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What Exactly Is A2 Cow Milk and How Is It Different from Regular Milk? 

Milk is a common drink for many people around the world. It gives us important things our bodies need. But not all milk is exactly the same. Lately, you might have heard about A2 cow milk. Some people think it’s better for them and easier to digest than the regular milk you find in stores. So, what exactly is A2 milk, and why is it considered different? Let’s take a closer look. 

The Tiny Parts Inside Milk: A1 vs. A2 Explained Simply 

Milk is made up of lots of tiny pieces, including proteins, fats, sugar (called lactose), and vitamins. Proteins are like the building blocks for our bodies. One of the main proteins in milk is called casein. Think of casein as a big chain made of smaller links. There are different kinds of casein, and the two we’re interested in are called A1 and A2 beta-casein. 

These two types of beta-casein are very similar, like two almost identical chains. The only difference is in one tiny link in the chain. This small difference, though, can actually matter when our bodies break down the milk. 

• A1 Beta-Casein: The More Common Type in Many Places, the A1 type of beta-casein is usually found in milk from cows that are very common in places like Europe, America and even here in India. These include breeds like Holstein (the black and white cows you often see), Friesian, and Ayrshire. Over time, because these cows make a lot of milk, the A1 type of protein became more common in the milk we buy (Kamiński et al., 2007). So, most regular milk you pick up likely has either A1 protein or a mix of both A1 and A2 proteins.
   

• A2 Beta-Casein: The Older, Original Type, the A2 type of beta-casein is believed to be the original form of this protein in cows. It’s found more often in milk from older breeds of cows, like the Gir, Sahiwal, and Tharparkar cows from India. Some European breeds like Guernsey and Jersey also mostly produce A2 milk (Ng-Kwai-Hang & Grosclaude, 1992). When you see milk labeled as “A2 milk,” it means it comes from cows that have been lab tested to make sure they only produce milk with the A2 type of beta-casein.