In Raw Milk Reality: Is Raw Milk Dangerous?, we took a closer look at the claims made by groups like the FDA and CDC that raw milk is “dangerous”. We found that, though the relative risk of becoming ill from drinking raw milk is about 9 times greater than it is from drinking pasteurized milk, the absolute risk of developing a serious illness (i.e. one that would require hospitalization) from drinking raw milk is exceedingly small: about 1 in 6 million.
Nevertheless, as small as the risk of drinking raw milk is, we still need to answer the question: why take the risk? What benefits does raw milk have over pasteurized milk that have convinced nearly 10 million people in the U.S. alone to actively seek it out?
Why drink raw milk in the first place?
There are many reasons one might prefer raw milk over pasteurized milk, ranging from nutritional to ethical to environmental. Different people will resonate with different reasons, depending on their value system, worldview and priorities.
Nutrition
Raw milk comes from cows that graze on grass. Some evidence suggests that milk from these cows is likely to have higher levels of fat-soluble vitamins and other nutrients. Cows fed fresh green forage, especially those grazing grass, have been shown to have higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and essential fatty acids in their milk. (1,2) Cows are natural herbivores and are healthiest when they eat grass, rather than the grain they are fed in confinement dairy operations.
The pasteurization process also reduces the nutritional quality of milk products. Research has shown a decrease in manganese, copper, and iron after heat treatment. (3) The FDA acknowledges that pasteurization destroys a substantial portion of the vitamin C in milk, and sterilization is also known to significantly impair the bioactivity of vitamin B6 contained in milk. (4, 5) Beta-lactoglobulin, a heat-sensitive protein in milk that is destroyed by pasteurization, increases intestinal absorption of vitamin A, so the supplemental vitamin A in conventional milk may be harder to absorb. (6) While pasteurized milk does retain some level of nutritional value, it seems that unpasteurized milk is superior in vitamin and mineral content overall.
Tolerance
Many people experience digestive and other problems when they consume pasteurized milk, but have no trouble with raw milk. It’s not entirely clear why this is the case. The FDA insists that unpasteurized milk has no probiotic effect or any other characteristic that could explain this phenomenon. But the collective experience of raw milk consumers suggests otherwise. The Weston A. Price Foundation conducted an informal survey of over 700 families, and determined that over eighty percent of those diagnosed with lactose intolerance no longer suffer from symptoms after switching to raw milk. (7)
While this is certainly not rigorous evidence, it matches my own anecdotal experience and that of many of my patients, blog readers and radio show listeners. I do not feel well when eat pasteurized dairy. It gives me sinus congestion, headaches and intestinal discomfort. Yet I thrive on raw dairy, and fermented raw dairy in particular played a substantial role in my own healing journey.
Is it possible that the millions of people that tolerate raw milk but not pasteurized milk are experiencing a massive placebo effect? Sure. Anything is possible. But a likelier explanation is that raw milk has some quality that makes it easier to digest than pasteurized milk. The fact that this has not been proven in clinical research doesn’t make it untrue. Lack of proof is not proof against.
Fortunately, we shouldn’t have to wait long for more reliable evidence on this topic. A clinical study is currently being performed at Stanford University to help determine whether raw milk actually reduces the incidence of lactose intolerance. (8) The results have yet to be published, but will provide scientific evidence to support or refute the anecdotal claims of many raw milk drinkers.
Health
A large cross-sectional study demonstrated a significant inverse association between “farm milk” consumption and childhood asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis, sensitization to pollen and other allergens. (9) While we must always remember that correlation does not prove causation, the findings were consistent across children from farming and non-farming environments, indicating that farm milk consumption may have had an independent effect on allergy development.
This protective effect may be related to the hygiene hypothesis, which I recently wrote about. It is thought that low dose exposure to a variety of commensal bacteria may help regulate immune responses outside the gut. Another hypothesis is that the higher level of omega-3 fatty acids in grass-fed dairy, particularly in full-fat dairy products, may help reduce childhood atopy risk. (10) More research is necessary before a definitive mechanism for a reduction in allergies in children drinking raw milk can be established.
Additionally, some research suggests that unpasteurized milk contains antimicrobial components absent in pasteurized milk. (11, 12, 13, 14) These studies found that pathogens grow more slowly or die more quickly when added to raw milk than when added to heat-treated milk. This does not mean that raw milk cannot be contaminated with bacteria, nor does it mean that raw milk “kills pathogens”.
The evidence for this is not conclusive, however, so there is no excuse for subpar hygiene standards when dealing with unpasteurized dairy products.
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Flavor
Many people think that raw milk has a superior flavor and texture to pasteurized, homogenized milk. They often use words like “fresh”, “real”, “alive” and “rich” to describe it. They also appreciate the subtle shift in the flavor of the milk through the seasons as the grasses change. Consumer research demonstrates that flavor is one of the top reasons that consumers choose raw milk in states where it is legal to buy. (15, 16) Emily Weinstein, blogging for The New York Times, describes her first raw milk experience:
The milk — oh man, the milk! — was creamy and full of flavors, not white like supermarket milk, but yellow-tinged. It was milk with a taste that wasn’t just defined by it texture — it was distinct, satisfying, delicious. All food should be like this, I thought, so natural it seems to redefine the word.
I’m sure those of you who drink raw milk can attest to the significant flavor differences between raw and conventional milk. While flavor alone is not reason enough for choosing raw milk, it is clearly a driving force in many consumers’ decisions.
Community
Raw milk is almost exclusively produced by local farmers. A growing segment of the population is choosing to support local, family farms and businesses over multi-national conglomerates. There is significant economic potential in the direct sales of milk from small farms, which is often the method of producing and distributing unpasteurized milk in most states. (17) The direct sale of raw milk allows farmers to set a price that allows profit for the farm and equals the fair market value of the product for the consumer. (18) This way, farmers are able to cover their costs while still earning a living to support themselves and their families.
Environment
Similar to above, consuming milk that is produced by local farmers using sustainable methods has far less of an environmental impact than drinking milk produced in large confinement feeding operations thousands of miles away. Conventional dairy operations are highly destructive to the environment. Air and water pollution from dust and feedlot manure, plus fertilizers and pesticides used in grain production, are damaging to the environment and to the health of farmers, farm workers, and nearby residents. (19) Manure runoff into water can cause the death of aquatic life, as well as contamination of drinking water by nitrate, harmful microorganisms, and antibiotics and hormones.
Raising dairy cows on well-managed pastures decreases soil erosion, increases soil fertility, and improves water quality due to decreased pollution. Cows grazing on pasture reduce the energy needed to grow grains or to mow, bale, and move hay, requiring less fuel consumption. (20) Sustainable small dairy farms that produce raw milk are much more environmentally friendly as compared to typical large-scale dairy farms that are energy intensive.
Ethics
Cows that live on small farms and spend their days on green pasture are are much better off than those that live in overcrowded and inhumane “factory farm” conditions. This is important to those of us that care how animals are treated. When confined in small spaces under stressful conditions, cows often become ill and are treated with large quantities of antibiotics. (21) They are more prone to morbidity and mortality from diseases including dust-related respiratory conditions, metabolic diseases, and other ailments that can be directly attributed to their confined conditions, as well as their unnatural diet of corn, soy, and other grains. Pasture-raised cows have longer lifespans than conventionally raised cows, as corn-based diets contribute to health problems such as liver abscesses, and breeding practices designed to maximize milk production have caused reproductive problems. (22)
There are plenty of horror stories and disturbing videos that portray the inhumane treatment of cows in conventional dairy operations. (23, 24) By visiting small farms and purchasing raw milk from pastured cows, compassionate consumers can be assured that the animals are properly treated.
A personal decision
Any one of these reasons might be enough justification for choosing raw milk for a given individual or family. But when viewed together, it’s easy to understand why raw milk consumption has increased so significantly over the last two decades. Consuming unpasteurized milk and dairy products has several positive benefits that, for many people, may outweigh the possible risks. You must consider both the positive and negative qualities of raw milk consumption when making the decision for you and your family.
In the next article, I will discuss the important variables to consider when deciding whether raw milk is right for you and offer guidance on how to find a safe source of raw milk and minimize the potential risk, should you choose to consume it.
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We should have known Stanford University wasn’t about to do a study on lactose-intolerance. The most important findings were not even part of the official report. It turns out that most of their lactose-intolerant volunteers actually could digest lactose so they decided instead to do the study 16 lactose malabsorbers who really weren’t even lactose intolerant. It’s silly to argue semantics. As a matter of fact the Mayo Clinic calls it milk protein intolerance.
Though raw should come only from grass fed cows, it is also possible to pasteurize grass fed milk. Grass fed milk from a very clean dairy is better than milk from a conventional dairy. So the issue really is this: once the qualified grass fed milk exists, should it be pasteurized or not.
No food should be pasteurized. Grass feeding is not the most important aspect of raw fluid milk consumption.
Amen!
Hi, does anyone have an opinion/research regarding if blending raw milk and/or raw pastured eggs/raw yogurt in a high-speed (Vitamix,etc) blender has a negative effect on the protein structure of the milk/eggs ? I like to use my high-speed blender to make a shake using raw yogurt, raw pastured egg yolks, raw grassfed whole milk, frozen berries and maybe some protein powder .
I have no research, but can tell you I do this all the time in a simple blender, minus the protein powder. I make eggnog from my chicken and duck eggs, using raw milk. I do not coddle my eggs, I know they are perfectly safe. So in my opinion, if you know your sources for your ingredients, go for it!
If you are using egg yolks, yogurt, berries, and milk you really don’t need protein powder since every other item you have contains protein. Everything living has protein from lettuce to steak. Sounds yummy though!!
Question to raw milk/raw yogurt consumers : do you keep it refrigerated (between servings) and drink/eat straight from the fridge , or do you let sit at room temp for awhile before consuming ? I guess what I’m asking is, does keeping and drinking/eating the product refigerated reduce any of the positive nutritional(including good bacteria,probiotics etc) benefits ? Would it be better for me to let the milk/yogurt warm-up a bit before consuming ? Thanx in advance for any advice & feedback !
Personally, I keep mine refrigerated, it can go sour quickly, and lasts much longer in fridge. I don’t think there is any benefit to having it at room temp at all, but raw milk is certainly fine for hot cocoa! Keep it in the fridge, will stay around much longer.
Well, growing up in Poland was quite easy. I was drinking fresh milk from the cow and, I was happy as “a little girls” (SNL),
Now, I am struggling to discover why some milks are resistant to good bacteria found in yogurt. It this good for milk kill good bacteria? Checking with FDA. I think shelve live of milk is the answer regardless of our health.
You can make yogurt from “store bought” milk, but you would have to add the proper enzymes. Best to make your yogurt from raw whole milk, very easy, recipes are available online, just heat, add some good raw, pref. Greek, yogurt, let it sit in warm place, covered, overnight, and next morning, you have yogurt. You cannot make yogurt with pasteurized milk that is any good without adding additional enzymes. Tried, failed miserably.
Hi Jill,
Your contention that you cannot make yogurt from pasteurized milk is not true (I.e w/o adding enzymes etc.). Indians, Arabs, the people of the Caucasuses, Southern Russians, etc. Have been making perfect Set Firm yogurt from BOILED, sterile milk for thousands of years. I make perfect mild set yogurt from pasteurized milk all the time, by boiling the milk 1st, allowing it to cool to 37 degrees Celsius (body temp), then adding my own starter culture (a spoon of fresh yogurt from a previous batch), then placing the warm milk and culture in a warm place. In about 4-8 hours I have perfect yogurt. The same us Eurasians have done it for thousands of years.
Thoroughly boiled milk is far more radical than pasteurization. People in Asia, boil their milk prior to consumption to prevent getting ill (the lack of hygiene in Europe, til the early 20th century, in Asia til present makes this a necessity). It’s easy to die of dysentery or food poisoning in those regions. The key to healthy milk is that it comes from grass fed cows, the milk is NOT homogenized AND it should be free of the chemical detergent residues sloppily left in pasteurization tanks after clean out (the source of severe allergies and adverse reactions). Finally the Indian cow, along with Jersey, Guernsey and Swiss Brown (descended from the Indian cow) produce the Safe Casein variant, Casein A2 (the non opiate version), the European Holstein/Frisian cow produces the harmful variant of Casein, Casein A1.
I suspect that another reason why raw milk farms milk is healthier is because they are cleaner, use less chemicals (such as those used to clean pasteurization vats) and use superior Jersey or Guernsey cows, whose milk is qualitatively far superior to Holstein milk (and are lower in the harmful Casein A1 portion in the milk).
My 2 cents: I have Celiac/Hashimoto’s. Have never been offered anything from doctors other than pharmaceuticals. Read about a man who put his Crohn’s into remission by drinking raw milk for 6 months. I chose Raw milk. I drive over 1 hour from MA to NH to get it. I drive past the Jersey cows eating their grass in the field look super-healthy in the sunshine to the barn where the cows are milked (A+ clean). These cows are super-happy with their environment as opposed to the concentration-camp cows whose only purpose is to be “milked to death” with machines. I have been drinking Raw milk for 3 weeks with unbelievable improvement. With that said…I would not give raw milk to a child under 2 for personal reasons. However anyone who has negative things to say about raw milk has not tried it because if they had…they would never go back to pasteurization. My milk is a golden yellow with a thick cream line on top….evidence of the green grass and sunshine!! If the cows look sickly (unkept and tick-ridden with wounds) they are unhealthy. If they look healthy..and your milking facility is clean…DRINK UP!!
April,
You are new to drinking raw milk and it is the beginning of E.coli season. Cows shed e.coli in the summer and early fall. You are vulnerable to illness because you have immune issues. Remember, just because the farm looks clean, pathogenic bacteria are invisible. It takes as few as 10-50 organisms of E.coli to make you extremely ill. Also, I hope your farmer told you to keep the milk on ice while traveling. The milk should never get above 40 degrees.
Maybe it would be wise to stop drinking the milk right now and wait until winter to begin drinking it. In the mean time, take a high potency probiotic to get some of the good guys populated before trying raw milk again.
Mary, your pathogenic bacteria are more common in the city than on the farm. Your 10-50 organisms of E.coli is pure speculation. The minimum infectious dose has never been determined. And raw milk is even safer when not refrigerated. Where in the world do you get you information?
OMG, I do agree, where in the world did you get this information Mary??? We drink raw milk year round and have never had a problem, ever, in many decades. And we buy from dairy farmers, not
out own. Someone has given you misinformation. Would like to know who, probably some big commercial dairy “manufacturer.”
Nancy, you may find some useful information here.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/11/28/subclinical-depression.aspx
Raw milk vs Pasteurized? That really isn’t the question that most people want answered here. Most agree that the properites of raw milk are excellent. The question here is really..can I consume raw milk safely? Or can I give raw milk safely to my child? The answer has always been and always will be twofold: proper food handling/processing (from source to table) and knowing what to do when food poisoning happens. You are not 100% safe no matter where you live, what you consume, or what your age is. With food poisoning, you must stop the bacteria such as E Coli and you must stay hydrated. MUST. Who here knows how to do this? Seriously. It is not common knowledge anymore. With E Coli O157:H7 you also have to stop the toxin from attacking your internal lining. Consider the following article ‘Adsorption effect of activated charcoal on enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli’ when researching and making an informed decision. Also there is research on the effect of 1 tsp of cinnamon on E Coli; as well as spices: garlic, clove, oregano, and sage. Also know at what point you need medical attention. Better late than never doesn’t necessarily work with food poisoning. Also some will be reluctant to disclose to a doctor that they
that they are drinking raw milk. Well that is plain dumb, if you have reached the point of needing a doctor be straight up honest about it.
I was wondering this exact info–it’s like you read my mind!! We are giving my daughter (almost 12 months old) raw yogurt and wanting to switch from breastmilk to breastmilk and raw cows milk (keeping in mind she will mostly be breastfed :)) in a month or two. Do you have good resources for how to battle e. coli, how to know if it’s e.coli (at home, without testing–preferrably in the early stage), etc.? I will be doing some independent research in the meantime, but wanted to know if you had links to articles off the top. Thank you!
I have suffered from major depression and anxiety for most of my life – I am 56 and was diagnosed in my late 20’s – but had progressively worsening issues starting with childhood. I have to admit that this seems to be genetic, because my father and his mother suffered greatly also, as well as some other family members. I have tried so many medications and just want to find some joy in my life before I get too old to do anything about it! Can A2 help me? We recently started milking Mini-Nubian dairy goats and I am drinking the raw milk, but I don’t know how much is needed to make a difference in one’s overall health. My husband and I are also making a real effort to avoid preservatives and processed foods much more than before, and plant a huge garden. We raise our own eggs, and are raising a couple of steers to butcher, although I don’t like to think about that! We keep vaccinations on our livestock at a minimum. I would love to hear some encouragement from someone with major depression who has seen real results from going to A2 raw milk and from making other healthy changes in eating habits. Thank you!
My 10 yo son had very bad depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. It kept getting worse and we knew we would have to try medication. Lucky for us, he was allergic to all 3 of the anti-anxiety drugs we tried. Out of desperation, we looked at food. We tried a very strict diet and tested 1 good G a time with a detailed food journal. The results have amazed us, he can not eat preservatives, MSG, artificial color, eggs or canola oil. When everything is home made, he is very happy. When we test something he can’t have he is teary, moody, angry and depressed.
Correction: “You CAN”T argue with success.
Okay, let’s address the claim that raw milk is dangerous and put it in it’s proper perspective already. If raw milk is so dangerous where are all the posts of people with loved ones who died or suffered terrible consequences from drinking it? If there way any truth to this ridiculous claim, the internet would be full of horror stories in regards to this subject. The proof is only valid from the people who are actually qualified to testify…. those who drink it. With one exception from a man who claimed he got stomach illness from drinking raw milk, and the stupid media literally making up false stories, where are the independent outcries from those who have suffered terrible consequences?????? Surely the raw milk movement has grown considerably and has a vast number of participants. Surely in our social network media based culture people would be running to You tube or making Facebook pages detailing the horrors of their raw milk experience. Quite the contrary; countless reports of increased health, reversal of disease, etc. Let me cite two wonderful old fashioned adages: “You can argue with success” and “A little common sense goes a long way”
“If there way any truth to this ridiculous claim, the internet would be full of horror stories in regards to this subject.” The internet is full of them. And they are bringing some of them to testify in front of state legislators to help pass anti-raw laws.
http://www.realrawmilkfacts.com/
Once again, it is big business vs. small. The large dairy producers DO NOT want to go natural or organic, and therefore it is a battle. Very similar to pharmaceutical companies lobbying against marijuana, the miracle drug for many sufferers of many illnesses, pain and diseases. It’s the same thing really. You do know the FDA does very few studies, they simply read the studies provided by the companies and make their decision. Why we have so many BAD DRUGS on the market. Same thing, different arena. A joke really.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-11/raw-milk-company-defends-product-after-3yos-death/5959246
Hi friends,Raw milk is good only…Always pasteurised milk gives me some type of irritation in my stomach..I feel it always..Heated milk not good….Raw milk is like nectar when consumed within 3 hours after getting from cows….Its health benefits are really amazing…But using raw milk after 3 hours is like drinking a dangerous poison…..It was also stated by our Ancient Siddhas..Please believe…If U want real strength,,If U r a vegeterian,,then raw milk consuming at once got 4rm a healthy cow will be a best option 4ever
It’s been since 2012 that the Raw Milk Study has been conducted by Stanford University. Why haven’t the results been concluded?
The results have been published (last month, March 2014). They found no difference in lactose tolerance of raw vs pasteurized milk. The study was done with individuals who were confirmed as lactose intolerant with hydrogen testing. To give you an idea they found 63 people who self reported as lactose intolerant, but only 27 tested positive using the hydrogen breath test. So while there may be some people who can tolerate raw milk but can’t pasteurized milk, it probably has nothing to do with lactose or lactose malabsorption. I hypothesis that if they did the same study using the 36 people who didn’t test positive the result would have been different.
http://annfammed.org/content/12/2/134.full
Chris, thanks for the informative article! Wow, so many comments about if raw milk is good for you. It differs from person to person. Do what works best for your body. Just be open minded and don’t let the USDA tell you that raw milk is unsafe, esp. since our great grandparents and grandparents survived off of raw milk. I believe that it’s hard for most big commercial facilities to have healthy cows that produce nutritious milk. Small organic farms do produce quality milk. I’m not regular raw milk drinker but when I’ve had it, had no ill effects. Happy health to everyone.
I have a picture of a 6 week old baby in his coffin. He would have been my uncle, but he died of undulant fever from drinking raw milk in the 1940’s.
Raw Milk! It’s the BEST! No kidding guys!
Opt for this, it does wonders! Especially if you’re lactose intolerant! Woohoo!
I’ve just started incorporating raw milk into my diet, after years of lactose issues. I love the taste, and I’m wondering how long it usually takes to see the benefits. Does anyoine know if raw milk consumption helps with hair issues? Mine is a nightmare, breaking easily.
I like raw milk but just found out I’m allergic or sensitive to whey & casein. I don’t have digestive problems or allergic reactions just immune responses like eczema. Would raw milk still cause a problem or would it be ok?
Dr Wallach states problems with gluten, and casein are due to low stomach acid, and from my other research zinc deficiency. Sufficient stomach acid is required to activate pepsin the enzyme that digests proteins. Casein, and gluten are both proteins. If you have low stomach acid you won’t activate pepsin, and these will go undigested. Real salt, and calcium are the producers of stomach acid. The problem is most people get unbioavailable calcium. Raw milk, and plant calcium have the highest bioavailability. But, you must also have vitamin D3 levels 80-100 to absorb calcium at all. We’ve been lied to about true vitamin D levels that humans need so we don’t utlilize calcium properly. Serum levels will stay the same due to homeostasis but most people have intracellular calcium deficiency aswell as salt. Plant based calcium supplement, and raw milk with vitamin D3. And, celtic sea salt, or himalayan salt. And , zinc. Zinc is required for MT proteins by your body. This protein digests gluten proteins, and casein proteins. Metalothionein / MT.
I currently stock up on raw milk once a month and freeze it because I have to go a little out of my way to the Co-op. We love it but it’s pricey. The milk comes from Jeresey Cows that are fed grain but no corn or soy, they also have plenty of access to grass. Occasionally, if I haven’t been able to get to the Co-op I will buy 100% Grassfed milk from the grocery store which is a little cheaper but this is pasuerized although not homogenized. I understand the benefits of raw milk vs pasteurized but I also am aware of the benefits of grass fed over grain fed. I am wondering if one of these types of milk is better than the other? Also, how does freezing raw milk affect the benefits it offers? We don’t notice an altered taste. Wish I could just get raw milk form grass fed cows!! I haven’t found raw goats milk around here only pasteurized. Would be interested in waht others think. Thanks.
How are deadly diseases, such as bovine tuberculosis, worth the risk at any level? If a child dies from contaminated, unpasteurized milk, will you just dismiss it along with the evidence of almost every major medical association in the Western world?
If raw milk is contaminated, pasteurization will kill microbes. But that doesn’t preclude pasteurized milk from also becoming contaminated. Contamination is the cause of the problem, whether the milk is raw or not,
Yes. Because, remembering the article, there have been no deaths due to raw milk consumption in recent decades, while there have been deaths from pasteurized milk. Arguing the odds as you do actually places raw milk on firmer standing.