I know, this is such a controversial subject! If you do a quick Google search you will find countless articles, Facebook posts, and medical professionals saying raw milk is incredibly dangerous. But something that isn’t widely known is because of the benefits of raw milk even the Mayo Clinic used it to treat patients! Let’s do a deep dive into the history of milk and how we got to the standard practices we see today.
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What is “raw milk”? It is raw because it is unpasteurized. Let’s talk a little bit about this process, why it started, and why it continues even now.
The History of Pasteurization
Pasteurization is a process that was discovered back in 1862. A French microbiologist named Louis Pasteur discovered that heating beer and wine to a high temperature prevented it from fermenting any further and slowed down the spoilage process. This then started to be used for milk as well because people were getting sick from drinking milk. Many illnesses such as tuberculosis, diphtheria, typhoid fever, and scarlet fever were associated with drinking raw milk.
At around the same time, in the 1870s, doctors started seeing the importance of hygiene such as washing their hands in-between patients. Yet this didn’t even become regular or required practice until the 1980s when it was incorporated into the system that is American healthcare. So, if something as basic as a doctor washing their hands when going from sick person to sick person wasn’t seen as necessary, then we can assume that there were many other hygiene related things that were also neglected.
Another big change was taking place shortly before pasteurization became standard. Many people had owned farms, but these people started to move from their family farms into the bigger cities. There needed to be a mass production of milk to keep up with the demand but not as many people were farming. This led to cows being raised closer together, some dairy farms even being moved into the cities for ease of access and transportation. They were also not able to graze on grass and their feed was often supplemented with grain.
These crowded conditions plus a lack of basic cleanliness and change in diet were the perfect breeding ground for disease. It’s little wonder people were getting sick from drinking the milk. If the cows themselves weren’t sick, then the filth they were in was able to pass it on. This is where pasteurization came into play. It was a seemingly simple solution. Just heat the milk so the natural microorganisms within the milk would die off. This almost entirely eliminated the risk of illness from drinking raw milk.
As time went on this perfect solution started to show some side effects. More and more people became lactose intolerant and not able to drink the milk at all. As tests were conducted it started to appear that the milk wasn’t as nutritionally beneficial as the farm fresh milk. However, because of the past risks the use of pasteurization continues to this day and in some places, it is illegal to consume any milk that hasn’t undergone this process.
What is Pasteurization?
It is simply the process of heating milk (or other foods and drinks) to a temperature of 160 degrees or higher in order to kill any bacteria or microorganisms. The issue with this is that the heat is also killing, reducing, or denaturing the good and beneficial nutrients in milk.
One simple example is lactose. Raw milk contains both lactose (a form of sugar) and lactase which is an enzyme. The job of lactase is to help break down the lactose. During the heating process the enzymes are destroyed leaving the lactose behind. Without the assistance from the lactase, it is much more difficult for our bodies to break down the lactose. This is one of the reasons so many people have sensitivities or intolerances to lactose today.
If you didn’t know you have bacteria in your gut, and it is hugely important to overall health. This is one of the reasons it is suggested to take probiotics after being on an antibiotic. Because the medicine can wipe that bacteria out it needs to be quickly replenished. Raw milk can supplement that naturally because it is a whole and living food.
Let’s compare them nutritionally:
Pasteurized has on average 35% less vitamin A than raw milk.
Vitamin C can be reduced anywhere from 25%-77% after pasteurization.
Vitamin E goes down at least 14%.
Complex B vitamins are lowered by 38%.
Enzymes are destroyed.
Iron can be reduced by as much as 68%.
A 70% reduction in zinc occurs after pasteurization.
Calcium, the think milk is known for, is reduced by over 20%.
Immunoglobulins are completely denatured.
Folic acid is greatly decreased.
Whey proteins are denatured. This makes it much more difficult for our bodies to use the nutrients within.
All that destruction just from heat!
Homogenization
The process it actually quite simple. The milk is pushed through a type of fine mesh or through a multitude of tiny holes, while under extreme pressure. This forces the fat molecules to become incredibly small, so they are evenly dispersed and suspended in the rest of the milk. This prevents the milk and butterfat from separating so you don’t need to shake it.
There are theories and studies that suggest that after homogenizing the fat particles are too small for our bodies to properly use. This also applies to the D and A vitamins. Once any type of food or beverage is highly processed it is more difficult for our bodies to digest them properly. This can cause the nutrients to not be used but instead disposed of.
Benefits of Raw Milk
Simply put, raw milk is a complete living food. Some would argue it is even a superfood. Let’s be honest, I am one of those people. If I am feeling especially sluggish, I will pop a few beef liver capsules and enjoy a quart (yes, you read that correctly, an entire quart) of raw milk. It never fails to provide my body the nutrient dense hydration it needs to operate with that extra pep in my step.
Years ago, the Mayo clinic would actually treat patients with issues such as tuberculosis, heart issues, and cardiovascular problems by giving them raw milk. They treated them under the direction of Dr. J.R. Crewe and what he called the “milk cure”. He would put them on bed rest and give them fresh raw milk every half an hour and the patients saw great improvements. You can read more about his work here.
Raw milk is high in amino acids, antimicrobials, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. As mentioned above, these nutrients are in much higher quantities in milk that has not been processed. In fact, it has a perfect balance of carbs, fats, and proteins. The natural probiotics that support a healthy gut also aid in reducing inflammation. This can lead to lessened joint pain and clearer skin.
Buying raw milk also supports your local farmers. big dairy operations, even organic ones are still a commercial business. This means that profit is the end goal. These cows are fed mostly or all grain and processed feed and are in confided and unsavory living conditions. Smaller farms often treat their animals like family. The man we get our milk from has 30 cows that happily much on grass and roam a pasture and he personally cares for each and every one. You cannot get that kind of love and care from a corporate bigwig who has thousands of cows in one place.
A large study back in 2006 that studied 15,000 children showed that the whey proteins in raw milk can stabilize mast cells. Meaning, raw milk can even help with allergies and asthma.
Raw Milk FAQs
As always this is not medical advice. I am in no ways a doctor, just someone who has done some research and made my own options about the subject.
How long does it stay fresh?
Usually, it can stay fresh for about a week to ten days. After this time, it might start to taste a bit off or sour slightly. I have still used it at this point in smoothies and coffee. Keeping it refrigerated is important because it is a living food. Leaving it out on the counter for a few hours will encourage the good bacteria to grow which may speed up the ‘souring’ process.
Can raw milk go bad?
Raw milk just turns into other foods and won’t actually spoil like processed milk. If you leave it out on the counter for a day or two it will start to ferment and will turn into something called clabber. You can make sour cream the same way by using fresh raw cream instead of whole milk.
Aren’t there risks?
Yes, as with anything. The CDC even says, “raw milk is one of the riskiest foods”. But the risks of you getting into a car accident are significantly higher than the risk of you getting sick from drinking raw milk. Every 1,000 miles you drive there is a 0.27% chance (1 in 366) that you will be involved in a car accident. However there is a 0.00106% chance of you getting sick with raw milk. There are about 9 million people who consume raw milk and on average 112 per year report get sick from it.
Should anyone not drink raw milk?
Because there are living organisms in it, that deters some people. If you have a weakened immune system or some underlying heath issue you may want to find a natural or holistic doctor and ask them. Many will tell you to avoid raw milk when pregnant and nursing. I drank it during my pregnancy and while breastfeeding and have had no issues whatsoever. As always if you are uncomfortable with it there is no harm in waiting to get a more professional opinion. Just know depending on where you live your doctor or pediatrician might not be legally allowed to recommend raw milk.
Can I make it ‘safe”?
It is honestly a very low risk food when you look at the statistics. You can always ferment it by making something like kefir which may be easier to digest. However, heating it to pasteurize it defeats the purpose of buying the raw milk because you will be damaging and denaturing the nutrients yourself.
My milk looks like it is layered in the bottle, why is that?
That is your butterfat line! Just give it a quick shake and it will be good to go. This is what happens when it isn’t homogenized.
Can I freeze it?
Yes! You wont damage it or the nutrients. I have heard that sometimes the fat is a big chunky when thawing so if you have this problem just toss it in a blender to combine the two.
How much should I have if I am just starting out?
If you have been eating primarily “dead” and processed food I would recommend starting slowly. It can take time for your body to adjust to things high in probiotics. This applies to things such as kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, and other fermented foods as well because they have those living cultures. I would recommend a quarter to a half cup a day and slowly increase it.
Will adding it to my coffee or tea pasteurize it?
If you are adding only a tablespoon of milk to a large cup of boiling coffee it might. However, if you add a decent splash, it should cool it down just enough that it isn’t held at a temperature of 160 or higher for too long.
How should I store it?
I always recommend in a glass container. Plastics tend to leach chemicals into whatever they are holding so glass is your best bet. I typically will use recycled juice jars from when I make gummies or in large mason jars. If you wanted to be really fancy you could get these cute milk jugs too.
Is raw milk better than organic milk?
Depending on your sourcing. If the farm you are buying it from is not feeding its cows GMO grains and pumping them full of antibiotics and hormones, then defiantly. Because nonorganic milk is in higher demand the organic milk you will find on a grocery store shelf is often sitting there longer. Organic milk is often ultra-pasteurized which means it is heated to 280 instead of 160. This high temperature damages more of the nutrients making it even less nutritious.
Does it taste weird?
It depends on the farm, the breed of cows, even the time of year. I personally don’t think it tastes weird, but it might taste a bit different from the store-bought stuff you are used to. I think it tastes a bit richer and sweeter. If the cows eat sweet spring grasses the milk may have more of a yellow hue and a sweeter flavor. If it is handled properly after miking it shouldn’t taste bad.
Where can I get some?
You can always check getrawmilk.com or realmilk.com to see if there are any places near you. The small farms don’t always register for these sites which is why I recommend checking at your local farmers market or trying to find a raw milk Facebook group for your area.
What questions should I ask my farmer?
Are they allowed to freely graze on grass in the pasture? Are they given antibiotics? What do you do when they get sick? If they supplement grain while milking (a lot of farms do this because it keeps them happy during the milking process) ask if it is GMO free. Look at their sanitation and cleaning procedures. If mil isn’t cooled shortly after milking then it can aquire what is known as a barn taste. To avoid that, it needs to be rapidly cooled so I would ask how they do this.
Where do you get yours?
We drive about a half hour away from us and get it from a sweet guy named Brian with thirty cows who he treats like family.
Is it expensive?
It can be depending on where you are and where you are getting it from. State to state the prices will change depending on local laws and such. We were getting ours from the farmers market and they were charging $13 a gallon. Then we found Brian and he only charges $6. We buy from him directly and he isn’t paying any overhead costs of a market stall.
How much can I drink?
I drink anywhere from 1-4 cups per day. If you read about the “milk cure” study, he was giving his patients 10+ quarts per day so I don’t think you can really overdose on raw milk. It may upset your stomach though if you aren’t used to it.
Isn’t it illegal?
In many states it is illegal to sell it, in some it is illegal to buy it, and in others it is freely sold on store shelves. While I do think it is important to add to your diet, I will not tell you to break the law to acquire it. I know a family who lived somewhere it was illegal to buy it. So, they joined a co-op and would take turns driving across state lines to buy it and bring it back for the group. If they were caught, they had to pour it all out in front of the officer.
Where we currently are it is illegal to sell it for human consumption so all the bottles at the farmers market were labeled “only to be consumed by dogs, cats, and calves.” What we do with it when we get home is outside of their control, so it is a nice loophole.
Is raw milk the same as A2 milk?
A2 milk has to do with the proteins. Some cows produce milk with both A1 and A2 proteins, some only make A2. Often times it is easier to digest the A2 proteins. There is also an argument that A1 is not as beneficial to human health and can actually be harmful. I personally haven’t done enough research into the subject but both kinds can be raw or processed.
I am lactose intolerant; can I drink raw milk?
Because raw milk still contains the lactase that helps breakdown the lactose it is likely. If you try it, I would start with a few sips just to get yourself used to it. Often times those who cannot drink pasteurized milk can drink raw milk and those who are still sensitive to raw milk can have raw A2 milk. It might take some trial and error, but you should be able to.
Now that you have learned a bit more about milk and its history, are you going to try it? If you already drink leave me a comment and tell me what you think!
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