What about pastured dairy?Don’t be confused—pastured is not the
same as pasteurized. Pastured refers to the
way the animal was raised (mostly outside on
pasture) and the food it was fed (in the case of
cows, grass). Pasteurization is a process by
which milk is heated, then cooled, in an effort
to delay spoilage by discouraging microbial
growth.
Cows raised in a natural environment and
fed a natural diet are inherently healthier. A
pastured (and ideally organic) dairy product
will contain a larger percentage of healthy fats
like conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and
omega-3 fatty acids and a healthier essential-
fatty-acid balance. In addition, pastured dairy
contains larger amounts of carotenoids (a
class of antioxidants) and vitamins A and E,
compared with conventional dairy. Finally,
pastured, full-fat dairy will not contain
protein remnants from a grain-based diet,