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One of my readers suggested that I tell you about the absolute need to buy organic milk vs. regular milk. The truth of the matter is that there is a lot of controversy surrounding this topic. I decided to summarize what I found and let you make your own "educated" choice.

One of the reasons organic milk causes such a heated debate is because it is so expensive. Organic milk can cost almost double what regular milk costs. Is it really worth the extra money? And, why does it cost so much?

First, let me explain the differences between organic milk and regular milk. Organic milk is milk obtained from cows that have been fed pasture grass, and have also been brought up without being given any hormones or antibiotics. If an organic cow gets sick and absolutely needs antibiotics, it is removed from the herd for twelve months to make sure the antibiotics have left the body. The pasture grass that they feed on is also grown naturally without any pesticides or fertilizers, and the cows are sent out to pasture and not cooped up inside barns and the like.

The reason organic milk costs more is simple, it costs more to raise organic cows. Everything from bedding to feed to grazing areas has to be organic. Using less cost and time effective ways to raise and milk the cows, purchasing organic feed and allowing more pasture area per cow means more land must be owned and maintained, and less milk produced per unit of land--thus increasing the cost.

Regular milk is obtained from cows that have been fed grain and are given hormones to increase milk production. The feed may be genetically modified and has most likely been sprayed with pesticides. Cows from these dairies are fed in barns and the cows are kept in very small lots where they get very little exercise.

Non-organic cows are given BGH (bovine growth hormone) or rbST (recombinant bovine somatotropin) hormones used to increase milk production in cows. While the USDA and FDA have approved this hormone and claim there are no harmful effects, it has been banned in Europe, Canada, and Japan.

Once injected with the hormones, cows are prone to mastitis--a painful infection in the udder. The cows are then given high doses of antibiotics which are passed along in your milk. With a mastitis infection, pus is emitted into the milk which increases the harmful bacteria count. Although this may be eradicated with pasteurization, just the thought of drinking pus and/or antibiotics turns my stomach.

Many health advocates are concerned that consuming antibiotics may make the public immune to necessary antibiotics and may also make you more susceptible to antibiotic-resistant bacteria and diseases. MRSA--an antibiotic resistant staph infection--is an extremely dangerous virus that's becoming more widespread in the United States.

Several concerns have also been raised about hormones in milk. Researchers suspect that the added hormones may raise the risk of hormone-related cancers, or lead to higher levels of insulin-like growth factors linked with colon and breast cancer. Unfortunately no one has stepped up to fund the research necessary to document the long-term effects of these hormones in the human body.

One major advantage of organic milk is that it stays fresh significantly longer than regular pasteurized milk. That is because they use a different pasteurization process to preserve the milk. Organic milk is usually given a ultra high temperature (UHT) treatment, meaning it is heated to 275 degrees for a couple of seconds. This kills all the bacteria in the milk, allowing it to have a longer shelf life than normal pasteurized milk which doesn't eradicate all bacteria. UHT also has a shorter processing time, which reduces the spoiling of nutrients found in the milk.

Finally, a new study has just been published by Newcastle University in the Journal of Science of Food and Agriculture stating that organic milk is healthier for you. The study showed that cows that were allowed to graze naturally produced milk which contained significantly higher beneficial fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins than regular dairy cows that feed out of a trough. It also showed that during summer months, when the cows are eating fresh grass and clover, one of the beneficial fats in particular - conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA9 - is found to be 60% higher in organic milk than regular milk. You can read more on this study here.

In all the research I did, I found a great deal of conflicting stories. The conventional dairy farmers claim that their milk is just as healthy as the organic milk. They also argue that the pasteurization process kills any bacteria or antibiotic residue that makes its way into the milk and that the hormones they use are perfectly safe for human consumption. As true as that may be, I still feel better drinking milk and eating dairy products that come from "happy cows" that have been able to graze and be cows. I also prefer my milk come from cows that are healthy! You will have to decide for yourself if it's worth the extra cost, but for me and my house... Organic Only!!

For money saving tips, organic coupons, and organic co-ops in your area, check out the organics section at GoFitLife.com Also check out PracticalSaver.com for more money saving ideas.