—_— as Regular Milk Or Organic Milk? Which To Choose a, (NAPSA)—Mom wasright when she told you to drink milk. A study recently published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that children with low dietary calcium intake—in other words, kids who consumed less milk and other dairy products—had lower bone density and more bonefractures. Not only that, milk-avoiding children were more overweight and exercised less. Okay, the choice between milk and no milk is easy, but what about organic milk or milk labeled “hormone-free” versus regular milk? Is organic milk worth the extra cost? Roberta Duyff, registered dietitian and author of American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide (2006), advises, “All milk is a safe, healthy choice. Whether you're an expectant mom, a caring parent or just taking care of yourself, know that all milk must pass rigorous safety standards from farm to store.” She offers answers that might help with your shopping decisions: Is organic milk more nourishing for my family than regular milk? Regular and organic milk provide the same unique package of nine essential nutrients, including three that often come up short: calcium, vitamin D and potassium. One cup (8 ounces) of either regular or organic milk provides the same amount of bonebuilding calcium that kids and adults need daily. Both are fortified with vitamin D, which works with calcium. For either type of milk, you can choose whole, lowfat, and fat-free options. On organic milk, what do label claims such as “no antibiotics” or “no hormones” mean? Often confusing and perhaps misleading, they refer to organic farming practices, not to the milk’s quality. “While label claims on car- |@ Paying more for organic milk reflects higher production costs, not safety differences. tons, bottles or jugs of regular and organic milk differ,” says Duyff, “the quality and wholesomenessof the milk inside are the same.” 1. All milk is antibiotic free. Every tank of milk—organic and regular—gets tested before reaching the processing plant. If antibiotics are found, the milk is discarded. 2. Hormones are naturally present in regular and organic milk. Does the extra cost for organic milk mean it’s safer for my kids? “Paying more for organic milk reflects higher production costs, not safety differences,” notes Duyff. All milk must be produced under strict government safety standards, established and monitored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and state regulatory agencies. “As parents, you can feel assured that milk produced with conventional methodsis as safe, pure and nourishing as organically produced milk,” notes Duyff. For more about healthy eating for kids, refer to American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, available at bookstores and www.Amazon.com. For more information about organic versus regular milk, visit www.nationaldairycouncil.org.
