store because they know health conscious "organic" shoppers would be suspicious of milk on the non-fridge shelves with the rice milk, etc. The reason it won't go bad is that NOTHING wants to eat it (as in microbes). Even they know its totally worthless!

[rhiandmoi]

Well, it's shelf stable because it is pasteurized in the container. Once it is open, it will spoil. My WF and Costco both sell Horizon milk in the the rice milk aisle.

[mamadelbosque]

Yeah, OG Valley sells regular pasturized organic milk in gallons, so I'd look for those... failing that, I'd probably just go with regular milk. The huge added cost for organic milk thats really not all that great for you due to ultra pastuerization just doesn't make sense to me.

[punkrockmomma]

I have run into this problem myself. I can only get my raw, organic, grass fed milk once a week. So I would rather have slightly more then I need, then to run out. My DD drinks A LOT of milk, and has been drinking raw milk for a year now, starting right around the time she stopped BFing. I won't allow her to drink any other milk for fear it'll give her a tummy ache. I've actually not given her conventional milk at other peoples houses when she asks for it for this reason. I give her water, or if they have good juice I'll give her some watered down. I would recommend buying a 1/2 gallon more at the beginning of the week so you don't run out.

I don't find either type consumable.