Striving4Zen

Yes. In fact, it's not surprising that dairy products are often the first foods shoppers buy when converting to organic. Frequently, parents find out about growth hormones in conventional dairy products — and they certainly don't want to expose their kids. Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH, aka rBST) has been associated with an increase in certain cancers, such as prostate, breast, lung, and colon. Although there isn't clear-cut proof that rBGH causes cancer, substantial evidence links rBGH with increased IGF-1, a hormone associated with higher cancer rates, says Martin Donahoe, MD, a member of Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility. Organic dairy is free of these hormones.

You might also buy organic dairy products to avoid antibiotics — which conventional cows are given prophylactically — and concentrated servings of chemicals originating from a dairy cow's diet. As with organic beef cattle, organic dairy cows are not allowed to eat feed that has been grown with pesticides. Many toxins — such as pesticides — are lipophilic, or “fat-loving,” so they accumulate in the animals' fatty tissues and are then released into their milk. Toxins can then pass into any products made from that milk, including butter, cheese, and yogurt.

Source

Labels: Dairy, hormones, organic, organic milk, pesticides, toxins