In Which Milk is Better? (Part 1), I decided on the ideal alternative milk for Vee:
- Regular pasteurised whole organic milk from grass-fed cows and/or
- homemade yoghurt made from organic milk from grass-fed cows
- 500 to 600ml (or mg) per day
- plus a multi-vitamin
(Vee’s diet is primarily vegetarian, with one serving of fish about 4 times a week. He also eats eggs about 4 times a week.)
Over the past two months, we have tried six types of dairy products, namely:
- Organic Valley Organic Full Cream Milk
- True Organic Organic Full Cream Milk
- Farmhouse Full Cream Milk
- PURA Milk
- Enfapro A+ Formula Milk Powder
- EasiYo: Bio-Life Organic (Full Cream) Yoghurt
This article compares the nutritional value, cost and other factors of the above products. Except for Enfapro A+ Formula Milk Powder, the other items can be consumed by adults too.
1. Organic Valley Organic Full Cream Milk
This is the only organic fresh full cream milk that we found in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Source: Australia
- Packed in: Australia
- Cow’s main diet: Organic vegetarian (which could mean grains, instead of grass)
- Organic certification: Yes (Australian Certified Organic)
- Processing: Pasteurised and homogenised
- Price: RM23.49 per litre (~USD7.35 or SGD10.03)
- Available at: The Village Grocer, Bangsar Village (Stocks infrequently replenished)
We like the taste and drank it for a few weeks. It is the MOST expensive milk among the six.
Special Note: This brand from Australia is different from another well-known “Organic Valley” brand from the U.S — the logos are different.
Strengths:
- Certified organic
- High in fats (4.0g per 100ml)
- Pasteurised and homogenised
- No additives
Weaknesses:
- Low in calcium (82mg per 100ml) and carbohydrates (4.5g per 100ml)
- Unknown whether cows are grass- or grain-fed
- No company website for further clarification
- Infrequently stocked
- High price
2. True Organic Organic Full Cream Milk
This is the only organic UHT full cream milk that we found in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
- Source: Australia
- Packed in: Australia
- Cow’s main diet: Grass
- Organic certification: Yes (NASAA)
- Processing: Pasteurised and homogenised
- Price: RM11.50 per litre (~USD3.60 or SGD4.91)
- Available at: The Village Grocer, Bangsar Village (Stocks are usually plentiful)
The taste is less rich and we drank it for a week. Being UHT milk, it is convenient to bring during travels.
Strengths:
- Certified organic
- Cows are grass-fed
- No additives
Weaknesses:
- Low in energy (259kJ per 100ml)
- Processed by UHT
3. Farmhouse Full Cream Milk
After we could not get Organic Valley Full Cream Milk several times, we turned to Farmhouse.
- Source: Australia
- Packed in: Australia
- Cow’s main diet: “Grazing in the pastures (grass), hay, various types of grains, and cotton seed” (Email from F&N Dairies (M) Sdn Bhd)
- Organic certification: No
- Processing: Pasteurised and homogenised
- Price: RM6.50 to RM7 per litre (~USD2.11 or SGD2.88)
- Available at: Most supermarkets (Stocks are usually plentiful)
The taste is rich and we have been drinking it for several weeks.
Special Note: This is different from the Farmhouse Full Cream Milk we bought in Singapore. The Singaporean-version is packed in Singapore and slightly cheaper.
Strengths:
- Pasteurised and homogenised
- No additives
- Widely available
- Low price
Weaknesses:
- Cows are not mainly grass-fed
- Not certified organic
4. PURA Milk
Another fresh milk from cows in Australia, which I decided to give it a try.
- Source: Australia
- Packed in: Malaysia
- Cow’s main diet: “All our milk is from ‘free range’ cows, i.e. not placed in barns and feed on hay and grains, but kept in paddocks to eat grass, supplemented with hay and other feed if the grass levels are too low.” (email reply from National Foods, owner of PURA)
- Organic certification: No
- Processing: Pasteurised and homogenised
- Price: About RM7 per litre (based on RM14 per 2-litre bottle) (~USD2.19 or SGD2.99)
- Available at: Cold Storage and other supermarkets (Stocks are usually plentiful)
The taste is less appealing than Farmhouse and we drank it over a few days.
Strengths:
- Pasteurised and homogenised
- Cows are mainly grass-fed
- No additives
- High in energy, protein, fat and calcium (refer to Nutrition Information below)
- Widely available
- Low price
Weaknesses:
- Not certified organic
- About 2-3 bottles was slightly sour when we opened them. When this happened, Vee would be very sensitive to the taste and refuse to drink the milk.
5. Enfapro A+ Formula Milk Powder
We had a 2 days 1 night trip to Ipoh. Bringing formula milk powder would be more convenient than liquid milk, so I let Vee try it a few days before the trip. (The most convenient is still direct breastfeeding!) Various brands of formula milk powder are not compared because Vee would rarely drink it. The choice is based on a relative’s recommendation as both her children are drinking it.
- Source: Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the U.S.
- Packed in: Thailand
- Cow’s main diet: Unknown
- Organic certification: No
- Processing: Pasteurised, homogenised, UHT and spray-drying (Inferred from Wikipedia)
- Price: About RM15.70 per litre of milk (Based on RM39.30 per 400ml tin, more cost-efficient for larger tins) (~USD4.91 or SGD6.70)
- Available at: Most major supermarkets
I do not like the artificial taste. Fortunately, Vee accepted it. At home, this is the least convenient as it needs to be prepared. I prefer to pour fresh milk into a cup and feed Vee immediately.
Strengths:
- High in energy and carbohydrate (refer to Nutrition Information below)
- No need to supplement with multi-vitamin
- Widely available
Weaknesses:
- Unknown whether cows are grass- or grain-fed
- Not certified organic
- Low in protein, fat and calcium (refer to Nutrition Information below)
- Processing steps (other than pasterisation and homogenisation) unknown
- Contains additives
Similar to many formula milk in the market nowadays, there’s added DHA in Enfapro A+. The level is one of the higher ones I observed, at least in Kuala Lumpur, which explains its higher price. However, I’m not convinced that added DHA is all good due to the controversy surrounding it. For instance, read USDA Calls for Removal of DHA/ARA From Organic Formula here.
Moreover, Vee’s able to get DHA from breastmilk (previously), and now from free-range eggs and oily fishes such as salmon and mackerel.
6. EasiYo: Bio-Life Organic (Full Cream) Yoghurt
Since pregnancy, I have been making EasiYo organic yoghurt at home with its yoghurt maker. Homemade organic yoghurt is fresher and more cost-efficient than off-the-shelf ones (which cost about RM50 per litre, 2.5 times as much).
It is easy to make fresh yoghurt with EasiYo:
- Add cold water and yoghurt powder into the inner jar, cover the lid, and shake to mix well.
- Fill outer jar with hot water to the recommended level.
- Place inner jar into the outer jar.
- Cover and let it stand for 8 to 12 hours.
- Place into the refrigerator and consume within 2 weeks.
- Source: New Zealand
- Packed in: New Zealand
- Cow’s main diet: Grass
- Organic certification: Yes (NZ Agriquality)
- Processing: Pasteurised and homogenised (Other steps: unknown)
- Price: RM19 to RM20 per litre of yoghurt (RM109 for yoghurt maker or RM99.90 for starter pack promotion) (~USD6.10 or SGD8.33)
- Available at: Selected organic shops, pharmacies and Ambery.com.my
This yoghurt is relatively sour, yet Vee LOVES it, whether plain or with thick cereal. I prefer to eat it with fruits, nuts and/or seeds.
Strengths:
- Certified organic
- Cows are mainly grass-fed
- High in fat and calcium (refer to Nutrition Information below)
- 5 strains of live lactic cultures
Weaknesses:
- Processing steps (other than pasterisation and homogenisation) unknown
- Contains additives (natural emulsifier and soy lecithin)
Conclusions
- We did not find any “regular pasteurised whole organic milk from grass-fed cows”.
- PURA Milk is a good alternative being a “regular pasteurised whole milk from mainly grass-fed cows”.
- EasiYo: Bio-Life Organic (Full Cream) Yoghurt matches the criteria for “homemade yoghurt made from organic milk from grass-fed cows”.
That’s it: Vee and I would be eating EasiYo organic yoghurt and drinking PURA Milk, until we find even better options.
Update on 31 January 2011: Because a few bottles of PURA Milk (bought in Kuala Lumpur) tasted “off” when opened, we’ve stopped buying them. Nowadays, Vee drinks Farmhouse Full Cream Milk and eats EasiYo organic yoghurt.
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Get Your Special Download:
This summary table compares the nutrition value, price and other factors of the 6 dairy products discussed.
- Summary Table: Compare Dairy Products for Toddler (webpage in new window)
- Summary Table: Compare Dairy Products for Toddler (pdf document)
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Other Useful References:
P.S. If you have any recommendation for fresh and nutritious dairy product, please share in the comment box.
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Note: The above opinions are from our own experiences, which may differ from yours. For advice on nutritional needs, please check with a qualified medical professional.
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Hi, I’d just like to thank you, I’ve been wondering if there are any fresh organic milk available in Malaysia, and I’m quite pleased to have stumbled upon your reviews. Keep them coming 🙂
Oh, and I’ve been wondering too whether Malaysia allows the use of rBGH, the Monsanto hormone for cows in Malaysia. Would appreciate some light on that matter, if anybody reading this knows. Thank you!
Hi Ainil, thank you very much for your encouraging words. 🙂
Referring to “Bovine somatotropin” at Wikipedia (last section on “Regulation outside the United States”, Malaysia is not mentioned as a nation that bans rBST.
did some more online research today, and came up with this:
http://squalli.com/blog/2008/04/genetically-engineered-rice-found-in.html
which listed Malaysia as one of the countries using rBST.
but the article’s link to the monsanto site doesn’t have the said list of countries using rBGH/rBST/Posilac, or whatever else they want to call it.
..then I found that there’s a Monsanto Sdn. bhd. in Pasir Gudang, they seem to provide GM soy and rBST among others..huh..
Question by a Mummy from Singapore:
“Hi MieVee,
Your article about fresh milk is very useful. However, I am exclusive
pumping now and can only provide 2 bottles of breastmilk out of 6 to 7
feeds a day for my 5 months old baby. She is currently drinking Dumex
Mamex formula.
Question, I am thinking of switching to fresh milk when she turns one
year old but how do you give it to your kid. Serve cold or do you warm
it up?”
My reply:
Thank you very much for your email.
I offer fresh milk to my boy right out of the fridge, since he likes it (especially during warm weather).
He perspires very easily and his tummy is fine taking cold drinks.
This is cleared by a babycare book and our home-visit nurse.
In fact, even EBM can be offered to baby right out from fridge if baby likes it cold.
Of course, if baby has a sensitive tummy for cold drinks or has a “cool” (liang2) body, warming it up a little to room temperature would be good.
Just pour the milk into baby’s cup / bottle and place in a bigger cup / bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
When transiting to fresh milk, do it very gradually to ensure that your baby’s body can accept it well.
(Your question and this answer would be shared in the “comments” section for other Mummies’ benefit, while keeping your name anonymous.)
In the meantime, it is wonderful that you are giving as much breastmilk as possible to your baby.
Keep it up and keep in touch! 🙂
Hi,
Tq for your sharing info..very good article..
will try what you have proposed..
currently, i am still fully breastfeed..same as youu.. plan to have baby next year..that’s why i wanna stop breastfeed..
i hv let my 1yr and 2mths baby try few brands of formula milk..but my bb alwiz reject it..
how do you give the milk to your baby? thru sippy cup? straw cup? or bottle?
i used the straw cup..
i will try to introduce the fresh milk.. hope my baby like it..
appreciate if you could forward your reply to my email too..
tq
Hi aida, thank you very much for your compliment. 🙂
Do note that fresh milk can only be tried from 12 months onwards. Introduction needs to be done gradually to ensure the toddler’s body can accept it.
My boy rejected the bottle teat, soft spout and straw, so we have been using an open cup, bowl or spoon.
The cups that we tried are shared here.
You’re most welcome and keep in touch! Oh, and good luck in having your next baby. 🙂
I’ve been going to a lot of stores, but i’ve yet to find EasiYo: Bio-Life Organic (Full Cream) Yoghurt anywhere. Where did you buy it in Malaysia? (I’m in KL/Subang Jaya)
Thanks!
Hi Aizah, so far I only found it at The Gardens (KL), basement level, Vitacare (pharmacy). Usually, I scoop up all the available stock, ha! 🙂
Alternatively, try ordering from the distributor at http://www.ambery.com.my/product_info.php?cPath=31_51&products_id=101. I’ve not tried ordering online before, would do so if the pharmacy runs of out stock for too long.
Hi,
I did my fair share of research too before deciding on my daughter’s dairy intake. As she was only 13mths at the time (I found my milk supply dwindling due to 2nd pregnancy) I decided on fresh milk , cheese and/or yogurt for breakfast and FM before nap and bedtime. For FM, I settled on Bellamy Organic Follow up milk. It really tastes good and I feel assured that my daughter is not consuming a product with unnecessary additives. I get it delivered straight from distributor here in SG.
HI Sarina, thank you for sharing. Yes, I’ve heard of Bellamy’s Organic milk too. Just read its ingredients list, which says it contains soybean oil. With a soy allergy, Vee won’t be able to try it. And it’s great that you like the taste. 🙂
Hi,
I’m wondering where can I get Bellamy FM in KL?
Thanks!
Hi Diana, I’ve bought Bellamy rice cereal at Bangsar Shopping Centre Jason’s supermarket before. Can’t remember if the milk powder is there though. If it’s near you, just pop by to check?
Hi, like your reviews on milk for toddler. But have you come across Bon life organic milk. Compared to Bellamy, Bon life is enriched with DHA but Bellamy is not. However the price for Bonlife is so much cheaper than Bellamy. Really don’t understand. Have you tasted it as well? Really headache! Btw I am exclusively bf for 15 mths now, but the milk supply is getting lesser so need to think of alternative now.
Hi Beverly, thank you for your comment. I think I’ve seen Bon life somewhere before, not tried it before because I only offered Vee Enfapro A+ for a few trips after which he didn’t like it anymore. It’s common for exclusively breastfed babies to reject formula milk due to the unnatural taste.
DHA is usually the expensive component. Guess you’d have to zoom down to the ingredients listing for Bon Life and Bellamy, compare the source of the milk and where it’s packaged, etc.
For Vee, he gets DHA through eating oily fishes such as salmon and mackerel several times a week and free-range eggs every day. I’ve cleared this through a friend who’s a dietitian. For more info on DHA, you may read this from AskDrSears.com.
hi is me again. Have you came across Farm Fresh from Johor? Heard that taste is good, pls comment. How abt Nubian goat’s milk for babies?
Hi Beverly, I haven’t tried both Farm Fresh and Nubian goat’s milk.
From my understanding, injecting artificial hormones to cows / goats is not banned in Malaysia. So if you prefer milk free from artificial-hormones, you’d need to find out from the farm about their practices.
For this reason, I prefer milk sourced from countries where the artificial hormones are banned. Hope this helps.
Hi,
I love fresh milk. I grew up in Holland. We had so many choices over there and they were cheaper than in Malaysia too!
I’m a fan of low fat milk. But I didn’t mind drinking full milk (normal) as we call it Holland but the normal ones in Malaysia are just too thick!
So for the past few years I’ve been drinking Good day low fat 2L bottles until I tried out another brand, can’t remember the name. It has a red cap. It’s better than GoodDay.
But now ever since I found Pura Low Fat milk at Cold Storage Solaris, Mt.Kiara, I’ve been drinking that ever since.
Although the price is a bit steep but I find it worth it. And it doesn’t get spoiled that easily unlike the GoodDay’s. It even says on the bottle that it is best to finish it within 3 days. How am I, a single guy, would be able to finish a 2L bottle in 2 days? It usually takes me 6-7 days to finish it.
The only problem with these premium milk’s are that they are not available near my house. I can only get them whenever I play futsal at Segambut. I will stop over at Cold Storage Solaris to get my supply. Just to get a low fat milk from Good Day or the red cap bottle in my area is a challenge. There is hardly ever a stock. Sometimes when I don’t have futsal ( not going to drive 30km to Mt. Kiara jsut to get milk!), I would have to go to Jusco, Econsave, Carrefour and 2 different Giants near my area just to look for low fat milk. That’s how difficult it is to get milk. sigh.
Singaporeans on the other hand have quite a lot of choices. They have many different brands and they are available at any supermarket. Whenever I visit my parents there, I would go milk shopping 😆 And they cost just as much as Malaysia. When you consider dollar to dollar, it is cheaper over there!
Australians also have a lot of varieties. There were at least 4 brands over there and on top of that, they are all fresh. No, really fresh, not Malaysian fresh 😆
If I had known that milk was so scarce and expensive in Malaysia, I would’ve bathe in fresh milk while I was still in Holland 🙂
So which drinking milk are you consuming now?
Hi barca96, thank you for your sharing!
I prefer Pura for because the cows are grain-fed, but we’ve had a few 2L bottles spoil just upon opening, so we stopped buying them. Singapore has Pura in 1L packs, which seems so much better.
Australians are indeed lucky, even UHT milk has a good variety, with no additives. We’ve been unable to find good UHT milk in small packs here.
Now, we drink mostly Farmhouse (from Australia), easily available at KLCC Isetan, Cold Storage and Bangsar Village Grocer.
hi! i stumbled upon your blog while searching buds baby. I’m from the Philippines and the availability of organic milk is scarce.. im still breastfeeding my 13month old baby but we’re slowly mixing fresh milk as im a working mom and sometimes my milk supply is not enough. my lactation counselor also told me to introduce fresh milk instead of formula milk. i find your review so helpful!
Hi cai, thank you for your kind words. Do introduce fresh milk very gradually as your toddler needs time to adjust to it. And yoghurt is always a wonderful alternative too. 🙂
The best milk for babies is breast milk, followed buy RAW goat milk, followed by RAW grass-fed cow’s milk followed by almond milk, rice milk.
None of the milk above is good, because they are all pasteurized and homogenize. Also the amount of growth hormones and antibiotics added is unknown to us. I would not recommend milk powder as well. They a look at the infant/ toddler formula most of the ingredients, majority of them are just SUGARs. High fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup, sugar and so many complicated and dangerous chemicals and pesticides. When milk are pasteurized, it’s internal chemical structures are altered also, the enzymes are all dead. Which makes it so difficult to digest because it is a dead product. Look for Raw Organic grass-fed cow’s milk, they are so good loaded with tons of CLA, enzymes, vitamins. If it is so difficult to find, make your own almond milk from raw almond nuts.
Thank you for sharing, Michelle. Unfortunately, we can’t find raw organic grass-fed milk in Kuala Lumpur & Singapore as farming land is very scarce. (Even if available, it’d be super-duper expensive.) And for young children, we’re not supposed to introduce nuts until 3 years old? So most of us got to settle for other options after weaning off breastmilk. That’s why I try to give a mix of homemade yoghurt and cheese as well.
Thanks for your helpful review which I stumbled upon while doing research on what milk to give my girl now that I’m weaning her off breast milk. Like Vee, she refuses to drink formula (I’ve only tried Gain IQ) so I’m giving her full cream Pura (I’m fortunate to be in Singapore where this is readily available and fresh). I’m just curious why you listed high carbohydrate as a pro, especially in the case of the formula as my view is actually the opposite: the extra calories and carbohydrates in formula is from added sugar which I think is bad for the child. Curious to hear your point of view as the extra sugar is one of the main reasons I don’t like the idea of giving formula to my girl. The other being my view that the more natural food is the better generally.
If I remember correctly: babies certainly needs carbohydrates and the most efficient way to include that in infant formula is by adding sugar. It just happens that sugar also comes with a bag of potential health risks. Babies below 1 year old rely mainly on milk for their nutrition. So if they’re drinking formula milk, can’t run away from taking sugar.
Toddlers above 1 year old get nutrition from their diet too. Milk is mainly for calcium and protein. In my comparison, I was more of thinking between non-sugar derived carbo. E.g. Between 2 brands of 100% fresh milk, the one with more carbo has an edge. With your comment, I now agree that carbo should be eliminated from comparison since I was looking at sugar-derived carbo too, especially for toddlers who take sufficient carbo from their diet.
Thanks for highlighting this! 🙂
Hi,
I am interested to get the yogurt hardware and ingredient. Do you know where i can get in singapore?
Hi Yvonne, I read somewhere that they’re available at Phoon Huat. Please call to check, yah? Hope you’d like the yoghurt too. 🙂
Hi Mievee,
Yup I check with them they say I can buy in phoon huat or living pharmacy. Will ask my hubby to get one back and start eating them and also introduce to my son when he is weaning. Really like to read your reviews this make me really hv to be careful on what food I giving my son. 🙂
Hope your baby will like it too. And thank you very much for your encouraging words! 🙂
Hi MieVee,
Thanks for your recommendation on the EasiYo. I love it. I make my 1st mango yogurt nice nice. and is really very easy love it. 🙂 I was wondering. Can i use breastmilk to replace water for the mixing part? Have you tried is it edible or it will spoilt the whole fermentation?
Glad you love it! 🙂 Nope, never used breastmilk to make it before, because I hardly pump to store.
Hi MieVee, i have been bf my child and she is 13 mths. Thinking of switching her to fresh milk as my supply is dwindling.
Have u heard of this brand call green fields?
How about goat’s milk compared to cow’s?
Hi Missp, I just heard about Green Fields from you. 🙂 Just checked out the website, the farm is in Indonesia, with cows imported from Australia. It doesn’t say anything about injecting hormones / antibiotics / etc. I’d still prefer milk directly from cows in Australia or countries that specifically ban injection of hormones.
I’ve read about the advantages of goat’s milk compared to cow’s milk. If there’s milk from goats with no injection of hormones / antibiotics and given natural feed, would be good. So far, I haven’t come across it in KL, or maybe I am not aware of it.
hi mieviee,
stumbled upon your informative blog as i m looking for alternatives too!
my son is now 15mo.
how about karihome? its goat’s milk.
thanks!
Hi shida, I’ve seen Karihome in the stores but not tried it. These are things to note:
– read the detailed ingredients label to find out what forms the formula
– personally, I’d avoid corn syrup / corn additives. If there must be corn, I’d go for organic one, because corn is among the top genetically modified foods in the world
– personally, I’d check what the DHA is made of. If artificially made in the lab, it must state “free from hexane”. You may google the risk of DHA linked to hexane. Now, I actually prefer milk with no DHA, and offer DHA to baby through diet (such as good quality egg yolk and fish).
I’m thinking of introducing organic goat milk to Baby Jae (my #2) after 12 months old. As of now, there’s no fresh organic goat milk in KL, so I’m looking at Holle and Babynat organic goat milk formula. You may explore these options too.
Have you considered Bellamy’s? It’s organic milk powder from Australia. It really tastes like how milk shd taste and doesn’t contain any additives or gmo stuff.
Hi Thenun, yes, I’ve considered Bellamy, just that it’s cow’s milk. Generally, I’d prefer goat’s milk followed by cow’s milk, if it’s easily accessible.
Hi, I was wondering where you can find EasiYo yoghurt in KL?
Hi DZ, I usually get the EasiYo supplies from Vitacare Pharmacy, The Gardens Lot LG-220, near Justlife.
Hi MieVee,
I’m glad I stumbled upon your blog and cleared some doubts I had about milk selection. I read that you mentioned a few times “prefer milk directly from cows in Australia or countries that specifically ban injection of hormones.” Does that mean any cow milk sourced from Australia is free from hormones / antibiotics injections?
In addition, do you mind sharing which brand of free range eggs you are consuming? What about SafeEggs (those refrigerated ones)?
From my understanding, Australia bans the hormonal injections but not antibiotics.
Just found this useful article: Response from Dairy Australia confirming hormones absence
Free range eggs: My in-laws buy these in bulk for the family. They are eggs from local (Malaysia) kampong chickens, supposedly with no injection of hormones. My MIL is rather health-conscious, so I trust her on this.
We haven’t tried SafeEggs. My personal view: pasteurised eggs seem more for recipes that need raw / undercooked eggs, to avoid salmonella. Also, after googling about, it seems that it uses microwave technology to pasteurise the eggs. Our family avoids using the microwave. Please verify where necessary.
Hi MieViee,
Thanks for further sharing. I also share the same sentiment as you about microwaves.
I just stumbled upon someone who says she can get supply of raw goat milk and cow milk from a reliable source, local breeds with no hormonal injections. However, my concern is on the bacteria contamination for unpasteurized milk. She suggested for raw cow milk just boil it and for raw goat milk just warm up like how we handle breastmilk. Boiling raw goat milk will kill its nutrients, but how come not the same as raw cow milk? Do you have any views on this?
I’ve been exploring raw goat milk options in KL too, but so far nothing meets my preferences — natural feed (grass), no hormonal injections, careful handling when antibiotics are needed, and affordable. For instance, I found a source with no hormonal injection, but the goats feed on grains and corns instead of grass.
I’d think that boiling any milk would kill many nutrients, enzymes, etc. That’s why my future goal is to move away from pastuerised milk to raw milk, and eventually no milk, especially after my childbearing and breastfeeding years. My main reason for consuming milk now is to up my protein intake, since I’m a vegetarian.
Same as for my children: it’s mainly for protein since they’re also on a largely vegetarian diet. Alternatives for calcium is easy, such as many vegetables. However, young children may be allergic to many protein sources (e.g. Vee used to have soy and nuts allergy). So when they outgrow all these allergies, I’d be able to plan their meals with minimal dairy intake.
My question would be is it safe to consumer raw milk without boiling or heating?
I love milk and dairy stuff so it will always be part of my diet. My concerns are the hormonal injection, antibiotics and the bacterial contamination in raw milk.
I’m sorry to intercept like this – I’ve encountered your website while searching for organic valley’s brand in google. From what I’ve gathered you’re vegetarian and your son has nuts/soy allergy previously. What I know is that a kid raised as vegetarian or vegan will have deficiency of nutrients found in a mainly omnivorous diet – which we actually are by the way. I’ve read articles on how children’s growth were stunted or they have behavioral problems like ADHD – due to the fact that Vit Bs and good saturated fats, from meat, are very much lacking – it’s needed for brain nourishment and development. Because most vegetarian foods are made with substitutes like soy and tofu, children are bogged down with hormonal problems because of an excess level of estrogen; eg: early menstruation, fibroids at a young age, low testosterone for boys. Anyways this going too long – I suggest to research on the paleo or primal diet. All the best.
Hi Jin, thank you for your comment. A summary of what I’ve read and done over the years:
– A vegetarian consumes dairy and eggs; a vegan doesn’t. This is a vast difference.
– The vitamins, fats and protein found in meat can be found in good quality eggs too.
– Soy: agree on the hormonal part. We rarely consume this and don’t consume processed vegetarian food.
– Complete protein can be found in good quality dairy, eggs, and whole grains combined with beans / peas / legumes. We eat these daily, so need not rely on soy.
– DHA: this can be found in good quality fish, pharmaceutical-grade fish oil and algae sources. Where affordable, we take from algae. Otherwise, we take from fish / fish oil. We’re flexible with this.
– To be on the safe side, we take a multi-vitamin-cum-mineral. (Even a diet containing meat may be lacking in certain vitamins/minerals.)
So as long as the diet is well-planned, it’s possible for a vegetarian child to be have the full range of nutrients he needs and to thrive well.
My husband isn’t a vegetarian. At home, he’s on a low / no-carbo diet, with vegetables, fruits, nuts, eggs, good oil and organic meat. Very close to a paleo diet. All the best too! 🙂
Hi Mievee, my daughter is on Karihome.
You mentioned to look out for corn syrup / corn additives in the ingredients.
Would you know if it would be written as it is, or would there be some scientific name that is given?
For the DHA that is in Karihome, it states that it is from Marine Fish Oil.
Since this product is from New Zealand, it should be hormone free right?
Hi missp, as of now, “corn syrup” would be stated as it is. Do stay updated with news because manufacturers are pushing for newer labels to make “corn syrup” sound healthier.
From the list at Wikipedia here, New Zealand is among the countries that ban artificial hormones.
I’d also clarify with manufacturer the feed that the goats consume. If the goats are fed corn, then the next concerns are (1) corn is not the natural diet of goats (grass is), and (2) whether the corns are genetically-modified (non-organic corn are possibly GM food).
Regarding DHA from marine fish oil, I’d clarify if this is pharmaceutical-grade (molecularly-distilled to remove mercury and other toxins).
Hope this helps! 🙂
Thanks for your helpfull review. My son is 4 years 4 months old. He is not under weight or not over weight but not even optimum weight & height by his age. Dr told, he is 50% of average like in Singapore children(we are Bangladeshi,living in singapore). My son loves to drink milk. I give everyday 2 straw cup of milk everyday.I tried gain iq,karihome goat milk,100% goat milk powder from newzeland,farmfresh fresh milk,pura fresh milk,greenfields fresh milk. My son can drink any of them as he loves to drink milk.But never tried organic fresh milk/organic powder milk. So can you please advice me,for gaining his optimum growth, what kind of food & milk(with portion size) I should give him everday.& what kind of milk,like cows/goat,fresh/powder,raw/pasturaised,flavoured/unflavoured,organic/non-organic? please give 2/3 options & also the best one for this( & pls mention the brand names if possible) Thank you so much & waiting for your advice.
Hi Farhana, thank you for your comment. Neither underweight nor overweight and 50th percentile sounds good. I’ve no medical background, so can’t advice you on what are the suitable options for your boy. Can only share what my elder son, Vee (almost 4), consumes:
– Milk: about 500ml per day. Either Pura or Farmhouse 100% full cream milk, as mentioned in review.
In an ideal situation, I’ll opt for organic raw goat’s milk (goat fed on grass, no antibiotics, no hormones injected), by a farmer whom I personally know. But this isn’t available in KL and Singapore.
– Food: I’m a vegetarian, so Vee eats what I eat at home. 3 meals, 1 snack and 1 light supper before bed.
Usually whole grains / wholemeal pasta / bread, wide range of vegetables (of different types and colours) and fruits (different colours). Beans and nuts. Soup with lunch and dinner. 1 small portion of fish. Healthy oil such as good quality olive oil and coconut oil. Each meal, he eats a bowl of food, and drinks a 1/2 to 1 bowl of soup. I opt for organic produce wherever possible.
At home, no added seasoning such as sugar and salt. If need salt, only a little bit of organic sea salt.
Weekends, he eats whatever hubby offers him, which includes meat.
Hope this helps.
Hi,One more q. when I give the fresh liquid milk to my son,I heat the milk in a glass mug into microwave for 1 minute (8 ounce). Then I add organic honey one/two teaspoon with the milk.Only once a day I add honey into his milk. Could you tell me is this a healthy way to serve the milk for 4 years 4 months old kid? Thanks.
Due to health concerns, my family doesn’t use the microwave. Vee drinks milk straight from the fridge, since he likes it cold too.
Because I’m a vegetarian, I don’t offer honey to Vee, so am not sure of its health benefits.
Organic Valley from Australia have a website: http://www.organicvalley.com.au/
I have been searching for it to complain about their UHT milk which has showed defects in Singapore for a few months, the problem mainly being it tastes like pure chlorine or drinking pool water, Absolutely outrageous and I don’t even know yet how dangerous!
Hi Michele, hope someone will get back to you soon. And all the best in finding a suitable alternative.
I have now switched to giving my 6-month-old son Enfapro A+ from Enfalac A+. He was a mixed fed baby (breast milk and formula milk) by the way. So far, he’s in the best of health and he’s getting smarter each time. I think the kind or quality of milk we fed to our babies is a big factor for their growth and development.
Indeed, babies rely a lot on milk. As always, breastmilk is the best for babies.
Hi
Have you tried bonlife organic full cream powdered milk and country farm organic full cream milk powder? What is your view on them? Both are certified by New Zealand assure quality.. Thanks..
Hi ann, I haven’t read up on Bonlife and Country Farm brands, so can’t comment on them…
My daughter is taking her 14 month baby to Bali Indonesia, she is currently drinking full cream milk in Australia, very happy with it, do you know the quality of milk in bali, indonesia, can she buy it from a convenience store, or should she take her own.
Grandmother concerned
Hi jennelle batten, I haven’t brought my children to Bali, so am unfamiliar with the milk options available there. Since your granddaughter is still very young, I’d suggest bringing your own milk if possible.
For my previous overseas trip, I offered my boy milk powder 1 week before the trip and brought a small tin, because it’s much more convenient to bring a tin of milk powder than litres of liquid milk. After the trip, he’s back to what he usually drinks. Hope this helps.
Hello. I have been wondering which formula milk to feed my 3 year old and 2-year old kids. I am from the Philippines and have been wondering which milk is best as there a wide variety of choices here in the Philippines. However, upon reading your blog, I feel nothing in the market is optimal for my children’s health. I would like to opt for organic fresh milk or soya milk as stated in your blog. Do you think they are suitable alternatives to formula powder milk?
Hi Mabel, thank you for your comment. Personally, I won’t go for soya milk because soy contains a high level of hormone. Organic fresh milk: you’d need to find out more about the manufacturer, the animals’ diet, living environment, etc. For instance, some organic milk may be from cows that feed on organic grains (not their natural diet) instead of fresh grass.
For us, we’re drinking mainly Pura and Farmhouse, from Australia, where at least hormonal injections is banned. (I don’t know whether the cows are given antibiotics though.) And it’s affordable for us.
Jae (my #2) is taking Babynat organic milk powder, because he was weaned off at about 12 months old. Also, he refused fresh milk, which I’m going to try offering again in future.
There’s really no “best” milk, but a more suitable choice within what’s available in your area and what your children likes. Hope this helps.
Hi, thank you for the review which i find really useful. I have a pair of 3yo twins and they have been drinking Enfa milk since I stopped breast feeding when they were 6 months old. Ever since they switched to Enfa stage 3, I noticed that my older twin will cough quite frequently . At first, I thought it could be the cold yogurt or the cakes and biscuits that we have started giving them. We don’t give them sweets, chocolates or other sugary stuff. They eat mostly organic fresh produce and snacks. Then, I realized that he will cough quite badly after drinking his milk in the afternoon and at night. I checked the ingredient list of Enfa and discovered that syrup is indeed the no.2 ingredient listed, which means it contains a high amount of sugar. This may have caused his coughing.
I just bought a box of organic valley UHT full cream milk thinking that they will accept it easily as they are usually not fussy toddlers. To my suprise, they rejected it after taking just 1 slip. Guess it could be that the taste is not as sweet as their regular formula. Any suggestions to make them accept non-formula more readily? Thanks a lot.
Hi Ice, it’s great that you breastfed twins, amazing! 🙂
My older boy, Vee, isn’t a fussy eater, but he only likes 100% fresh milk (cold) and doesn’t like UHT milk. UHT milk has gone through longer heat processing, and the taste isn’t that rich. (Also, less nutritious.)
Younger boy, Jae, slightly fussier, still prefers organic Babynat milk powder (no sugar). Rejects fresh milk (cold or warm), and drinks some UHT milk if on the go. When offered a straw, he drinks more. (Babynat powder is pricey, and I’m still trying to switch him to fresh milk.)
Other ways I’ve tried to “entice” the kids to drink their milk: add wholemeal cereal flakes / o-cereals / bread / pieces of fruits.
Also, it’s possible that they’re used to the sweetness of formula milk. My friend’s girl drinks fresh milk when some honey stars are added in. Over time, then slowly reduce the amount of sweet stuff added in?
Hope this helps! 🙂
Hi,
My toddler is 18 mth, which one is good formula ( stage 3 ) or organic full cream milk ?
Hi Praveena, for my #2 who didn’t like fresh whole milk for a long time, we’ve tried Babynat Organic Goat Milk (formula), Babynat Organic Toddler Milk (formula), Bellamy’s Organic Step 3 (formula), Bonmil Organic Step 3 (formula), and Bonmil Organic Full-Cream Milk (powder). I’d say they’re all good milk, depending on your toddler’s taste preference and budget.
hi..just asking i want to switch from formula milk to fresh milk.my son is 2 yrs and 5 months..that i need to dilute the fresh milk before giving to him?
Hi aida, you may try diluting fresh milk if you wish, when first introducing.
2 yrs 5 months is rather a big child for fresh milk. If he has no previous allergenic reaction to dairy, you may try offering a few spoonfuls for trial. If he likes it and has no special reaction, then it’s ok to offer more the next time.
For my 3 children, I introduce fresh milk to them at 1+ year old. No dilution, just offer spoonfuls then gradually increase.
All the best! 🙂
Hi!
Do you know where to get Holle organic formula milk or Holle Lebenswert in KL / Penang ? can buy thru online?
Hi Julie, I’m unable to answer your answer. Try contacting the manufacturer at www[dot]holle[dot]ch. All the best!
Hi, my son just turned one and i was reading up on milk online when I chances upon your wonderful research which you have kindly shared.
I was contemplating on Bellamy follow on FM, with weekly Paris Creek milk(as its v expensive), would you recommend such an arrangement?
Hi Ling, my #2 kid tried Bellamy for a few months. We’re unfamiliar with Paris Creek milk, so can’t comment on it.
For my #2, we also tried Bonlife full cream milk powder, which is suitable for 12 months old onwards. Just ensure a well-balanced diet; I also offer a bit of multi-vitamin supplements. This is a very economical milk powder. Eventually, I weaned to Pura or Farmhouse fresh milk as well.
Please ignore this message. I sent it wrongly. ? Btw, I find this very helpful. Thank you for sharing! Cheers!
You’re most welcome. 🙂
Hi there Mievie,
Would like to ask, did you manage to find any other organic grass fed cow fresh milk in Msia so far? Or have you tried Arla organic fresh milk? I’ve been struggling to get one.. 😓
Hi Ade, thank you for dropping by! These 2 years, our family has switched to Farm Fresh because the cows feed on fresh grass in Malaysia.
The cows are milked daily, so the milk can reach supermarkets fresh and at a low carbon footprint.
My children love its fresh taste and the price is also good. Check them out here. (I’m not affiliated to Farm Fresh in any way.)