Health advice is all over the map when it comes to drinking milk. Some people swear you should avoid dairy completely, while others talk about all the calcium and nutrients in dairy. Whether you’re a fan of milk or not, some brands of milk aren’t as good for your health. To help you make healthier and more conscious choices, we’ve compiled a list of 10 milk brands that might be best to avoid.
1. Off-Brand Whole Milk
While you may end up saving money if you buy generic brand milk, this choice isn’t always best for your health and wellness. Most of the time these brands aren’t organic, which means they could be made with additional preservatives. Organic milk is typically considered the healthier choice. If you have the money, splurge on organic instead of generic.
2. Fairlife
With the cow on the product packaging and a name like “Fairlife,” it may seem like this brand is sustainably made. However, they’re known for using products made with genetically modified ingredients. What’s more, Fairlife doesn’t allow its cows to pasture-graze or feed on grass, which is a growing concern among consumers. Across the board, “grassmilk” is considered to be a healthier choice.
3. Shamrock Farms
It’s always important to do your research when buying milk. Some brands, like Shamrock Farms, have been under fire for using harmful animal welfare practices at their farms. Investigators found that this brand uses industrial farming equipment to produce its milk. As a result, their cows are confined to tight indoor spaces instead of being allowed to freely roam around, eating grass.
4. Land O’ Lakes
According to the Daily Meal, Land O’ Lakes is another milk brand that you should avoid. PETA, a well-known animal rights group, looked into this brand and found they don’t take care of the cows in their Pennsylvania dairies. This doesn’t affect the taste of the milk, but it does make this brand of milk an unethical choice. Look into alternatives that use better farming methods instead.
5. Horizon Organic
The catch with buying organic is that not every brand of milk actually fits the label. Manufacturers could splash the word “organic” on the front of the carton, making it seem like the ingredients are healthier. Horizon Organic, for instance, is known for operating large-scale dairies, with cows receiving less time in the pastures. This impacts the overall wellness of the cows, and in turn, the milk produced by this company.
6. Rockview Farms
In 2021, a website called Mamavation did a deep dive into the worst organic milk brands in the world. Rockview Farms was on the list of the worst brands of milk due to their industrial-scale operations. With the focus on quantity over quality, thousands of cows are milked at once to create the product. Unfortunately, this sometimes results in inhumane treatment of the animals.
7. Producer Dairy Foods
Always look into settlements and lawsuits against a company before buying, especially if they’re making your food. Just look at Producer Dairy Foods, a milk brand that settled for $87,600 due to violations in air quality regulations. While over 10 years have passed since this incident, it still put the manufacturer in a negative light. Over time, their reputation has been restored, but some consumers are still skeptical of their products.
8. Threemile Canyon Farms
In 2022, Threemile Canyon Farms is another mega-dairy to be accused of harmful manufacturing resulting in air pollution. A complaint was filed against their California factory about their violation of state air pollution. These allegations are even more serious since the milk brand claimed to be reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Take this as an example of how tough it is to know what’s going on behind the scenes when it comes to the products you purchase.
9. Reitz Dairy Farm
PETA is always looking into the actions and practices of companies that work directly with animals. In an exclusive eyewitness report, they looked at the Reitz Dairy Farm and found shocking treatment of the animals. Many cows on the farm had painful blood and pus-covered masses all over their bodies, including their udders. Concerned activists were alarmed by the issue since these cows are milked for the National Farmers Organization.
10. Organic Valley
Consumers often believe a product is healthy and sustainably made when it has the word “organic in its name.” However, it’s best not to be fooled by Organic Valley’s natural sounding moniker. This brand has landed in hot water over feeding their cows conventional feed produced with pesticides.
Got Milk?
As consumers, we need to choose our brands of milk carefully. It’s about more than just taste preferences. Shopping for milk involves health considerations, ethical practices, and environmental impacts. Do your research and read labels carefully.
Read More:
17 Breakfast Foods That Aren’t a Good Start to Your Day
14 Volume Eating Hacks: More Food, Fewer Calories
Alyssa Serio has been a writer and editor since graduating from Aurora University in 2014. In her free time, she loves reading, playing volleyball, and watching any horror movie (even the bad ones) with her husband.