the USDA (united states department of agriculture) organic symbol does ensure there are no hormones, antibiotics or GMO’s used but it does not ensure pastured-based or grass-fed.
Unless the dairies are in parts of california or new zealand they are not able to be year-round grass-fed because of weather conditions prohibiting cows being on pasture for a number of months during the year and many are not on pasture even during the summer
vera farms sources organic milk from family dairies in california
other leading formulas use milk from factory farms in the mid-west
Why organic does not equal grass-fed?
in 2016 the USDA actually withdrew the program that would inspect and certify products grass-fed and the claim of grass (forage) fed is no longer used by the AMS (agricultural marketing service) [2].
what is truly grass-fed milk?
truly grass-fed milk means that the cows spend almost every single day of the year on pasture. Cows are like any other farm animal, if there is harsh weather they take shelter inside. this means that cows living in extreme climates can’t by definition be year round grass-fed. there is no grass to eat if there is snow or ice on the fields.
our farms are in northern california where nearly everyday the weather is suitable for the cows to graze on grass.
if the cows are inside for milking they receive grassed harvested from the same fields that they graze on.
what is bleaching?
in bleaching oil is treated with bleaching clays that adsorb the color pigments.
what is deodorization?
in deodorization oil put through steam distillation under high temperature and vacuum to evaporate all odor substances.
why is it important?
subjecting oils to high temperatures, pressures or solvents can create unstable oil molecules leading to rancid oils and free radicals [1].
what is bioavailability?
bioavailability refers to the extent and rate at which the vitamin or mineral is absorbed and has an effect. this is determined by the form of the vitamin or mineral as well as what else it is ingested with.
for example, vitamin A can be in the form of retinol or carotenoids, which vary greatly in terms of their action. vitamin A is also a fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E and K) and so it requires fat to be absorbed by the body.
why we don’t blend our oils into our powder formula?
blending oils into the powder exposes the oils to more oxygen because of the higher surface area as they are spread out throughout the powder. these factors can lead to oxidation and rancidity (spoilage) of the oils.
the oils we use are purposely not refined to the point that they could be blended into the powder.
remember, the more refined the ingredients are the more shelf stable they are. we choose to use less refined organic oils and protect them in amber glass from oxygen and light.
Lobo V, Patil A, Phatak A, Chandra N. Free radicals, antioxidants and functional foods: Impact on human health. Pharmacogn Rev. 2010;4:118–126. doi: 10.4103/0973-7847.70902. [PMC free article][PubMed] [Cross Ref]
