Dairy 101: A Beginner's Guide to A2 & Raw Milk for a Healthier Gut
Is dairy good or bad? It’s a question that brings a lot of confusion. For decades, milk was a prized, almost worshiped, staple of the human diet. But today, many wellness experts and medical diets tell you to avoid it completely. So why is a food that provides so many life-essential vitamins now creating a negative health impact for so many people?
The truth is, the problem may not be dairy itself, but the type of dairy food we consume. The modern dairy industry, in its pursuit of profit, has changed the very nature of the milk we drink. The issue comes from the specific breed of cow being used, the animals' diet, and the processing methods the milk goes through before it reaches your table.
If you've felt lost in the dairy aisle, you're in the right place. This guide is here to clear up the confusion. We'll explore the science behind our milk, specifically A1 vs. A2 proteins and raw vs. pasteurized milk and show you how, by choosing differently, you can consume dairy food as a nourishing, gut-healing food. In this guide you'll learn the problems with modern dairy consumption and even how to make your own probiotic-rich yogurt at home.
The Downfall of Modern Dairy
In America, the food industry is, first and foremost, an industry. The primary goal is often financial profit, not nutritional quality. This has led the dairy food industry to standardize the use of the highest-yield cow breed: the Holstein. This is the classic black-and-white cow we all picture, the same one you might see on a Kerrygold label.
This industrial approach to food has occurred alongside a dramatic rise in food-related health issues. Research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that food allergies in children increased by approximately 50 percent between 1997 and 2011. Today, about 1 in 13 children in the United States has a food allergy, which translates to roughly two students in every classroom.
Milk is one of the eight foods responsible for about 90 percent of allergic reactions. But what if it’s not just an allergy? Many people who believe they are lactose intolerant are actually reacting to something else entirely: a protein in modern milk that our bodies struggle to recognize.
A1 vs. A2 Milk: The One Change That Could Fix Your Dairy Issues
To understand the problems with dairy, we have to talk about protein. The largest group of protein in milk is called casein. It makes up about 80% of the total protein content in cow's milk. But not all casein is created equal.
A Story of Two Proteins
Until about 8,000 years ago, all cows produced milk containing only A2 beta-casein, a protein structure that is similar to the casein found in human, goat, sheep, and water buffalo milk. But a genetic mutation occurred in cows in Northern Europe, which caused them to begin producing a new type of protein: A1 beta-casein. Because these A1 cows were hardier and produced more milk, they quickly became the dominant breed used in the dairy industry, especially in the U.S.
The difference between these two proteins comes down to a single amino acid in their chain. At position 67, A2 casein has the amino acid proline, while A1 casein has histidine. This might seem like a small change, but it has massive implications for how our bodies digest the milk.
The BCM-7 Problem
During digestion, the histidine in A1 casein allows a problematic opioid peptide called Beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7) to be produced. BCM-7 is the culprit behind many of the issues people blame on dairy. In fact, it's identified as the cause of "lactose intolerance" in 1 out of 4 Americans. Its opioid or narcotic side effects are linked to the abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and cramps that many people experience after drinking conventional milk.
In my practice, I’ve seen this firsthand. When I have patients who believe they are lactose intolerant switch to fermented milk products from sheep, goats, water buffalo, or true A2 cows, their symptoms often disappear.
How to Find A2 Milk
Making the switch is easier once you know what to look for.
A1 Cow Breeds to Avoid: These breeds originated in Northern Europe and produce A1 milk.
Holstein Friesian
Ayrshire
British Shorthorn
A2 Cow Breeds to Look For:
Guernsey
Jersey
Charolais
Limousin
Other Sources of A2 Milk: You can also get A2 casein from other mammals, as their milk never underwent the same mutation. These include:
Goats
Sheep
Buffalo
Camel
The Processing Problem: Raw vs. Pasteurized
Beyond the protein type, the way milk is processed also matters. Many of the cultured dairy recipes we use, like sour cream and creme fraiche, specifically recommend using raw milk or pasteurized milk that has not undergone "Ultra High Temp" (UHT) pasteurization. This is because extreme heat can damage the delicate proteins and fats, making it less nutritious and difficult to culture.
Why Raw Milk is a Game-Changer
Let’s talk raw milk. This is dairy milk that hasn’t been pasteurized or homogenized. It might sound intimidating, but when sourced responsibly from healthy, grass-fed animals, raw milk is a nutritional powerhouse. Raw milk makes a much more nutritious kefir, for example.
Unlike store-bought milk, raw milk:
Still contains natural enzymes that help with digestion
Is rich in healthy bacteria that support your gut
Provides bioavailable vitamins and minerals like calcium, K2, and B12
Has a full fat profile that helps with hormone balance and satiety
Pasteurization was introduced to make milk “safe,” but it also destroys all the good stuff. While that might have made sense back in the early 1900s when hygiene was an issue, many small family farms today produce raw milk under very clean conditions.
If you’re new to raw dairy, start slow and listen to your body. It’s not about jumping all in, it’s about experimenting with what works for you.
Your Guide to Healthier Dairy: What to Buy
Navigating the store can be simple with the right list. If you're trying to avoid A1 casein, look for these products:
Goat or buffalo hard cheese
Goat butter
Goat yogurt
Goat cheese or Goat Brie
Sheep cheese
Sheep yogurt
Buffalo mozzarella
Grass-fed French or Italian butter or A2 butter
A quick note on high-fat dairy: unlike low-fat dairy, products like heavy cream, cream cheese, parmesan, and sour cream contain very little casein, as the protein is mostly extracted from the skim milk portion. Because of this, these high-fat items are often well-tolerated in moderate amounts. Plus, low-fat dairy leads to more metabolic issues in the body from too much sugar leading to weight gain, diabetes, and hormone imbalances.
Who Might Benefit from Raw or A2 Dairy?
Pretty much anyone can benefit from better-quality dairy, with increased health benefits but it can be especially helpful for:
People with brain fog or mood swings
The gut-brain connection is real. A1 milk has been linked to struggles with focusing, while BCM-7 has been studied for its connection to neurological disorders. Better dairy means less inflammation and more support for your nervous system.
Kids and picky eaters
Dairy is one of the easiest ways to get healthy fats and fat-soluble vitamins into growing bodies.
Women with hormone imbalances and fatigue
The right fats and minerals (like in raw cream and grass-fed butter) support thyroid health, hormones, and energy production.
People healing from gut issues
A1 milk is known to cause digestive issues for many. Fermented A2 dairy like yogurt and kefir are loaded with probiotics that help repopulate your gut with beneficial bacteria and yeasts.
DIY Gut-Healing: How to Make Your Own 24-Hour Yogurt
One of the best ways to bring healthy dairy back into your life is to make it yourself. Homemade yogurt is a potent, probiotic-rich food. This recipe creates a gut-healing food by using a long, 24-hour fermentation period, which helps break down the remaining lactose and casein, making it incredibly easy to digest.
Ingredients:
1-2 quarts of raw milk, or organic milk from grass-fed cows (not Ultra High Temp pasteurization)
1/3 cup of store-bought yogurt (plain, organic, whole milk) OR a previous batch OR a yogurt starter packet
Equipment:
A stainless steel pot (it's non-reactive)
A food thermometer
A yogurt maker, dehydrator, or thermos
Glass jars
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Heat the Milk: If using raw milk, gently heat it in a stainless steel pot to 110°F. If using pasteurized milk, heat it to 180°F and then let it cool back down to 110°F.
Add the Starter: Pour your heated milk into clean glass jars. Add your starter and whisk well.
Incubate: Place the jars, without lids, into your yogurt maker or dehydrator. Let it incubate for a minimum of 24 hours. If using a dehydrator, set it to 105°F for 8 hours. You can also use other techniques, like wrapping the jars in a towel and placing them in an oven with the light on.
Chill and Store: After 24 hours, remove the jars, screw on the lids, and store them in the fridge. The yogurt is good for up to 2 weeks.
Pro Tips for Thicker Yogurt: Homemade yogurt is naturally thin. If you prefer a thicker, Greek-style texture, you can:
Add grass-fed gelatin or collagen! Mix 1 tsp of gelatin per quart of milk into 4 Tbsp of cool water to let it "bloom". Pour this mixture into your milk and starter, and then whisk to prevent blobs from forming.
Use ultra-pasteurized A2 milk like Alexandre Farms milk. If using this, you only need to pre-heat it to 100-110℉. If it isn't ultra-pasteurized, you need to pre-heat it to 180° F for 10 minutes, then let it cool back down to 100° F before adding the culture. Ultra-pasteurization changes the lactoglobulin protein, making the curd set thicker.
Sour Cream vs. Cultured Cream
Sour cream is often used interchangeably for cultured cream; however, sour cream can only be made with raw cream.
To make your own cultured cream you can use pasteurized A2 cream and one of a few different starters.
Ingredients:
1 pint A2 pasteurized organic grass-fed heavy cream or Raw A2 cream (avoid Ultra High Temp Pasteurization)
1/4 cup store-bought or previous batch creme fraiche, OR White Mountain Yogurt, OR milk kefir
Instructions:
Pour cream into a small sauce-pot and gently heat on the stove at low temperature. Use a digital thermometer to bring pasteurized cream to 180°F, then cool to 100–110°F. If using raw A2 cream, you don’t need to heat at all—unless you want a firmer end result, in which case you can heat the raw cream to 100–110°F.
Pour cream into a pint-sized wide-mouth glass jar.
Add creme fraiche starter, yogurt starter, or milk kefir starter, and whisk well. Cap the jar and leave on the counter for a minimum of 24 hours. Make sure the room temperature is consistent; otherwise, wrap the jar in a towel and place it in the oven with the light on.
Refrigerate and enjoy!
Dairy Add-In Recipes
Watch: The Best Homemade Yogurt for Mood, Gut & Immune Support
In this video, I show you how to make Yogurt Plus at home step by step. I walk through the simple tools I use, the type of milk that works best, and the special starter culture with Lactobacillus reuteri and Bifidobacterium longum.
These probiotic strains are amazing for digestion, immunity, and even mood. By fermenting for a full 24 hours, the yogurt turns out creamy, tart, and lactose-free - plus you can use each batch to start the next one.
Kefir
Kefir is a potent probiotic food that is rich in beneficial yeasts and bacteria. You can make a high-protein kefir using A2 milk, or you can make high-fat kefir using A2 cream.
First you need to purchase and activate your kefir grains which are the starter. There’s a small investment at first, but you only have to buy them once! You can use kefir grains indefinitely, and here’s how:
Avoid metal strainer and spoon to strain the kefir grains from the kefir unless it is stainless steel since metal kills the grains.
Store the kefir grains covered with enough raw milk for up to 2-4 weeks in the refrigerator between feeding periods.
Feed at least every 24-48 hours to keep cultures alive depending on the temperature of your home.
These grains will not only continue to thrive, they will also multiply. So, you can either:
Make even more raw milk kefir
Eat the grains for a super dose of probiotics
Share your new grains with a friend
Important: Make sure to get milk kefir grains, not water kefir grains. I like Donna’s Kefir Grains
Milk Kefir Recipe
Ingredients:
1 quart of raw milk, or organic whole milk from grass-fed cows (pasteurized ok, but not UHT)
2 tbsp of kefir grains or a little more
Instructions:
In a glass jar, mix kefir grains with raw milk (non-homogenized regular milk can also be used, but raw milk makes a much more nutritious kefir). The amount of milk you use depends on how many grains you have. When you first order grains, you’ll most likely only be using 2–4 cups of milk at a time. But don’t worry – kefir grains grow fast! After a couple batches, you’ll be able to easily make 2 quarts at a time.
Cover the glass container tightly and set it out at room temperature (if you have a cold kitchen in the winter, you may need to wrap it in a towel and place on top of the fridge).
Leave it 24 hours before refrigerating. The longer you leave out the kefir, the more probiotic cultures it contains, and the less lactose and casein. So if you are really trying to get those probiotics, or if you are very sensitive to lactose or casein, leaving it out a little longer may be the best option for you.
Strain out the grains (see below for how to handle the grains). Store kefir in the refrigerator and start another batch.
Notes:
Kefir grains can go into hibernation for up to 2 months stored in some sugar water in a jar in the fridge.
Kefir grains must never touch metal, except stainless steel is ok. Use a wooden spoon and a plastic meshed strainer.
Kefir Cream Recipe
Ingredients:
4 cups of cream (2 full containers of A2/A2 cream)
4 tablespoons of organic plain milk kefir or 1–2 tbsp of kefir grains
Instructions:
Pour cream into a quart-sized mason jar.
Add the kefir or grains and stir.
Place a lid and tighten. Leave out at room temperature for 24–36 hours, or until thickened and sour.
Eat with eggs or meat to increase fat intake. Or, make a small serving of dessert by combining 2 tablespoons of sour cream with 1 drop of stevia (mix and enjoy).
Take Control of Your Dairy Choices
The dairy aisle doesn't have to be a source of confusion. Now you know that not all milk is bad. The key is to look past the marketing and focus on what truly matters: choosing milk from the right animals (A2 breeds like Jersey or Guernsey cows, goats, and sheep) and using products that are raw or gently processed through true culturing or fermentation.
You can now make better informed choices when buying dairy. Start by seeking out some of the A2 dairy products on our list, or better yet, roll up your sleeves and try the homemade yogurt recipe. Start your journey to better dairy intake today and see for yourself how delicious and nourishing the right kind of milk and dairy products can be.