Eat and drink to feel our best
We all want to be eating and drinking the things that make us feel our best and keep our bodies happy and healthy, while a concern for the environment and animal welfare is also a high priority.
We are proud to work alongside the dedicated family at Ivy House Farm whose organic Jersey dairy herd keeps us stocked with the finest milk, cream and butter we’ve ever tasted. Their ethos, their approach to land stewardship and above all the care and love they offer their cows, is incredibly important to us, and we believe contributes towards a much tastier, nutritionally beneficial product.
So what are these health benefits?
New research led by Newcastle University, released in 2016, has shown that both organic milk and meat contain around 50% more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than conventionally farmed products. Omega-3 fatty acids are “essential” as they cannot be produced by the body so must be consumed in our food. They are believed to help prevent heart disease and stroke, help ease inflammation as well as play a protective role against cancer and other conditions.
The largest study of its kind, data from nearly 200 research papers on milk unearthed clear differences in the nutritional content of organic milk.
The differences were particularly distinct in terms of fatty acids composition and concentration of certain minerals and antioxidants. For instance, drinking half a litre of organic whole milk provides around 39mg or 16% of the recommended daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids, while conventional whole milk provides just 25mg. Of note, the switch from conventional to organic would raise this nutritional intake without increasing calories or undesirable saturated fat levels.
Organic milk was also shown to contain higher levels of iron and antioxidants such as vitamin E and carotenoids. These antioxidants help to prevent cell damage throughout the body and are thought to help protect against a range of chronic conditions including heart problems, cancer, vision loss amongst others.
The study also linked these health benefits to outdoor grazing and low concentrate feeding in dairy herds, something our organic farmers are fierce advocates of.
We would always encourage an active interest in the provenance and health implications of food we eat. There is a plethora of information out there. Although much of the internet has an opinion on diet and nutrition, there are many reputable sources conducting meaningful research. Newcastle University’s 2016 study is just one of these and we’ll keep an eye out for more.
You can always keep up to date with the latest research on organics via the Soil Association’s website.
