Raw Milk Myths – Why You Should Drink Raw Milk

Have you ever wondered why raw milk has been all the buzz these days? Before modern pasteurization was the practice of the 1900s, we typically drank raw milk—coming from the healthy, grass-fed cow directly to the table. But now people are afraid of drinking raw milk, and mainstream media plays a huge role in this brainwashing by spreading observational raw milk myths.

Humans have been drinking unpasteurized raw milk with beneficial bacteria while gaining essential nutrients for several centuries. Many consumers now prefer pasteurized milk after pasteurization became available. But is pasteurized milk better than raw natural milk? In this blog, we will discuss in detail scientific studies that show why raw milk is way better than pasteurized milk.

Hanging out ready to jump into the topic of raw milk myths? So, what does the science really have to say about its health implications and safety considerations? What do some say are its benefits while others are hesitant to patronize it? Whether you are a curious health enthusiast or someone who wants to make informed dietary choices, this detailed guide will give you the complete picture.

Understanding Raw Milk

What actually Raw Milk Is?

Quite simply, raw milk comes from cows, sheep, or goats, straight from the cow unprocessed and unheated. Picture yourself collecting milk on a crisp morning from a healthy, grass-fed cow…that is raw milk in its purest form! Raw milk hasn’t gone through pasteurization or homogenization the like process you get in commercial milk in the supermarket.

Raw milk represents nature’s untouched package of nutrition with all its original enzymes, beneficial bacteria, and bioactive proteins still intact. Raw milk hasn’t been introduced to heat treatment that alters its natural composition as pasteurized milk has. In short, it’s milk in its purest form–the way our ancestors drank it for thousands of years.

One of the most common raw milk myths is that it is unsafe to consume, but in reality, raw milk is highly nutritious and totally safe to consume. Let’s debunk the raw milk myths that claim it is unsafe to consume and increase the risk of foodborne illnesses.

The Fascinating Nutrient Profile

What makes raw milk so incredible is the amount of nutrition that goes into them. Think of it as an entire package of nutrients, built by nature. Here’s what you’ll find in every glass:

• Proteins: Complete proteins are found in raw milk and it also contains all essential amino acids. The two major proteins, Casein and Whey remain in their undenatured state. These proteins are particularly interesting because they’re not altered by heat treatment so they can be easily digested by many people.
• Fats: Raw milk has fat globules that remain emulsified naturally, which means it contains a super blend of fatty acids, including omega 3’s and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). These aid in your body’s ability to absorb the milk’s fat-soluble vitamins.
• Vitamins and Minerals: Raw milk is full of vitamins A, D, K2, E, and a range of B vitamins. Easily absorbed forms of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron are also part of the mineral content. The fact is that these nutrients occur in their natural ratios, doing the work that nature intended.

Living components of Raw Milk

The living components that make raw milk so distinctive. Think of raw milk as a dynamic fluid rather than just a food:

1. Natural Enzymes: In raw milk, we find more than 60 functional enzymes including lactase for lactose digestion and phosphatase for calcium absorption. These enzymes act as biological facilitators which can facilitate digestion and also absorption of nutrients. Contrary to raw milk myths, raw milk retains vital enzymes like lactase, which helps people digest lactose.
3. Beneficial Bacteria: Raw milk from healthy animals contains good bacteria that can help with gut health. Included are lactic acid-producing bacteria which help preserve the milk naturally, and also help with digestive health.
4. Immunological Components: Nature set raw milk up to contain immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, and other bioactive compounds to support immune function.

Comparing Raw Milk Vs Pasteurize Milk

To understand raw milk, first, you need to know how it’s different than pasteurized milk. While pasteurization seems to serve important food safety purposes, it does create some notable changes:

• Enzyme Activity: Many of the natural enzymes in milk are destroyed during pasteurization, because of heat.
• Protein Structure: Proteins can be driven out of their normal conformations and therefore out of their normal sequences of amino acids through heat treatment; this affects how the body processes them.
• Vitamin Levels: Vitamins such as B6 and C may be reduced during pasteurization.
• Mineral Availability: While mineral content remains the same, the bioavailability may change due to changes in the living components of milk.

Many raw milk myths lack scientific evidence.

What’s Lost in Pasteurization?

The process of pasteurization includes milk requires heating to 161°F (usually for 15 seconds). The pasteurization process neutralizes both harmful and helpful bacteria along with making nutritional changes to milk. The Journal Of Dairy Science(1) published research documented how pasteurization diminishes conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content, a beneficial fatty acid that fights inflammation in the body.

• Keep in mind that, raw or pasteurized, milk is still all about basic protein, fat, carbohydrates, and major minerals. The difference is that the state and activity of these components are different. Breaking through raw milk myths reveals that pasteurization often destroys beneficial nutrients in milk.

Many raw milk myths lack scientific evidence.

Raw Milk Nutrition Profile

Don’t let Raw milk myths discourage you from learning the facts and discovering why raw milk is a superfood. Raw milk contains a lot of nutrients, including:

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA): Consuming raw milk brings benefits because it delivers high amounts of CLA that could enhance immune system health while helping users manage their weight effectively.

Vitamins and minerals: Raw milk contains multiple vitamins A, C, and E alongside necessary minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium contents.

Probiotics: The digestive system and immune response benefit from these two bacteria; Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum which are present in raw milk.

Enzymes: When consumed raw milk, it provides two beneficial enzymes that support digestion: lactase helps break down lactose and lipase breaks down fats in the stomach.

Key Health Benefits Of Raw Milk

Raw milk have many hidden benefits on our gut and overall health. Here’s the detailed key health benefits of raw milk on our overall health.

Immune System Development

The relationship between raw milk and immune health has become the focus of scientific interest. Raw milk does contain unique immunological components in its natural state, instead of pasteurized milk which has dead components. These include:

• Active immunoglobulins are involved with immune system signaling.
• Lactoferrin is an antimicrobial.
• Having white blood cells (leukocytes) which occur naturally in raw milk.
• And oligosaccharides that can help with the friendly gut bacteria.

Despite what raw milk myths claim, raw milk can strengthen the immune system due to its natural antibodies.

Digestive Health & Gut Microbiome

When you combine many people who complain about having trouble digesting conventional dairy products, raw milk tends to be more digestible for them. Several factors may contribute to this:

Natural Enzyme Content:

• Lactase is an enzyme present in raw milk that helps break down lactose.
• Phosphatase facilitates calcium absorption.
• Lipase assists in the digestion of fat.

The presence of beneficial bacteria in raw milk might support gut health by:

• Help in the diversity of the microbiome.
• Produce antimicrobial compounds.
• To support the gut’s barrier function
• Assist in maintaining healthy digestive flora.

Some raw milk myths allege it is harder to digest, yet its natural enzymes often make it easier for the body to process.

Enhanced Nutrient Bioavailability

The natural state of raw milk’s components may offer improved nutrient absorption:

• Calcium and Phosphorus: Pasteurization may destroy the mineral-absorbing enzyme, the enzyme phosphatase.
• Fat-Soluble Vitamins: Raw milk’s natural fat globule structure may enhance vitamins A, D, K2 & E absorption.
• Protein Utilization: However such proteins may be more readily utilized by the body.

Less Risk Of Allergies & Asthma

Several large epidemiological studies, including the PARSIFAL(2) and GABRIELA(3) studies, found correlations between raw milk consumption and decreased rates of allergies and asthma in children.

PARSIFAL Study (2006): Based on over 14,800 children across Europe, the findings of this study concluded that the consumption of raw milk was found to significantly be related to lower rates of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, and sensitization to allergens (e.g. pollen and food). The effect was most pronounced in children who drank raw milk from birth, rather than the children who didn’t drink raw milk.

GABRIELA Study (2011): This study included over 8,000 children, and concluded that raw milk consumption — especially in early life and daily — is associated with much lower rates of asthma and allergies. No association was seen between this effect and other farm-related exposures and pasteurized milk did not show similar effects on health.

Additionally, a meta-analysis of 8 studies of raw milk in health appeared in the November 2019 issue of the Journal Of Allergy And Clinical Immunology(4). A meta-analysis is an attempt to summarize evidence from several scientific studies in which case there is independent research, and to draw outputs about that field of research based on numerical values, whereby there is measurement.

A recent meta-analysis (by the team of researchers from the Netherlands and Germany) concluded that raw milk plays an important role in preventing allergies and asthma, all previous studies indicate that raw milk consumption in childhood can be protective ‘against allergies and asthma independently of other farm exposures.

Quality of Life Improvements

Many raw milk consumers report subjective benefits of drinking raw milk:

• Better sleep quality
• Increased energy levels
• Improved skin health
• Enhanced digestion & gut issues

Reduced risk of Osteoporosis

You can get their bone-health benefits from raw milk through its high content of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium and many more beneficial nutrients.

Reduced Risk of Respiratory Infections

A study published in the Journal Of Allergy And Clinical Immunology(5) about 983 European infants after the consumption of raw and pasteurize milk, and they found that those infants who drank raw milk alongside occurence of respiratory tract infection, runny nose, ear infection, and fever. This study concluded that as raw milk consumption increased, the incidence of all these health issues decreased. So the researchers concluded that, “The protective affect of raw milk were comparable to those of breast-feed, suggesting similar anti-infective properties of bovine and human milk”.

Less Skin Issues

Another study published in the Journal Of Allergy And Clinical Immunology(6), concluded after looked at 4767 children, and they found that raw milk consumption was associated with significantly less symptoms of Eczema, and greater reduction in other skin issues.

Making an Informed Decision About Raw Milk

Choosing where to get your raw milk is the most important decision you will make when trying raw milk. Here’s what to look for in a quality dairy operation:

Farm Practices and Standards

• A raw milk supplier should keep animals on grass and pastures for their diet.
• A reliable dairy needs to test animal health and milk samples every day.
• He must use milk production areas that are sanitized correctly.
• The dairy team follows visible operation practices that welcome milk farm inspections from guests.
• Make sure your dairy facility has both good temperature control methods and monitoring tools.
• Daily bacterial count testing with available results should be necessary.

Handling and Storage Practices

Some raw milk myths suggest it is less hygienic, but with proper handling, raw milk is as safe as any other food. Once you’ve sourced your raw milk, proper handling is essential:

• Keep your milk at temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius).
• Store your milk at proper temperature using an insulated transport package.
• Put it in the lowest temperature area of your refrigerator.
• Regularly check your refrigerator temperatures so they do not exceed 40°F.

Addressing Safety Concerns Of Raw Milk

One of the major concerns that revolve around raw milk consumption is the major risk of bacterial pollutants that can contaminate it. According to the Journal of Environmental Health published study, the risk of contracting sickness from consuming raw milk remains minimal as long as people choose farms that maintain good reputability standards.

Another study published in the Journal of Foodborne Pathogen And Disease(7) concluded that the data presented in the study shows primarily favorable results. The research conducted multiple tests that proved both Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes pathogen-free status while showing how lactic acid bacteria (LAB) function as natural pathogen controls for foodborne hazards.

The widespread occurrence of LAB found in raw milk and soft cheese demonstrates their potential value for bioconservation solutions that improve food safety measures. By exploring the truth behind raw milk myths, we can understand why it has been a staple in traditional diets for centuries.

Conclusion

The pasteurization method reprocesses milk through heating techniques but simultaneously eliminates essential nutrients and beneficial bacteria. Many scientific studies support how raw milk consumption strengthens the body’s immune response while also building strong bones and aiding digestion while delivering multiple essential nutrients.

Raw milk myths have created unnecessary fear, but humans have been drinking unpasteurized raw milk with beneficial bacteria while gaining essential nutrients for centuries. Raw milk consumption depends on finding proper and sanitary dairy farms since selecting the right source remains vital for each food selection.

Addressing raw milk myths helps people make informed choices about their dietary preferences. Breaking through raw milk myths reveals that pasteurization often destroys beneficial nutrients in milk. After a detailed discussion, I hope now you understand how beneficial actually raw milk is, and all the raw milk myths are either biased or totally observational.

Don’t let raw milk myths stop you from enjoying its benefits. Here you can get the book of many delicious recipes of raw milk.

References

1. https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(14)00707-3/fulltext
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17456213/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21875744/
4. https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(06)00651-8/fulltext
5. https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749%2814%2901274-3/fulltext
6. https://www.jacionline.org/article/S0091-6749(06)00651-8/fulltext
7. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/fpd.2009.0390