.png)
If you have ever looked anything up about raw milk you can find articles, blogs and supposed scientific facts supporting both sides of the issue. It is crazy how much information there is from one spectrum to the other. Some people will say raw milk is not safe, and it will kill you if you drink it. And just to disprove this 'fact' we drink raw milk everyday from our own cow and goats, and we are still alive. Others will say there are not really any nutritional benefits to drinking raw milk, while others claim you loose at least half of the nutrition from milk when it is pasteurized.
We are going to explore both sides of the issue and where they contradict. If anything, after reading this you will be as confused as we were. However, we stand by, the more natural--the better it is for your body.
We will be using the CDC and a study from the Weston A. Price Foundation by Lori Lipinski to consider raw milk.
The FDA, CDC, and other government food safety outlets stand by the statement that, raw milk is dangerous. But is it really?
Is Raw Milk Safe to Drink?
The CDC says that "consuming raw milk can lead to serious health risks (CDC 2024)" and maybe they are right. And we agree with this, IF your cow is not healthy and IF you do not handle milk and the milking equipment correctly you will have a greater risk. The CDC also wants people to realize the risks of the bacteria and germs that are potentially found in raw milk. However, Lipinski states in her article Milk: It Does a Body Good?, that "...there are far more risks from drinking pasteurized milk than unpasteurized milk. Raw milk naturally contains healthy bacteria that inhibit the growth of undesirable and dangerous organisms. Without these friendly bacteria, pasteurized milk is more susceptible to contamination" (Lipinski 2003). Pasteurization takes out any bad bacteria, but it also takes out the good bacteria.
Why Did People Start Pasteurizing Milk?
Lipinski explanes that pasteurization was first used to preserve fermented products. Louis Pasteur started this in 1864, which was about half a centery before others started using it for milk. As the mass production of milk began to climb the farmers started taking care of their cows differently and were a bit too lax in the sanitation of their milking equipment. Therefore, people got sick and pasteurization was a way to make dirty milk 'safe' to drink.
So, the fact that milk has to be pasteurized leaves the disturbing question: just how dirty is this supposedly safe pasteurized milk from the store? But somehow a lot of people agreed that pasteurization was the answer to their problem with raw milk. I wonder if they thought about cleaning up the dairies?
What is the difference in nutritional values?
The CDC says that pasteurization does not effect the nutritional value of the milk (CDC 2024).
Lipinski contradicts this by saying that pasteurization not only kills the friendly bacteria (which is good for you) but it also takes away from the nutritional value of the milk. Pasteurized milk loses 66% of vitamins A, D, and E and 50% of vitamin C. Vitamins B6 and B12 are destroyed and it also destroys beneficial enzymes, antibodies, hormones and lipase. Phosphatase is also destroyed making calcium less available (Lipinski 2003).
Look at the milk jugs at the store and most will say in the ingredient list that there is milk and vitamin D. They have to add a form of this vitamin because it is destroyed in the process of pasteurization.
As you can see this is a very controversial subject. So who should you believe? A government department made up of mortal man? Or some other nutritional specialist that advocates raw milk (that is still mortal man)?
Here is our opinion. Take it or leave it. But we believe God knew the best way to provide us with the nutritional benefits we need. Therefore, what God made for us will be the best thing for us. That being said, we do have the responsibility to be good stewards of what God has given us. Taking care of the cow in the most natural way, is best. The more natural the better and we should preserve the natural quality instead of settling for a tainted, less than perfect product.
One last thing
If you do decide to start drinking raw milk make sure it is from a reliable source. Some people do not care and don't take care of their animals or milking equipment correctly.
References:
Centers for Disease Control. (2024, April 29). Raw Milk.
Lipinski, L. (2003, July 7). Milk: It Does a Body Good?
We just had homemade ice cream from raw milk last night! Yum! Also check out pictures on Pinterest about “raw milk verses pasteurized milk experiment.”
Raw milk is the best!