Whether it comes from a carton, a glass jar, or a plastic jug, cow’s milk is generally what most people are used to drinking. Did you know there are different kinds of milk? So, with so many different kinds of milk in grocery stores how do we know which ones to choose?

• Soy Milk – Made from an extract of soy beans and is typically mixed with water and a natural sweetener.
• Rice Milk – Made from a mixture of partially milled rice and water.
• Organic Milk – Comes from cows that have been fed organic feed, roam freely, or graze on pesticide free grass.
• Raw Milk – Comes from cows but is not pasteurized.

Cow’s milk is generally pasteurized but some people believe that you should try raw cow’s milk to ensure you are getting as many nutrients as possible. Pasteurization is the process that kills all of the harmful bacteria in raw milk by heating it to a specific temperature for a specific amount of time. Pasteurization was developed by Louis Pasteur in 1864, as a means of killing organisms responsible for diseases like typhoid fever, tuberculosis, and diphtheria.

Cow’s milk that has been pasteurized offers 9 essential nutrients such as:

• Calcium                          
• Protein
• Potassium
• Phosphorus
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin A
• Riboflavin (B2)
•  Niacin

What if you’re a vegan or your poor tummy can’t digest cow’s milk? There are a a lot of different choices. We suggest trying rice milk or soy milk.

Soy milk is dairy-free and made from an extract of soy beans. It is typically mixed with water and a natural sweetener so it tastes and looks similar cow’s milk. Soy milk often has calcium and vitamin D added to it to increase its nutritional value.

Rice milk is also dairy-freeand is made from a mixture of partially milled rice and water. It often has vitamin A, vitamin D, B vitamins, calcium and iron added to enhance its nutritional benefits.

No matter what you choose,it is important to keep a balanced diet. To get the full benefits of cow’s milk and these nine essential nutrients, the USDA recommends adults and children to consume two to three servings of milk (or cheese or yogurt) each day. A serving size is 1 cup of milk or yogurt, 1.5 ounces of natural cheese or 2 ounces of processed cheese.

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