Do Grass-Fed Milk and Butter Taste Better? A Review of Rolling Meadow Dairy

Health experts have been extolling the health benefits of grass fed beef for years—for good reason. Compared to beef from conventionally raised cows, grass fed beef is leaner, and contains far more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and CLA (conjugate linoleic acid) than standard supermarket beef. Why is that important you ask? Omega-3s have been shown to help reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), neurological disorders, inflammatory conditions and more, and antioxidants are potent free radical scavengers that can help us stave off many forms of cancer.   CLA is no slouch when it comes to protecting our health either—studies show it too can help prevent cancer and CVD, in addition to helping us maintain a healthy weight.

Reading this you may wonder—“what about other products from grass fed cows—like milk and butter—do they too confer superior health benefits”? Yes, indeed they do. Several studies confirm the fact that grass fed dairy delivers a far more powerful nutritional punch than conventional dairy. Grass feeding improves the quality of cow’s milk, and makes the milk richer in omega-3 fats, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and CLA. Unfortunately, until now, grass fed milk and butter have not been widely available to health conscious consumers in Canada, as grass feeding is not a standard practice in Canadian agriculture. Thankfully, things are slowly changing and the folks at Rolling Meadow Dairy are leading the charge. And to my delight, they’ve made their über delicious and nutritious grass fed dairy products available at select stores across Vancouver Island.

So of course I simply had to try them. I was curious—would their taste prove to be as superior as their nutritional profile? With this question firmly in my mind I headed to Lifestyle Markets and selected two Rolling Meadow’s products—the 2L 2% milk and a half pound of salted butter. So what was the verdict—was there a marked taste difference—does grass fed dairy confer superior taste, as well as nutrition? To sum it up in today’s prose, I’ll answer that question with a decided “oh yeah baby—big time! “Let me start with the milk. It has a refreshing “live” taste that just made my body feel good. I’ve never been one to enjoy a glass of milk on its own, or partake of it straight from the carton. However, I found myself doing both with Rolling Meadow’s Dairy milk.   It really IS that good. And the butter—oh I could “wax poetic” on the butter for days. It doesn’t just taste better than butter from grain fed cows—it also boasts a far creamier texture and “mouth feel”. In fact, I found it almost irresistible—I literally had to stop myself from eating it straight from the spoon. What’s more, when I used it to make my favorite biscuits, I noticed they were flakier, fluffier and just well, more buttery.

There is one drawback, however, I’d be amiss not to point out. All this incomparable nutrition and taste doesn’t come cheap. Grass fed dairy IS more expensive than its conventional counterpart. You must remember though, you’re paying a bit extra to: enhance your health; delight your palate; and support Canadian producers who are committed to ethical, environmentally friendly, sustainable farming practices. For me personally, the small extra cost is worth it. Armed with the knowledge of its superior health benefits, and with its sublime taste profoundly etched in my mind and taste buds, I will never go back to dairy from “banned-to-the-barn” cows—i’ll be sticking with the grass fed variety. I give Rolling Meadow Dairy products a HUGE “Good-for-You” thumbs up and urge you to give them a try and experience the grass fed difference yourself. I’m sure you’ll agree, grass fed dairy is simply moov-elous!

Where to Buy

Rolling Meadow’s dairy products are available @ Lifestyle Markets in Victoria and Sidney, Peppers and .Mother’s Nature Market in Victoria and Sidney. In Vancouver at select Choices and Whole Foods

For more information and BC locations please visit: http://www.rollingmeadowdairy.com/

Study links and more info on grass fed dairy.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/expert-answers/grass-fed-beef/faq-20058059

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16702259

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0082429

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10531600/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10386321

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/25/why-free-range-milk-is-good-for-you