Lincoln County creamery produces certain milk to appeal to the dairy intolerant

LINCOLNTON, N.C. (WBTV) - Milk has gotten a bad reputation over the years, with more people turning away from it due to dairy intolerance.

It’s a long way from those “Got Milk” ads of the ‘90s, when celebrities made a milk mustache look stylish. It was all in an effort to get people to drink milk -- but did it work?

In 1975, the average American drank roughly 1 and 1/4 cups of milk each day. Ove the years, that number has dropped 47%. Now the average American drinks only a 2/3 cup a day.

But a new form of dairy milk is grabbing the attention of people who may suffer from dairy intolerance.

At Riverbend Creamery in Lincolnton, North Carolina, more than 200 Jersey Cows produce milk that is used to make ice cream and milk that is sold at the farm and in grocery stores.

The dairy farm bottles a couple thousand gallons of milk a week, but it might not be the milk you’re used to drinking.

“The Jersey Cow is predominant for producing A2A2 beta facing protein,” said Olivia Miller, co-owner of Riverbend.

The milk is commonly called A2 milk.

“It is typically easier for digestion,” Miller said. “A lot of times, people who have trouble digesting diary are intolerant to A1 beta casein protein.”

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, up to an estimated 50 million Americans experience lactose intolerance. Now studies have shown it might not be dairy itself that causes digestive issues, but rather the A1 protein found in most cow milk.

That’s why some people are turning to A2.

Riverbend started producing only A2 milk about eight years ago.

“We knew that there would be a place on the market for it,” Miller said. “Our whole goal with breeding it was to give people an option to come back to the dairy case, to real dairy.”

A1 and A2 milk both have lactose. Despite many people turning to alternatives over the years, a nutritionist says dairy milk can benefit most people’s diet.

“They contain a fantastic source of protein and lactose, which as you know, come from a variety of different sources within the milk, the protein itself. But it’s full of vitamins and minerals, and things that you can’t really get form a lot of other food sources,” said Kelly Homesley, a registered dietician with Novant Health.

Riverbend hopes to give people who want to keep drinking milk another option without the risk of tummy issues.

While A2 milk might be good for some people, you should consult with your doctor if you think you have a lactose intolerance. A2 milk would not help if you have an allergy to milk or dairy.

If you’re looking to give A2 a try, you can find Riverbend’s milk at these locations.

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