The cow is of the bovine ilk,

One end is moo, the other milk”

This was probably true when Ogden Nash was writing these lines, but today in India, there is a lot that happens between moo and milk!!

The milk that is most commonly consumed by humans is cow’s milk. Among other cow milk benefits is its lowest fat content. Milk contains several nutrients essential for the body such as calcium, choline, potassium, magnesium and phosphorous, among others. These help enhance bone health, build muscle and lower blood pressure. Milk is also said to help people with depression and other mood disorders.

But when the milk you buy is adulterated beyond recognition, it can end up doing more harm than good. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) discovered that 70% of the milk across India is substandard. Milk is adulterated with urea, starch, glucose, formalin and even detergent! Then there is the age-old adulterant – water, which probably makes up for 25% of the liquid in that packet of milk lying in your refrigerator.

Another point of concern is the source of the milk – the cows. Most owners just leave their animals out to graze on any rubbish they can find, and cows often end up choking on plastic or ingesting something toxic. Many cows are also injected with hormones to speed up their milk production; an act that has found to cause early puberty in girls and breast development in men.

In this scenario, it isn’t surprising that you wouldn’t want to touch another packet of milk again. But don’t worry, just because regularly available milk is unsuitable for consumption, it doesn’t mean that you have to do away with the benefits of milk altogether. The solution lies in buying farm fresh, organic milk.

What is Organic Milk? Organic milk is pure, natural raw milk obtained from livestock raise according to organic farming methods. That is, they are primarily grass fed, milk is obtained without contamination and the animals are not treated with drugs.  Yes, such brands of organic milk in India are available, produced by companies started by enterprising individuals who decided that enough was enough. Here are 5 of the top brands of organic milk available in India.

  5 Top Brands of Organic Milk in India

1. 

Doctor Moo was started by two ISB alumni, who were appalled by the rampant adulteration of milk they found during their research. Their brand is certified organic by Ecocert. They claim to have completely automated dairy farming, where the milk is untouched by hand. They even grow their own cow feed without chemicals or pesticides.

Availability: You can easily order from the Doctor Moo website. They deliver across locations in Mumbai.

Price: Rs. 60 per liter

Variants: Plain

2. 

You’re probably already familiar with Parag Milk Foods, the company behind Go and Gowardhan milk products. Pride of Cows is their ‘farm-to-home’ brand of cow’s milk, which comes from a 26 acre dairy farm near Pune. The farm is completely modern and hi-tech, producing a whopping 25,000 liters of milk a day! It is said that even Sachin Tendulkar is a fan!

Availability: You can order from their website. They deliver across Mumbai and Pune.

Price: Rs. 80 per liter

Variants: Plain

3. 

Buying milk was never this easy! Sarda Farms is a brand that gives you complete control over your milk purchasing. You can subscribe online, pausing when out of town and resuming on return, change quantities and variants and even nominate friends! They promise contamination-free and untouched milk, packed in tamper free bottles, delivered by their own cold chain delivery system.

Availability: You can place a detailed order online. They deliver to Mumbai and Nasik.

Price: Rs. 80 per liter

Variants: Raw, Pasteurized, Pasteurized Toned

4. 

Remember where we talked about the pathetic condition of cows in India? Well, Wholly Cow is a brand that actually understands it! They believe that quality milk can only come from cows that are happy and stress free. Hence, their farms have special cubicles for each cow, soothing music, rain sprinklers and fans for the heat.

Availability: Available in select stores across Gurgaon and Delhi.

Price: Rs. 70 per liter

Variants: Whole, Toned, Skimmed, Lactose Free

5. 

It’s not just the north and west of India that is waking up to the wonders of organic milk, the south of India isn’t far behind. Astra Dairy caters to the needs of Chennai dwellers, and they promise to deliver fresh milk straight from the farm to your home within hours. They use glass bottles to avoid any kind of toxins from plastic from leaking into the milk.

Availability: You can call them or email them to place a request.

Price: Rs. 50 per liter

Variants: Plain

While the organic milk industry in India is still in its budding stage, it looks all set to spread quickly. As you can see, the prices are on the higher side, but considering that you get what you pay for, it might actually be worth it. After all, health is the greatest wealth!

What brand of milk do you usually buy? Will you be willing to try

organic milk for your family?