A2 Milk May Be Easier To Digest

A2 Milk May Be Easier To Digest Milk cartons with A2 on them are becoming more common, even prominent, on store shelves. Entire dairies are selecting replacement stock that can produce A2 milk. So, what is A2 and why should you care? Consumers are increasingly showing a preference for A2 milk based on reports that it causes fewer digestion problems. This is particularly important for individuals with lactose intolerance, who are unable to fully digest the sugar (lactose) in milk. They can have diarrhea, gas and bloating after eating or drinking dairy products. According to Brad Heins, assistant professor and extension specialist at the University of Minnesota, it’s all about the proteins. He was recently quoted in an article in Hoard’s Dairyman on the subject. He explained that fluid milk proteins are mainly beta-casein and whey. Beta-casein takes several forms, commonly either A1 or A2. Cows produce milk with either A1, A2 or both proteins. Both A1 and A2 proteins consist of a chain of 209 amino acids, the building blocks of protein. However, one of the amino acids in the chain differs. A1 milk has a histidine amino acid in the 67th position, and A2 milk has a proline amino acid there. When A1 milk is digested or made into cheese, it creates the peptide BCM-7. The proline amino acid in A2 milk doesn’t. While the science is clear to this point, researchers have not been able to prove that the difference matters. According to an article in the April 2020 Journal of Food Engineering and Technology, BCM-7 has been found to have some minor effects on the gut movements and inflammation of animals, but not conclusively in humans. However, many consumers of A2 milk report that it’s more digestible. To attract those consumers, the dairy industry markets milk containing just A2 protein separately from standard fluid milk. Their ability to do so has been aided by genetic selection. Genomic testing can identify which protein the cows will produce. Bulls that sire calves that’ll produce A2 protein can also be selected. Certain breeds like Guernsey and Jersey are also more prone to producing A2 milk. However, the industry is rapidly moving to the selection of A2 production, regardless of breed. Heins noted that artificial insemination studs (companies) increasingly offer only A2 bulls. He suggested that it’s hard to find a bull that isn’t A2. As a result, it’ll likely be just a matter of years before all milk is A2. Again, does it matter? The only way to know is to try the two different types for yourself...while there still are two different types.

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