What is A2 milk and why is it better?
The common source of cow’s milk in the UK is from Freesian and Holstein cattle herds. These are the familiar black and white cows. The milk protein is known as A1 and when it breaks down in the gut into smaller amino acid chains it can then be absorbed and used to build the child’s muscle and bone, or other protein structure. The A1 is a mutation and one of the breakdown chains is called BCM-7 (beta caso morphine 7) and this acts as a molecule in the brain and in other tissues a little like morphine. Science research shows this BCM7 protein builds up in certain children, and is associated with behavioural problems, type 1 diabetes, atopic eczema and autism. Some children are not affected at all by the BCM7 protein chain, but for those who are affected, it is deadly. A common question parents ask doctors - “Could my child be allergic to milk?” is actually a very significant question. Many children with eczema are taken off all dairy products, as if all have the same problem, when in fact the most harmful milk is A1 cows milk protein.
What can be done about this?
The large majority of parents advised to stop dairy, should really be asked instead to try changing the type of milk to a different species of cow; the smaller brown cow, known as Jersey or Guernsey herds. The are common on the channel islands and in Somerset, they yield a creamy rather tasty milk which is easier to digest. This is known as an A2 milk as it has no milk protein mutation, and does not split into the harmful morphine like chains.
Where do I find A2 milk?
Jersey cows and Guernsey cows’ milk often has a gold top to show that the fatty cream layer is in the milk, and may have a picture of a brown cow on it. Goat’s milk and Sheep’s milk is also A2. Human mother’s produce A2 milk when they are breastfeeding, but mother’s who breast feed their children should also avoid the common pooled cows’ milk (A1) because the 7 chain amino acid can be incorporated into their breast milk.
My usual advice to mothers who have children with eczema, behaviour problems or suspected autism, is to avoid A1 entirely, from milk, yoghurt, cream, ice cream, or any other milk containing product. Their whole family will love the taste of gold top Jersey milk, which is healthy for the whole family. This jersey milk is also the best for fermenting into Kefir, which breaks down the lactose and also the protein chains, and thickens into kefir. Kefir contains billions of the healthy gut bacteria which drive out many harmful bacteria, and have a calming effect on the immune system. Kefir and Jersey milk improves the skin of most children, and there is scientific evidence to back this claim.
