Why you should eat A2 cheese
posted on
July 5, 2019
I’m not a food scientist or doctor, but I have heard many anecdotal stories about the benefits of A2 milk.
The farmer saw marked differences when he switched his baby and calves to 100% A2 milk. Our customers have told me stories from simply being able to drink milk again to recovering from colitis and other chronic digestive issues.
But what about cheese? Does A2 matter when it comes to cheese?
The short answer is YES.
The medium answer is that eating A2 cheese likely matters more than drinking A2 milk.
This is because cheese has a higher protein content per ounce than milk. Milk contains about 1 g of protein per oz, and cheese contains about 3.5 g of protein per oz.
And, the long answer involves a more complex understanding of A2 beta-casein protein.
As Keith Woodward wrote about in his book The Devil in the Milk, it all comes down to protein.
When you consume protein, your body’s enzymes break it down into amino acids. Those amino acids are absorbed into your bloodstream and used for necessary functions like repairing tissue and building muscle.
However, when you consume the A1 beta-casein protein, present in nearly all milk sold in the US, it breaks down into a peptide called BCM7.
As stated in an article in the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, “BCM7 is suggested to be associated as a risk factor for human health hazards as it can potentially affect numerous opioid receptors in the nervous, endocrine and immune system.” The list of chronic health issues related to BCM7 is very long and very varied.
When you make cheese, the proteins are similarly broken down in the fermentation process. And, if milk containing the A1 beta-casein protein is used… well, yup, BCM7 is in the cheese. There isn’t a lot of research on A2 cheese yet, but I did find this article confirming that it is present in A1/A2 cheese.
Please note that the A1/A2 hypothesis is still just that - a hypothesis. We need more research to more deeply understand the benefits and risks.
The research done so far coupled with the many anecdotal stories I’ve heard prove to me that there’s definitely something to A2 milk and cheese. I can’t wait to learn more.
Has anyone is your family benefitted from switching to A2 milk and cheese? Please let me know!
