Nutri Courses

Advisory

A1 casein

A1 casein is a type of protein found in certain types of milk (particularly cow's milk). In the body, it breaks down into beta-casomorphin-7, an opioid peptide that can trigger inflammatory reactions and some health issues, most commonly reported as allergies, lactose intolerance, inflammatory bowel conditions, autoimmune diseases, or heart diseases. Not all types of milk contain A1 casein. For example, milk from sheep, goats, buffalo, and some breeds of cows contains A2 casein, which is not associated with the aforementioned health problems.

Hello, we will soon be introducing dairy products, and this brings a question to mind. We are very particular about the origin of these products and exclusively use products with A2 casein (Jersey, goat, sheep), which suit us. Therefore, I would like to know if it is advisable for a toddler to deliberately include conventional products with A1 casein. If they are not exposed to this type of dairy product, won't they have difficulties when consuming it later, which they will certainly encounter? By conventional products, I mean even high-quality yogurts starting with BIO Hollandia. Thank you very much for your response.

If you are trying to carefully consider these differences in dairy products, it certainly makes sense because the range of proven negative impacts of long-term consumption of A1 casein sources on health is quite broad. They primarily relate to chronic issues, which theoretically means that occasional inclusion of A1 sources should not result in any serious problems. However, this is not guaranteed; you basically only obtain certainty through practice, when you conduct this "experiment" yourself.

At the same time, the fact is that anxiously avoiding everything that is nowadays labeled as "unhealthy" is not entirely correct during a child's development, because it prevents gaining experiences that shape the organism. In a way, it's a certain form of extremism, which does not absolutely protect the child; therefore, it is reasonable to approach nutrition in a liberal manner.

Questions answered by

Mgr. Martin Jelinek
Lecturer and author of the educational system

Mgr. Martin Jelínek has been systematically involved in nutrition education since 1999. He is the founder of ATAC, the educational company behind NutriCourses, and the author of an educational system focused on nutrition, healthy lifestyle, and the practical application of nutrition knowledge.

He graduated from the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University in Brno. Throughout his professional career, he has combined nutrition, education, and the practical application of acquired knowledge. His educational system also includes the ZOF (Zone of Optimal Functioning) learning application, where students turn theory into practical work with meal plans.

In 2007, he launched the first intake of a six-month course focused on the education of nutrition advisors. Over time, this course became the foundation for the further development of the educational system and a range of specialised courses.

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