5. Horizon Organic
Horizon Organic is a brand that sells a range of organic milks, including whole-fat, low-fat, and flavored options. All of the brand’s milk is certified organic by the USDA. As such, the cows that produce Horizon Organic’s milk spend at least 120 days outside on grazing pastures per year. The cows themselves only eat organic and non-GMO food, and they are also not treated with growth hormones.
Horizon Organic has received criticism concerning its DHA Omega-3 Milk. DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that is supposed to support good brain health and function, according to Mount Sinai. It isn’t the fatty acid itself that has caused alarm, but rather how it is made. Horizon Organic produces its DHA Omega-3 through an industrial brewing technique involving algae, a process some people believe should not form part of an organic milk product.
Charlotte Vallaeys, a senior policy analyst at Consumer Reports, explained this to Chicago Tribune: “We do not think that [the oil] belongs in organic foods. When an organic milk carton says it has higher levels of beneficial nutrients, like omega-3 fats, consumers want that to be the result of good farming practices … not from additives made in a factory.” Fortunately, Horizon Organic also produces several milk products that do not contain DHA, meaning those with an aversion to the process can still enjoy Horizon Organic milk.
6. Borden Dairy
Borden Dairy’s history begins in the mid-19th century. It continues to this very day through a diverse range of products. Like many other brands on this list, Borden Dairy’s milk is produced by cows that have not been injected with recombinant somatotropin, known as rBST. This hormone increases the cow’s ability to produce milk, but has also been cited as a potential cause of some cancers in human milk drinkers (via Breast Cancer Prevention Partners).
Aside from numerous low or no-fat milk products, Borden Dairy also produces a range of flavored milks that are highly popular. Chief amongst these is the brand’s creamy and indulgent chocolate milk that boasts 9 grams of protein per 1-cup serving. This makes it a perfect post-workout beverage, as one customer highlighted on Amazon: “Creamy and rich! What more can you ask for? If you are looking for a rich, high calorie, after workout booster or morning kickoff chocolate milk, this is for you.”