You are probably familiar with the catchphrase “milk, it does a body good”. This slogan was part of a campaign to boost the sales of milk in late 80s and early 90s. This idea that milk is good for you and your body is partially true because there is one flaw in this marketing. The commercially sold processed milk isn’t real milk by the time it arrives in the supermarket. It is a well-known fact that the highly processed milk is very harmful and it can even be cancer-causing. If you want to enjoy in all the benefits milk provides, you need to consume raw milk only.
Raw milk is not homogenized or pasteurized and this is important because all the beneficial components such as enzymes and good bacteria remain. On the other hand, the conventional milk is pasteurized to temperatures that destroy many benefits of the cow`s milk. When heated up to 165 degrees, most of the milk`s nutrients are damaged. These damaged and dead cells remain in the milk as a bi-product. When people consume pasteurized milk they increase their chances of getting some allergic reaction. The process of homogenization emulsifies the fat globules which makes the cream rise to the top in commercial milk. Non-organic cows eat nearly all GMO grain diet and their milk contains glyphosate and other toxins found in GMOs. When it comes to organic, grass-fed cows that graze in the pasture, they are not fed with GMO grain. Additionally, conventional dairy cows are supplemented with many hormones in order to boost milk production. Raw milk doesn’t use hormones in its production.
This is not all. There many other differences between processed dairy farms and raw milk dairy farms. Most of the processed milk consumed nowadays cannot be consumed raw. They must be pasteurized in order to get rid of the bacteria and the contamination from the living conditions of the cows. Since the conditions are filthy and unsanitary many infections and diseases threaten the cows. To ward of illness, the cows are given antibiotics which then appear in the milk as well. According to a study published last year by the Stanford University School of Medicine, the increased antibiotic usage may result in spreading Salmonella bacteria among livestock and cows.
In comparison, the raw milk from a responsible farmer is collected in a way to avoid contamination. The conditions must be kept clean and the cows must be healthy. Meticulous care is taken in order to keep the product up to their high standards. The milk itself has immunity boosting properties which prevent diseases and support your immune system. Although no food can be deemed 100% safe, responsible raw milk farmer’s have practices in place to prevent illness and contamination. This is not the case with conventional dairy farms which are not even required to have inspections for the production of pasteurized milk.
10 Reasons to Drink Raw Milk :
- Reduces asthma
According to a European study raw milk protects against allergies and asthma. In addition, it reduces the severity of asthma due to the proteins it contains.
- Proteins
Approximately 20 % of the proteins found in milk are sensitive to heat. So, during the process of pasteurization even 20% of the proteins in milk are lost. Lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin and lysozyme are one of the proteins that remain in raw milk. Lactoperoxidase does away with unwanted microbes by teaming up with other substances. Lactoferrin has anti-viral and anti-cancer properties and it also improves the iron absorption thanks to its ability to bind iron.
- Boost immune system
The properties raw milk has can support the immune system. The immunoglobulins, antibodies that raw milk contains provide resistance to bacterial toxins, viruses and bacteria.
- Beneficial bacteria
The process of pasteurization kills or damages bacteria in the milk. The good bacteria are not excluded. In comparison, the raw milk still contains beneficial bacteria. These bacteria fight against infections and help us digest food.
- Decreases eczema
The improvement in eczema is one of the many benefits raw milk offers. The eczema is an inflammatory condition associated with rash and itchy and dry skin.
- All and essential amino acids
All of the 8 essential amino acids can be found in raw milk. That is not the case with pasteurized milk though. Essential amino acids are vital to our health and they are not produced by the human body but must be obtained from food instead.
- Healthy fats
Butterfat which is very rich in fatty acids is more found in raw milk. Organic pastures state: “Fats present in raw mammal’s milk are building blocks for nervous tissue in the brain.” Grass-fed cows provide milk with more omega-6 fatty acids which are one of the essential fatty acids. In order to obtain the most benefits you need to have a balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Raw milk has a balance between the two. According to many studies the balance between these fats lowers the risk of allergies, mental disorders, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, obesity, dementia and cardiovascular disease.
- Fewer allergies
The process of pasteurization promotes allergies as a result of the lack of lactobacilli bacteria that help in the digestion of lactose. Raw milk from grass-fed cows has a lot of CLA or conjugated linoleic acid. It has many properties including its ability to lower allergic reactions, to raise the metabolic rate, promote muscle growth and reduce abdominal fat.
- Enzymes
The enzymes are very important for our ability to absorb nutrient. They break them down and make bio-available to the body. Raw milk contains a lot of enzymes because it isn’t pasteurized or heated.
- Easily digestible
The inability to make the enzyme lactase causes problems to the lactose intolerant to digest milk. This is not the case with raw milk because it contains lactobacilli bacteria which digest lactose. Because of that the people who had troubles digesting pasteurized milk don’t have trouble at all with digesting raw milk. . It was found that over 80% of survey participants in a Michigan study were able to consume raw milk despite being lactose intolerant. The bi-product of lactose digestion is the lactic acid which helps in the digestion of milk proteins by separating them into milk particles.
More and more people nowadays are becoming aware of the benefits of raw milk. As a result, opponents point out to safety concerns. Pasteurization kills pathogens and harmful bacteria. However, raw milk is safe because it is simply not contaminated.
