Trying Raw Milk for the First Time

My name is Lyla Schultz, and I am new to the team here at Grass Corp. Since starting my job at the farm, I’ve been learning a lot about agriculture, farming, and most importantly the difference between store bought foods and farm fresh foods. One thing I definitely didn’t expect was that I’d end up completely changing my opinion on milk.

For the past couple of years, I’ve had what I would call a dairy sensitivity. Anytime I drank regular store-bought milk, there was a good chance my stomach would be upset afterward. I would feel bloated, uncomfortable, and have stomach pain. Because of that, I mostly avoided drinking milk altogether. I just assumed milk and my stomach didn’t get along.

One day at work during lunch, I decided to try a glass of their farm fresh raw milk. I had never tried raw milk before in my life. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I would even like it. I figured it would probably taste similar to regular milk and would likely upset my stomach just like every other milk product I had tried before. I was wrong.

The first thing I noticed was the taste. It tasted fresher, richer, and more natural than any milk I had ever bought from a grocery store. But what really surprised me was what happened afterward or more accurately, what didn’t happen afterward.

My stomach felt completely fine. No bloating. No discomfort. No stomachache. I couldn’t believe it. It was that experience that made me curious. Why did this milk not bother my stomach when every other milk I had tried seemed to? I started doing some research because I genuinely wanted to understand what made it different. I have done a lot of research, and I am going to share what all I have found and learned with you!

What Is Raw Milk?

Raw milk is simply milk that has not gone through a process called pasteurization. Pasteurization is when milk is gently heated to a specific temperature for a set amount of time in order to kill harmful bacteria and help it stay fresh longer on store shelves. Almost all of the milk you find in grocery stores has been pasteurized before it ever reaches consumers, which is a standard food safety practice.

People who support raw milk often believe that because it hasn’t been heated, it stays closer to its natural state. They say this may help preserve certain natural components in milk, such as enzymes and beneficial bacteria that can be reduced or changed during processing. Some also feel that raw milk tastes fresher or more “whole” compared to regular store-bought milk. According to information shared by groups like the Weston A. Price Foundation as well as the Nutrition Studies Research Group at Stanford Medicine many individuals report that they are able to tolerate raw milk more comfortably than conventional milk, even if they usually experience issues with dairy.

While doing this research about raw milk, I also came across something called A2A2 milk, which is another reason some people choose certain types of dairies. This led me to look more into how milk proteins work and why different people may react differently to different kinds of milk.

What Is A2A2 Milk?

Before I started researching raw milk, I had never really heard of “A2A2,” aside from a quick explanation Gavin gave me here at the farm. After looking into it more, I learned that it refers to the type of beta-casein protein found in milk.

Milk is made up of several proteins, and one of the main ones is called casein. Within casein, the most common form is beta-casein, which comes in two main variants: A1 and A2.

Most milk sold in grocery stores in the United States is A1/A1 or a mix that is heavily A1 dominant. This is largely because the most common dairy cows in large-scale production are Holsteins, which were bred over time for high milk yield. Over time the A2 trait became less common in mainstream dairy herds.

Because of this, conventional store-bought milk is typically A1 based, while A2 milk is naturally found in certain breeds like Jersey and Guernsey cows, which still carry the A2 gene. Milk from these cows can be labeled A2 or A2/A2 when it contains only the A2 beta-casein protein.

From what I found, around 80% of the protein in milk is casein, and beta-casein makes up a major portion of that. In most standard dairy supply chains, A1 is the dominant form, which is why A1/A1 milk is considered the “default” in most grocery stores.

A2 milk, on the other hand, is much less common in the overall U.S. milk supply. It’s often produced by smaller farms and marketed as a premium option. Because it’s not part of the standard large-scale dairy system, it makes up a relatively small percentage of retail milk compared to conventional A1/A1 milk. 

The main takeaway for me while reading on “A1 A2” was that not all milk contains the same protein level. I also was intrigued to learn that the type of cow and what gene the cow has can actually change the structure of the milk itself.

Why Didn’t Raw Milk Upset My Stomach?

Of course, everyone’s body is different, and I can only speak from my own experience. I don’t think there is one single explanation, but after researching, I found several possible factors that could help explain why raw milk from Grass Corp. didn’t upset my stomach like store-bought milk usually has.

Here are a few possibilities:

1. A1 vs. A2 protein differences

Some milk contains more A1 beta-casein protein, while other milk comes from cows that produce A2-only protein. The milk from Grass Corp. is about 60% A2. Some people report that they digest A2 milk more easily, although research is still ongoing and results vary from person to person.

2. Less processing (no pasteurization)

Raw milk is not heat-treated like store-bought milk. Pasteurization is used for safety and shelf life, but it also changes the structure of the milk slightly. Some people believe less processing may make certain foods easier for them to digest.

3. Naturally occurring enzymes

Raw milk contains enzymes that are reduced during pasteurization. Some people suggest these enzymes may play a role in how the body breaks down milk.

4. Individual lactose or dairy sensitivity differences

Not all reactions to milk are the same. Some people are sensitive specifically to lactose, while others may react to different parts of milk. This could explain why certain types of milk affect people differently.

5. Individual body differences overall

At the end of the day, everyone’s digestive system is different. What causes discomfort for one person may not affect another the same way, even with similar foods. What stood out to me most is that there isn’t just one answer. It seems like a mix of different factors could all play a role, and everyone’s experience with dairy can be a little different.

The Nutritional Benefits of Milk

As I continued researching, I was reminded of just how nutrient-dense milk really is.

Milk naturally contains: High-quality protein, Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Vitamin B12, Riboflavin, Healthy fats, and other essential vitamins and minerals These nutrients play important roles in bone health, muscle development, energy production, and overall wellness.

Many raw milk supporters believe that consuming milk in its natural state allows them to receive these nutrients in a form that is closer to how nature intended.

What I Learned

The biggest thing I learned from this experience is that not all milk is exactly the same.

Before working at Grass Corp, I honestly never thought much about milk beyond what I saw in the grocery store. If someone had asked me about raw milk a year ago, I wouldn’t have known much about it at all.

Now, after trying it myself and researching topics like A2A2 genetics, milk proteins, digestion, and dairy production, I understand why so many people are passionate about it.

I’m not claiming raw milk is a miracle product, and I’m certainly not a scientist. I’m simply sharing my personal experience.

What I can say is that after years of struggling with stomach issues whenever I drank store-bought milk, trying raw milk was completely a game changer for me. It tasted better, felt more natural, and most importantly, it didn’t upset my stomach.

That experience sparked my curiosity and led me to learn much more about dairy than I ever expected. Sometimes all it takes is one simple experience like trying a glass of milk during lunch to make you start asking questions and learning something new. For me, that’s exactly what happened.