Pure and complete colostrum – the first milk produced by female mammals – is rich in vital nutrients such as proteins, antibodies, growth factors and enzymes – and also contains casein and is high in fat.
In contrast, there is a defatted and decaseinated variant – such as the colostrum from Be The Change, which we obtain and process from our Swiss contract farmers in Eastern Switzerland.
This offers several advantages, particularly with regard to the stability of the bioactive components and the stomach tolerance for people with gastrointestinal complaints.
In this article we would like to discuss the differences and the advantages and disadvantages of both variants in detail:
Defatted and decaseinated colostrum
➕ Benefits
No pasteurization necessary :
The advantages of defatted and decaseinated colostrum are that it does not require pasteurization, which can otherwise destroy the bioactive factors. Thanks to our patented filter technology, we can make the colostrum food safe without the use of heat, while at the same time preserving the valuable nutrients. This process makes it possible to preserve the natural properties of the colostrum and guarantee a high-quality product.
Better stomach tolerance:
By removing casein and fat, the product becomes easier to digest, which is particularly beneficial for people with gastrointestinal problems. The acid-resistant capsules protect the bioactive ingredients from the denaturing stomach acid, which increases their effectiveness.
Stability of the bioactive ingredients:
The removal of fat and casein can increase the stability and effectiveness of the bioactive components in colostrum because they are less susceptible to oxidation and denaturation.
➖ Disadvantages
Possible loss of some nutrients:
By removing fat and casein, there may be a slight loss of some of the nutrients contained in these ingredients. This could result in a minimal loss of nutritional value – but not the loss of immune-relevant and leaky gut-counteracting factors.
«Full-value» colostrum without defatting and decaseinization
➕ Benefits
Possibly comprehensive nutritional content:
Complete colostrum may have a more comprehensive nutritional content because no components have been removed. This may include some additional nutrients found in fat and casein, but these are not immune-relevant.
➖ Disadvantages
Pasteurization necessary:
Pasteurized colostrum has some potential disadvantages compared to cold-filtered colostrum because the pasteurization process tends to destroy some of the natural, bioactive components.
Loss of bioactive factors:
Pasteurization involves heat, which causes damage or destruction of some of the delicate bioactive components in colostrum . This can denature important enzymes, immunoglobulins and other beneficial proteins and reduce their effectiveness.
Reduced effectiveness:
The destruction or reduction of bioactive factors can compromise the effectiveness of colostrum in strengthening the immune system and promoting health. This means that some of the beneficial effects of natural colostrum may not be present to the same extent.
Limited shelf life:
Although pasteurization serves to extend shelf life, heat treatment can still affect the stability and shelf life of colostrum compared to unpasteurized colostrum .
Increased susceptibility to oxidation:
The fat contained is oxidative and becomes rancid more quickly, which affects the stability and potential effectiveness of the bioactive components.
