The latest (exaggerated) promise of the food industry: A2 milk yogurts

Buying yogurt should be a simpler task than it has become. If we have a clear taste (Let's take it step by step. To begin with, what does A1 and A2 milk mean. “Some cow breeds produce a type of milk protein, beta-casein A2, while many other European breeds produce beta-casein A1,” says dietitian-nutritionist Anna Costa. In so-called A2 milk, this protein is mostly present, while in other milks it is not. “We know that the digestion of milk containing A1 can generate a peptide called BCM-7 (a peptide is a short chain of amino acids linked together), which some studies have linked to digestive discomfort in sensitive individuals,” points out Anna Grífols. Therefore, since the industry knows that A2 milks are more digestible, what is being done is selecting cows, which are usually Friesians, that produce beta-casein A2.

Limited scientific evidence

The fact is that all of this has a limited scientific basis, because “the current scientific evidence is not extensive and does not justify many of the extreme commercial claims that circulate” to sell yogurts with A2 milk, says Grífols. In other words, lactose-intolerant people do not need to opt for an A2 milk yogurt because they can choose fermented or lactose-free dairy products, which is when lactose is greatly reduced, and therefore there is better digestion. The population that has no problem with lactose in general also does not need to choose them, of course. However, if doctors have diagnosed us with intestinal dysfunctions, such as leaky gut, which then might be that milk proteins cause allergies (not intolerance), then A2 milk yogurts could be an option, but “with caution because there is not enough scientific evidence,” says Anna Grífols.

To top it all off, cheeses made with A2 milk have also started to appear on the market. Making a cheese with A2 milk is like building a ladder to pick strawberries. That is to say: it is useless, because cheeses, due to the effects of fermentation, lose lactose. If the cheeses are fresh, then those made with A2 milk “could be an interesting option for some people with mild digestive sensitivity, but, let us repeat, science does not yet support considering them nutritionally superior,” remarks the dietitian-nutritionist Anna Grífols. Beware, then, because while science has no clear evidence about the nature of A2 milk, and marketing does not explain that they are intended for a type of population with mild intestinal dysfunctions, what is clear is the price: A2 milk yogurts can cost up to twice as much as those we always recommend: natural ones.