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World Milk Day 2020: What's with all the hype about A2 Milk?

World Milk Day 2020: What's with all the hype about A2 Milk?
Studies have confirmed that Indian native breeds of cows and buffaloes produce A2 milk.

World Milk Day recognizes the importance of milk as a global food. Recently A2 milk has become a popular nutrition trend. But what makes A2 milk different from the regular milk? Should you switch to it? What are the benefits of A2 milk? Read on to get all these questions answered and figure out if this milk is worth the hype or not.

Written by Longjam Dineshwori |Updated : June 1, 2020 2:08 PM IST

The benefits of A2 milk is a widely discussed and debated topic among the nutritionists. If you're thinking to switch to A2 milk, you need to understand what it is actually and how it is different from the regular milk. Today is World Milk Day, which is celebrated every year on June 1 to recognize the importance of milk as a global food, and to celebrate the dairy sector. It was established by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations 20 years ago. Each year since, the Organisation has been actively promoting the benefits of milk and dairy products around the world.

The theme of this year is the 20th Anniversary of World Milk Day. The organisation encourages people to talk about the benefits of dairy with regards to health and nutrition, affordability and accessibility, and the sector's commitment to feeding our communities. Keeping this in view, we have made an effort to help you understand the hype about A2 milk.

Milk is one of the most nutritious drinks. You will find different types of milk available in the markets today. But every form of milk contains these five basic components: proteins, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. So, what makes A2 milk different from the regular milk? The difference is actually in the composition of its core component: protein.

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There are two main types of proteins in milk casein and whey. While whey protein is known as fast digesting protein, Casein is called as a slow digesting protein. About 80% of milk protein is casein. Whey protein contains mainly lactoglobulin, lactoalbumin, and immunoglobulin forms, which help in improving our immunity. On the other hand, Casein has various isoforms, out of which -casein is mainly found in the milk of cows, buffaloes and other mammals. Again, this -casein has 15 isoforms, out of which A1 and A2 are major variants. Several studies have suggested that the A2 -casein is healthier than A1 -casein, and thus the trend for A2 milk started.

A1 vs A2 milk: Which one should you take?

Usually cows originated from America, Europe and Australia, predominantly contains A1 beta-casein, while those that found in Brazil, Africa and India, contains A2-beta casein.

Some theories suggest that A1 - casein might be a risk factor for type 1 diabetes and coronary heart disease. This protein variant is also linked to adverse gastrointestinal effect of milk consumption or post-dairy digestive discomfort. On its digestion, A1 protein gets converted into - casomorphin-7 (BCM 7), which is believed to be the cause of all this adverse effect. Peptides like BCM-7 are believed to play a role in autism and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). However, the scientific community believes the evidence suggesting the negative health effects of A1 protein is insufficient and inconclusive.

Despite the lack of conclusive scientific evidence, several milk companies around the world started marketing A2 milk claiming it to be heathier and free from negative effects.

Studies have confirmed that Indian native breeds of cows and buffaloes produce A2 milk. Therefore, there is no need for consumers to switch to the branded version of A2 milk. The National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources (NBAGR), Karnal, found that the frequency of A2 protein was 100 per cent in the five high-yielding milk breeds Red Sindhi, Gir, Rathi, Shahiwal and Tharparkar. The availability of A2 protein was found to be 94 per cent in the remaining breeds. The NBAGR study supported that claim the milk being sold in India is safe for human consumption.

A2 milk benefits

Unlike A1 milk, A2 milk is easy to digest and doesn't have side effects. Since it contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, it's also claimed to be healthier than A1 milk. Omega 3 helps in cleaning cholesterol deposits in blood vessels. Also, in A2 milk contains cerebrosides, which is known to boost brain power. The strontium in A2 milk helps boost immunity and protect the body from harmful radiation. According to some theories, A2 protein in cow's milk has anti-cancer properties.

One study in Chinese found that A2 milk led to significantly less digestive discomfort after meals than A1 milk. However, children who are lactose intolerant still need to refrain from consuming A2 milk or any dairy products. Lactose intolerance is the inability to fully digest milk sugar (lactose) and it is a common cause of bloating, gas, and diarrhoea.