Digesting dairy: What’s the difference between A2 and ordinary milk?
Monday,November27th,2017
As lactose-free, soy and nut milks become more common household staples, there is another variety of milk that is becoming increasingly popular — A2 milk.
The milk is promoted and sold in supermarkets as an alternative for people who struggle to digest common varieties of cows’ milk.
At $4.80 for two litres, consumers are paying more for A2 milk in the hope it won’t upset their stomach — so what’s the difference between A2 and other milk?
What exactly is A2 milk?
Over the past decade The a2 Milk Company, commonly known as a2, has become a major milk player in Australia with about 10 per cent of the market.
The New Zealand-based company owns the patent to the method for identifying the A2 milk cows, meaning it’s the only brand that can sell milk with the A2 label.
A2 refers to the beta-casein proteins found in milk.
Depending on a cow’s genetic make-up, it can produce either completely A1 beta-casein, a combination of both, or completely A2 beta-casein.
The two proteins alleles are almost identical but there are small variations and, while there is no strong scientific research, there is anecdotal evidence to suggest milk containing just the A2 protein is easier for some people to digest.
Natasha Murray is an accredited practising dietitian for Dietitians Association of Australia and said there was some — but not much — evidence showing the A2 protein was easier for people to digest.
“I’ve had a number of clients [with troubles digesting milk] say the A2 milk works better for them,” she said.
As lactose-free, soy and nut milks become more common household staples, there is another variety of milk that is becoming increasingly popular — A2 milk.
