5 Reasons to Drink Raw Milk
- The Nutrition Farmer
- Oct 5, 2023
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 6, 2023
Picture this: you drive to a local farm, you can smell the fresh hay and see cows grazing away in a field nearby. You meet with the farm owner and are able to discuss in detail how the milk you are about to buy came to be ready for you to purchase and drink. You can see the cows from which your milk came from, the food they ate, where they sleep, and how they are cared for. Contrast this with going to a traditional grocery store, grabbing your milk and having no knowledge of where that milk came from, what practices were used, what the cows ate, or who exactly handled the food you and your family are about to consume. The first scene I just described is what you will find if you visit our raw milk dairy farm (Red Bell Farms). While raw milk is a heavily debated topic, with passioned heat from both sides of the argument, we believe science and history to be on our side of being in favor of raw milk consumption. In the name of history, raw milk wins. Humans have drank raw milk (safely and happily) for a much larger portion of history than we have drank pasteurized milk. Pasteurized milk is a relatively new practice, only becoming widespread in the US in the 1950s. It is also believed that the consumption of raw milk not only sustained the human population in times of scarcity, but that its large make up of bioavailable nutrients allowed human epigenetics to improve and further the human race to new heights. 5 Reasons To Drink Raw Milk over Conventional Dairy
1) Raw milk is a whole, complete food, meaning it is packed with essential nutrients like vitamins A, B6, B12, K2, carotenoids, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid, plus a lot more. All of these vitamins are in their natural, unadulterated FULL form, which means they are readily used by the body because they are recognized by the body.
Pasteurization heats milk to a devasting high heat of at least 160 degrees. This high heat not only kills all of the natural enzymes in milk (discussed in more detail below), but it also significantly reduces the nutrients that are found naturally in milk. So even if you could trace your store-bought pasteurized milk all the way back to its roots and could indeed prove that all of the cows that were producers in your specific gallon were in fact cared for humanely and fed natural and wholesome diets (a feat not likely with the majority of conventional milk), you can be sure those nutrients were significantly compromised during the pasteurization process.
Dr. Charles Porter MD published the book Milk Diet as a Remedy for Chronic Disease, which details his use of a raw milk diet in the treatment of over 18,000 patients over the course of 27 years. Dr J.E. Crewe MD, one of the founders of the Mayo Foundation, successfully used raw milk in his medical practice for over 15 years, and said that the "results obtained in various types of disease have been so uniformly excellent that one’s conception of disease and its alleviation is necessarily changed... When sick people are limited to a diet containing an excess of vitamins and all the elements necessary to growth and maintenance, they recover rapidly without the use of drugs and without bringing to bear all the complicated weapons of modern medicine".
Raw milk drinkers can statistically boast of having less asthma, eczema, allergies, acne, and better pulmonary function.
2) Raw milk has beneficial (and very necessary) enzymes and bacteria.
Generally speaking, it is the natural enzymes found in raw milk, that make it so easily digestible to humans. Many people who find themselves having a hard time with conventional dairy, or even those who are diagnosed as lactose intolerant, find that they can tolerate and even enjoy raw milk. This is something I myself have experienced and we have a growing list of customers that make the same claim.
-Lactase
Lactase splits milk sugar (lactose) into the two simple sugars glucose and galactose. Mammals are the only class of animals who produce lactase in their milk.
-Phosphatase
Phosphatasehelps the body access phosphorus and calcium. Phosphatase hydrolyses uses water to break down phosphate esters, releasing phosphorus ions. Calcium absorption requires proper ratios of phosphorus and magnesium.
-Acid Phosphatase
Acid Phosphatase is akin to Alkaline Phosphatase. Acid Phosphatase works in environments with a lower pH than 7, while Alkaline Phosphatase works in environments higher than 7.
-Amylase
Saliva and pancreatic juice contain Amylase to digest starch, glycogen, and other related carbohydrates. Raw milk also contains Amylase for the same reason. Amylase is commonly found in plants, as plants are mostly composed of carbohydrates.
-Catalase
Involved with waste management on the cellular level, catalase rids cells of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a chemical by-product of cellular metabolism. A strong oxidizer, H2O2 can wreak havoc in the cellular environment. Catalase quickly locks onto H2O2 and separates one oxygen atom from the molecule, producing oxygen and water.
-Lactoperoxidase
Identical to the peroxidase found in saliva and gastric juice, lactoperoxidase teams up with two other substances found in varying levels in milk (oxidized thiocyanate and hydrogen peroxide) to form an antimicrobial complex: Lysozyme.
-Lipase
Actually a class of water-soluble enzymes, lipases break down fats (triglycerides) into fatty acids, and improve utilization of lipids throughout the body. Disruption of the fat globules, as in homogenization, can lead to rancidity if lipase isn’t destroyed first.
Bacteria are crucial in keeping your body healthy and functioning at its prime.
Some of the important roles bacteria play in your body include:
Helping you properly break down & absorb food, aiding in a healthy digestive system, aiding in the absorption of nutrients, preventing chronic illnesses, including cancer.
-Lactobacilli
Lactobacilli can significantly reduce your cholesterol levels in as little as six weeks when combined with combined with Bifidobacterium bifidum. Lactobacilli can also improve the body's ability to absorb iron, folate, vitamin B-12 and other essential nutrients.
-Lactococcus
Lactococcus strains fight antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, protecting against infections. It also appears to be effective against Candida, Aspergillus and other fungi in the gut. It has also emerged as a natural immunity booster. It may help prevent pneumococcal infection, reduce lung damage in patients infected with the influenza virus (H1N1) and lower the risk of catching the common cold. Milk might be your best defense against flu, allergies and certain immune disorders.
-Bifidobacterium
Bifidobacteria play a vital role in gut health. It's one of the most widely used probiotics in digestive supplements, offering a host of benefits. This microorganism has been studied for its potential role in cancer treatment and prevention, digestive function and colon regularity. Research suggests that it may help relieve IBS symptoms, restore gut flora and ward off infections.
This bacteria accounts for more than 80 percent of microorganisms within the gut. As you age, its levels decline. Allergies and certain diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, have been linked to a lower number of Bifidobacteria. Milk and milk products can help balance your microbiota and improve digestive health.
Is bacteria safe? Of course, there are practices in which there would be risk of contamination. This is true in any sector of the food industry. However, statistically, you are more likely to fall ill from eating Romane lettuce than drinking raw milk. When consuming raw milk, you should be able to speak directly with the farmer and know the ins and outs of how they operate their farm, treat their cows, and bottle their milk. Be a on a first name basis with your farmers!
3) Raw milk farms are better for the planet. Unlike conventional dairy which boasts a multi-step process whereby milk trucks pick up milk, drive the milk to a pasteurization plant where it goes through a 3 to 5 step process, and then on to the store, where it sits under artificial light in massive refrigerators until the consumer brings it home.
In contrast, a small, raw milk dairy operation looks like this: the cow eats grass that was grown on the same farm in which it resides, then is milked. The milk is bottled directly from the cooling tank and then goes straight into a cooler (without artificial light) and is then picked up directly by the consumer.
4) Raw milk farms shorten the supply chain.
When consumers are dependent upon a multi-step process to get the food they consume into their refrigerator, there is more risk for food insecurity and supply chain disruptions like we saw in 2020. When you buy direct from a farmer, you are eliminating the majority of the supply chain and thus reducing your dependability and reliance on major corporations (only 10 companies own the majority of the food on supermarket shelves). This is a massive transfer of buying power to you the consumer in making ethical choices that serve your families' health and the health of the planet (goodbye, greenwashing!).
5) Raw milk farms shine like a beacon of light on our dark and dreary food industry.
Selling milk in a traditional way is illegal in all states except Arizona, California, Connecticut, Idaho, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Washington. Which means raw milk is illegal in some form or another in nearly 80% of the U.S. While this certainly highlights the inconsistencies in our government-run food agencies (cigarettes are legal in all 50 states), it has allowed a beautiful thing to take place. People are getting to know their food again. Consumers are able to see directly where their food is coming from and speak in person to the people that are growing and handling the very thing that gives them life. Since 2020, our customer-base has more than tripled, and we have had the incredible opportunity to meet some truly inspiring people. There is a strong sense of community that has been built on our small family farm. One where people are not only learning more about their food (where it comes from and how to grow it themselves), but also gaining resources on all of life's endeavors (like home birthing, non-traditional medicine, homeschooling, finding local church groups, and more).
It is through the strict laws on raw milk, that consumers are gaining a new (old and renewed) perspective on the food industry and its importance for us all (the planet and animals included). If raw milk were legal like any other milk, this opportunity would have surely been missed, and the ability recreate and rebuild a new, better, brighter food system might have been lost completely.
Returning to natural food has benefits that go far beyond our own nutrition. It is not too late to correct our food system and build one in which we all can benefit and thrive. We think raw milk is pretty great place to start.
Additional sources not linked Raw Milk and Lactose Intolerance — Raw Milk Institute
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