Read to know the difference between A1 and A2 Milk in the World Milk day

There is a new hype about the A2 milk which is in simpler terms more desi. In the world milk day,it is good to understand a little more about the complete food we all had learned about from our school days.

All milk contains these five basic components: proteins, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. So, what makes A2 milk different from regular milk or A1 milk? The difference is actually in the composition of its core component: protein. Milk contains two types of proteins-Whey and Casein. Whey is a fast-digesting high-quality protein while Casein is slow digesting. The cows from America, Europe, and Australia, predominantly contains A1 beta-casein, while those found in Brazil, Africa and India, contains A2-beta casein.

Despite the lack of conclusive scientific evidence, several milk companies around the world started marketing A2 milk claiming it to be healthier and free from negative effects. Benefits of A2 -beta Casein milk are getting a new hype highlighting its health benefits and degrading the A1-beta casein milk or simply A1 milk.

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 percent in the five high-yielding milk breeds — Red Sindhi, Gir, Rathi, Sahiwal, and Tharparkar. The availability of A2 protein was found to be 94 percent in the remaining breeds. The NBA study supported that claim the milk being sold in India is safe for human consumption.

Further, one also has to consider the quantity and quality of the Whey protein in A1 milk.A1 milk has more whey protein content than the A2 milk, but the marketing trend masks this aspect and highlights only the health benefits of A2 milk. A demographic study has revealed that the Indian population is highly lactose intolerant. Keeping this fact the consumption of A2 milk or any dairy product is thought to be a major factor for bloating, IBS(Irritable Bowel Syndrome), and diarrhea.

Another popular marketing trend of A2 milk is that it fights cancer, which could be rendered baseless considering the rate of rise of cancer patients in India.