Health Benefits of A2 Milk & Ghee for Kids

A2 milk and its allied products are elixirs for health. It can be called a pure bliss for babies as well. In our various ancient ayurvedic scriptures it has been mentioned as a great health and immunity booster. In this article we will discuss the benefits of giving A2 milk and Ghee to babies. 

When to Start A2 Ghee and milk for kids

The first question arises when to start A2 Milk and Ghee to our little ones. As soon as solids are introduced to babies Ghee and Milk can also be introduced to babies. For some babies dairy products can be allergic so be mindful and cautious during the first time. Although, most of the babies can easily digest as it has beta casein which is easy on digestion and may reduce discomfort compared to A1 milk.

Immunity Booster:

The Gau Company A2 Ghee is made using traditional Bilona method which preserves maximum nutrients. It retains maximum micro and macro nutrients which makes it an essential daily diet supplement. It gives babies natural immunity to fight against the common cold and flu. It has all fat soluble vitamins like C,E and K. which is important for skin, hair, eyes and bone health to our kids. It is rich in omega 3 which ensures proper brain functioning.

Essential during pregnancy: 

Health of a mothers reflects on the child’s health. So, the health of the mother is important for babies. During pregnancy it is important to take 200 to 300 extra calories and this is easily achievable with A2 ghee. It helps in flushing out the harmful toxins and repairing the damaged tissues. Whether it is sweet tooth craving or salty The Gau Company A2 Ghee is always your best companion. It is equally important for the baby’s health which is inside you.

Strengthens bone: 

A2 Ghee has Lenoleic acid which is known for improving bone masses. It is a rich and natural source of Calcium and Vitamin D. Kids are highly benefited by A2 Ghee as it is easy to consume and tasty as well.

Digestive benefits:

A2 Ghee has Butyric acid which is a short chain fatty acid which reduces inflammation and improves digestion. A spoonful of ghee is essential for this in a whole day.

Brain health:

The presence of DHA, choline, and sphingolipids present in ghee plays a vital role in the normal brain functioning and cognitive ability of a kid.

Helps in weight gaining:

After mother milk it is important to provide babies the same nutrient rich food during the start of solids too. Every mother is concerned about the weight gain of their babies. A2 Ghee and Milk is perfect and easy to use. It glows skin because of its minerals and helps in weight gaining with good fats. It can also be used as massage oil. 

Myths Versus Facts About A2 Ghee

How A2 Ghee is Made:

It takes 30 to 40 litres of A2 milk to make 1 kg of ghee. The reason behind this is that A2 cow milk has 87% of water and only 13% of solids includes fats and carbs which are in the form of lactose, vitamins, minerals and protein.

Now let’s talk about the Myths and the Facts about A2 Ghee.

Myth: A2 Ghee is like other Ghee.

Fact: A2 Ghee is quite different from other ghee available in the market.

How: A1 Milk and A2 milk have different proteins which makes its digestibility different. The A1 protein is a result of genetic mutation and it makes it difficult to digest, can cause irritable bowel symptoms, etc. While A2, is easy on the stomach and has a composition similar to that of mother’s milk. 

Myth: A2 Ghee has fats only.

Facts: A2 Ghee is packed with nutrients. 

How: A2 Ghee is fully packed with fat soluble Vitamins such as A, D, E, K and essential fatty acids like Linoleinic acid and arachidonic acid. It has carotenoids lutein, squalene, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium. All these nutrients are essential in the body and are known for their anti-ageing, anti-depressant, anti-cancer properties and keeps bone, muscle, hair, and skin healthy.

Myth: A2 Ghee can cause weight gain.

Facts: A2 Ghee helps in reduction of weight when consumed in moderate quantities.

How: A2 ghee does not contain casein, lactose, or carbohydrates, it is an ideal keto-friendly fat. Now, what keto is, it is a low carb and high fat diet which helps in weight loss and provides numerous health benefits.

Myth: A2 Ghee Can Cause Lactose Intolerance in People.

Facts: A2 Ghee is easily consumable by lactose intolerant people.

How: A2 ghee is free from both types of milk proteins i.e. casein and lactose. It doesn’t cause lactose intolerance issues. On the other hand, A1 milk can cause stomach irritability because of the protein presence in the A1 milk.

Myth: A2 Ghee Can Cause Heart Diseases.

Facts: A2 actually helps in decreasing bad cholesterol and blood sugar level of the body.

How: By keeping bad cholesterol away and blood sugar levels in control it is a good alternative for heart health and pancreas. There are lots of studies that suggest moderate consumption of A2 Ghee decreases lipids or fats in blood. It makes you feel fuller for longer hours and decreases your sugar cravings, so it definitely leads to weight loss.

How to Identify Purity of Ghee

In an Indian household, ghee is an essential part of our diets. It is not only for its delicious taste but also for the health benefits. An Indian full course meal can never be completed without ghee. As we all know, whenever the demand and supply gap widens, the game of adulteration starts. So consumers must be vigilant in terms of avoiding adulteration.

In this article, we will cover 4 prominent ways of finding out adulteration of ghee at home.

First of all, let’s know the process of making ghee which will further help us understand the adulteration in it.

Mostly the fundamental process of ghee preparation is the same as simmering the butter which is churned from milk cream. All the impurities are then filtered and a clear liquid fat is stored i.e. ghee.

The color, texture and smell factors of ghee thoroughly depends on the quality of butter, source of milk and the time spent on boiling of milk.

How to test purity of your ghee at home.

  1. Palm test: Take a spoonful of ghee and wait for a while. If it starts melting at your palm, then it is pure because pure ghee melts at body temperature. If it is not melting it means it has some adulteration of oils and fats.
  1. Heat test: This is another one of the easiest methods of testing your ghee. Take a spoonful of ghee in any vessel then heat it, if it melts quickly and turns brownish in colour it means it is surely pure.
  1. Bottle test: Take a transparent small bottle and add a teaspoon of melted ghee along with a pinch of sugar. Close it tightly and give it a generous shake, if red appears at the bottom of the bottle it means your ghee contains vegetable oil in it.
  1. Double boiler method check:

This method checks whether your ghee contains traces of coconut oil.

For this method use a flat bottom pan, add some water in the pan then simmer water in it. Put the jar of ghee over the simmering water. Now, put the jar in the fridge for some time. If you see the ghee and coconut oil is solidifying in layers, it means your ghee is adulterated with coconut oil, it is not consumable at all.

 What is Bilona Ghee

Since time immemorial, the Bilona method of ghee extraction has existed.

Our ancestors considered it as a sattvic food with numerous elixir-like properties.

In this fast era due to high demand and commercialization this method has been forgotten.

The gau company truly respects the tradition and understands the need thus still follows the same method of extraction of ghee. 

Bilona ghee: Meaning of  bilona is to churn milk or yogurt with a churn or stick to extract butter. Bilona ghee has more characteristics than the normal ghee. It is definitely a tedious process but due to its innumerable health benefits it is known as one of the best methods of ghee extraction.  

How Bilona ghee is prepared:

The process of Bilona ghee preparation starts with curd setting. Firstly, A2 milk is heated in a low flame. Then we add some curd (jamawan)  in it so that A2 milk gets fermented to curd overnight. Then, we churn the curd using the bilona method. Now, it is time to heat the butter. The heating process will continue until ghee forms. Finally, we filter the bilona ghee. Your key to health is here in a jar of The Gau Company A2 Bilona Ghee.

Health benefits of Bilona ghee:

  • Bilona ghee has more antioxidants and vitamins than the normal ghee.
  • Bilona ghee contains essential fatty acids.
  • Bilona ghee keeps our hearts fit and healthy.
  • It acts better against inflammation.
  • Bilona ghee is known for its hormonal balancing traits.
  • It has anti cancer properties.
  • It improves better cognitive skills and growth in people of all ages.
  • Bilona ghee gives better digestive health. 
  • It is recommended during a weight loss diet.
  • It detoxifies the body.
  • Improves eyesight.
  • Can be consumed by lactose intolerant persons as all the milk solids are already removed.

What are gir cows and how do we domesticate them?

What are gir cows:

Gyr or Gir cows are indian indigenous cow breeds which originated in the state of Indian state of Gujarat. Gir cows are also known as Desan, Bhodah, Gujarati, Kathiawari, Sorthi and Surti.

Scientific name is Bos primigenius indicus. This breed is widely known  for its A2 milk production.

Gir cow Identity:

  • Head and body structure:

Gir cows’ heads are big and horns are curved.

  • Color: The color of gir cow is usually red. But sometimes spotted. Black color is rare. It is also seen with combination colors.
  • Hump: They do have a bulgy hump but the bulge is not more than their heads. Their hump is similar to the hump of camels. 
  • Tail: Usually their tails are longer and could be 3/5th of their actual height. 
  • Ear: Gir cows have long ears compared to other desi breeds which make this breed easily identifiable. 

  • Height and weight: Gir cows are taller and heavier. Their height can be as high as 130 to 150 cms and can weigh upto 450 to 500 kgs. 

Feeding of Gir cows: 

The most fabulous part is gir cows are few of those cow breeds who eat less and yield more. When it comes to desi cows they usually eat 30 kg of green fodder and 10 kg of dry fodder in a day but gir eat less than this amount.

But this diet increases when they are lactating or during pregnancy. 

Yielding of Gir cow:

A gir cow produces 15 to 18 liters of milk in a day during their lactation period. On an average gir cow produces 1200 to 1600 liters of milk in a year as they give milk for 270 to 300 days of year. 

Taking care of Gir cows:

Regular check ups and monitoring of cows are essential for their health. Timely vaccinations are important to prevent seasonal viruses and bacteria based ailments. Special care is also required when it comes to pregnancy. 

Behavior of Gir cows:

Gir cows are very social. They love to be around humans. Usually they are polite and gentle. However, if they are mishandled they could be aggressive too.

Ancient use and relevance of pure vedic ghee

One of the hymns of the Rg Veda praises ghee. The vedas called the ghee ‘the first and the most essential of all foods’. Whether it is health or rituals, pure vedic ghee has been a pivotal element since ages in India.

Origin of ghee:

Earlier in ancient India when domestication of cows started, our ancestors started consuming butter prepared from milk. However, it turns rancid due to India’s hot weather conditions. Hence, in terms of improving shelf life of their palatable butter they started clarifying it and the ghee is prepared for the first time in history. 

What is Pure Vedic Ghee:

The Ghee which is produced from the milk of grass fed A2 cows and made through bilona churning method is called pure vedic ghee. This ghee has innumerable health benefits.

Power of Ghee:

A2 Milk is easily digestible than A1. Indigenous breeds of cow like Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar, Gir, Rathi are the types of breeds which give this elixir called A2 milk.

It has following miraculous benefits:

  • It boosts immunity and gives you a healthy life.
  • Facilitate skin and hair.
  • It has digestive benefits. 
  • Helps in burns and injuries. 
  • Helps in vata and pitta dosha.
  • It maintains the overall health of the body.
  • It gives you vitamin A, K, E and D.

Shelf life:

Ghee can be stored for indefinite time. In the ancient era when there were limited resources available for storage of yellow gold alias ghee, our ancestors used copper or brass vessels and earthenware jars, clay pots to store this yellow gold. These vessels were generally sealed with wax or dough to ensure air tightness which imparts longer shelf life. 

Ghee has a high smoke point and low moisture-containing tendency due to which it can be stored at room temperature without any refrigeration for several months in cool and dark places.

Where to buy pure vedic ghee:

Although, there are various places you can get the pure vedic ghee but guarantee is rare about the purity. In recent days, lots of people have started making money in the name of pure vedic ghee. One should always be vigilant about the source and procurement of the ghee. Here at The Gau Company we have our own farm where we domesticate Hundreds of cows so that we can supply purity with guarantee.

How A2 milk can save you from potential health risk

A2 milk has come out as a savior for those who are lactose intolerant. Apart from this, A2 milk still has lactose and milk protein, which gives all the health benefits to its consumer. At the same time there are many health risks which are caused due to A1 milk.

In this article we will find out what are the potential health risks of A1 milk.

Type 1 diabetes: Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks cells which are producing insulin. Genetic and environmental changes as well as diet is responsible for this. Type 1 diabetes is occurring in children and teenagers too. Some studies are suggesting that people who consume A1 milk are at higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes.

Heart Diseases: Some researchers have found that in rabbits the levels of cholesterol are quite different, when they are fed with A1 and A2 protein. Similarly, some reaserchers associated A1 protein with higher rates of heart diseases.

Cancer: High calcium intake consumed with dairy products are associated with possible increased risk of overian cancer in women and high calcium intake regardless of sources cause prostrate cancer in men.

Brain function: A few researchers showed that A1 milk could impact brain functions. Result was better in A2 milk.

Henceforth, we can say it is always safe and easy use A2 milk when it comes to you and your family’s health.

A2 Milk- health or hype?

Human beings have been enjoying the goodness of animal milk since the time immemorial. Whether it is cow, goat, sheep, camels etc. We are also having other plant based alternatives of milk like almond, soy, flax and hemp milk. In recent years, the milk market heard about  A2 milk which scientists and consumers found interesting.

In this article we will figure out whether A2 milk is about health or just hype.

Well, there are 2 major proteins which are found in milk: Casein and Whey. Casein is that substance which is responsible for 80% of the milk protein and we also have various types of casein, one of which is called Beta casein. Beta casein carries 30% of the cow milk protein. Earlier, there was only A2 protein but later because of mutation A1 protein is also found in the milk. Today, most of the milk you see around is A1 only.

What we get today is the mixture of A1 and A2 milk. A1 can cause stomach discomfort.

When A1 protein enters into the small intestine, it produces a peptide called beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7). The intestines then absorb BCM-7, and it then passes into the blood. Researchers found a link between BCM-7 to stomach discomfort and symptoms similar to those people with lactose intolerance.

A2 protein is more comparable to human breast milk, milk from goats, sheep, and buffalo.

A study by Trusted Sources on Chinese adults self-reported milk intolerance compared the effects of drinking regular milk that contained A1 and A2 proteins with A2-only milk on intestinal function, stomach discomfort, and inflammation.The participants consumed 8 oz of milk twice a day for 2 weeks. They reported worse stomach pain after they consumed the regular milk but no change in symptoms after they drank the A2 milk.

A1 milk consumption caused the symptoms of stomach discomfort, such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea after dairy products, which are typically attributed to lactose intolerance. However, some researchers believe that it is BCM-7, not lactose, that affects digestion and produces symptoms similar to lactose intolerance, in some people.

Beta Casein Protein of A1 and A2 Milk and its Impact on Human health

Milk is essential to all age groups of human beings. It has roughly 87% of water and the rest of 13% is lactose, sugar, protein, fat, sugar, vitamins and minerals in it.

What is Beta Casein?

Casein is the major component of the milk protein of which 30% is Beta Casein. Beta Casein has 2 kinds of variants namely A1 and A2. Beta casein consists of a chain of 229 amino acids.

5000 years ago, India had only indigenous breeds of cows and buffaloes. These breeds already were giving us A2 milk. But because of mutation in these proline amino acids, it later converted to histidine. This mutation created 13 variants in which A1 and A2 are most common.

Now, how this is impacting our health. Basically, when A1 Beta casein breaks down inside the intestine it produces beta casomorphin-7 (BCM 7) which is an opioid peptide similar to morphine. BCM 7 interacts with the human gastrointestinal tract, brain stems and internal organs. BCM 7 harms the immune response and this is also considered as a risk factor of chronic heart diseases and juvenile insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.  

While A2 Milk is easily digestible than A1. Indigenous breeds of cow like Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar, Gir, Rathi are the types of breeds which give this elixir called A2 milk.

Benefits of Gir Cow Ghee

Gir cow is an Indian native breed mostly found in Gujarat and Maharashtra States in India. This cow has a unique feature that it gives milk with A2 protein which makes it different from other breeds. When we talk about physical features, it has hump, spiraling horns, dome-like head and long ears. Daily yielding is around 8 to 10 liters per day, which is why A2 milk and Ghee is costly.

What is ‘Gir Cow Desi Ghee’ or ‘A2 Ghee’?

Ghee which is only made by using Gir cow milk is called Gir cow Desi ghee or A2 ghee.

Why is A2 ghee costlier than other ghee available in the market? What is the bilona method?

It takes 25 to 30 liters of milk to prepare 1 kg of Gir cow desi ghee plus we prepare ghee using bilona method. Bilona method is an ancient way of making ghee in which we first set the curd then churn the curd. After churning the curd we get makkhan, this makkhan is then heated which finally gives Desi gir cow ghee. Obviously, the quantity of milk it takes and the extra effort we exert for the bilona method makes it costlier.

What are the benefits of A2 gir cow desi ghee?

The Ayurvedic texts e.g. Charak Samhita has already mentioned innumerable benefits of desi cow ghee. Some of them are as follows:

  • Boost immunity: Desi gir cow ghee is well known for its property of improving immunity which keeps us away from multiple health problems.
  • Facilitate skin and hair: Desi gir cow ghee is a natural moisturizer which moisturizes the body internally and externally which leads to shiny and healthy skin. It gives strength to hair roots.
  • Digestive benefits: According to ayurveda if we want to keep our body healthy we should have our digestive system healthy. This ghee keeps our digestive system healthy by keeping necessary microbes in our gastrointestinal tract alive.
  • Helps in burns and injuries: Gir cow desi ghee has miraculous benefits of curing cuts, wounds and injuries of the skin. in ancient times, it was being used to cure the same.
  • Helps in Vata and pitta dosha: Ayurvedic texts claim that this Ghee helps in maintaining balance between vata and pitta. 
  • Maintains overall health: Ghee contains calcium, phosphorus, rich fats and potassium which helps to maintain blood pressure. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is an important acid that lowers bad cholesterol thus it improves overall heart health.
  • Gir cow ghee is rich in vital elements like Vitamin A, E, D and K which increase your body’s defensive mechanism against various infections. Apart from strengthening your immunity, this ghee also promotes heart and brain health.