Raw Milk: Whether it actually hits your lips, you may have heard of it now, which is probably from a polarization perspective. Some touted it as a magical nutrient-rich elixir that promotes vitality and calms a range of health problems, while others say these claims are exaggerated or untrue. So what is the real deal?

Is raw milk actually one of nature’s superfoods, or is it an adventurous business? This question and so on, below are the answers from experts who specialize in dairy, diet and food safety.

What is raw milk?

Raw milk is different from regular milk, regular milk (the kind of milk that most people buy in supermarkets) because the former is not heat treated (also known as pasteurization). “This is the least treatment you can find when it comes to dairy products on the market,” said Brooklyn nutritionist Maddie Pasquariello, MS, RDN. However, she warns that the term “minimum treatment” is not safer for you, Or a better synonym for more natural.

How does raw milk taste? “For some people, it seems to be more delicious,” she continued. “It is usually reported to be sweeter or grassier and has a creamier texture.”

Alleged health benefits of raw milk

Fans of raw milk attribute it to various benefits of drinking, including that it is easier to digest and helps alleviate a range of inflammatory health problems.

According to Pasquariello, advocates of raw milk also tout the following claims, which every nutritionist believes Wrong:

This is safer and better for you because it comes directly from the source
It supports the gut microbiome and immunity
Its benefits outweigh the risks

Some also claim that pasteurization kills important nutrients. “The nutritional factors in milk cannot be greatly reduced by pasteurization,” said Dr. Christine M. Bruhn, a food safety expert at the University of California, Davis and retired director of the Center for Consumer Research. “There is a slight decrease in vitamin C during pasteurization, but milk is not an important source of this nutrient because we get it from fruits and vegetables.”

David A. Mills, distinguished professor at UC Davis and chairman of Peter J. Shields, may cause harm by milk The chances of milk have increased significantly. “The advocate claims that raw milk contains probiotics, which he also believes is wrong: “This is a misunderstanding of the term probiotics, the term has been made by clinical trials related to it. What is defined by things.”

Additionally, Mills said original milk advocates often use the Gabriela study published in 2011 to argue that raw milk is negatively associated with asthma and allergies in eating asthma. However, he explained that later research suggests that microorganisms associated with farm life may be the driver here. “question [these types of] Epidemiological studies are that they did not find any mechanism. They just create hypotheses for testing,” he shared. “Almost all the raw milk influencers I know have cited Gabriela’s research, but they don’t understand the mechanisms associated with raw milk have never been proven. ”

Risks of eating raw milk

“You are more likely to get sick from eating raw dairy and pasteurized dairy,” Pasquariello said. Pathogens have many opportunities to contaminate dairy products throughout the entire production process. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the risk of depletion of raw milk may be exposed to bacteria, including Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Listeria, Brucella and Salmonella.

“For those who eat raw dairy products, these pathogens can be used and cause flu.” (Bird flu causes harm to humans, and has become more common in recent years given the increase in consumption of raw dairy products – she said. ) “If someone’s disease state progresses or is particularly vulnerable, they may die.”

Whether sinister or wrong, some advocates for raw milk have tried to propose cases by invoking pasteurization and disease counts of raw milk. “They tend to look at the total number of people getting sick from pasteurized dairy products that may be higher than the number of cases that get sick from the original dairy,” Pasquariello said. This logic is flawed because you have to look at the rate and percentages (rather than totals) to analyze disease risk. “Since only a small percentage (about 3%) of the population consumes a certain amount of raw dairy, the situation of the major events that occur in total may be less, but the relative risk is much higher, so if everyone consumes it Original dairy, she explained that extreme increases in disease rates are inevitable.

In fact, according to the 2017 article in the Journal Emerging infectious diseasesFrom 2009 to 2014, RAW DAIRY caused 96% of the disease, causing as many as 840 times the disease triggered by dairy products or pasteurized products and 45 times the hospital stay. The authors point out that these rates will increase with higher consumption of unpasteurized dairy products, which especially stand out in the past few years and may continue to the steady momentum of the original milk movement.

Is raw milk safe or healthy?

In short, drinking raw milk has a greater risk than rewards.

“The clear document is that, despite the best efforts of farmers, raw milk can contain dangerous bacteria, while the consumption of native milk is dangerous,” Bruen said. According to Pasqariello, the potential presence of pathogens is possible It can cause great harm to humans, especially children, the elderly, and those who are pregnant or weakened from their immune system.

Nevertheless, Bruen warned Everyoneregardless of their age or health status, can get sick from trying this alternative diet trend.

takeout

Some health and dietary trends are more innocent than others, but according to public health agencies and qualified expert corps, raw milk is not included. So it is your best interest to avoid relying on this trend and silence the noise around you as much as possible…especially when you are tempted to try.

Pasquariello, Bruhn and Mills all strongly recommend that you avoid eating raw milk. “No RD, scientist or evidence-based nutrition practitioner should be morally advised to consume original dairy, or promote the health benefits of original dairy outweigh the risks,” Pasquariello said. “There is no reason at all in its safer situation,” Pasquariello said. Eat original dairy products on the sterilization counterpart.”

Bruen concluded: “Drinking raw milk is like playing Russian roulette in your health, with more than one bullet in your gun.” Why do you have the most important assets when odds don’t support you (Your health and well-being) Gambling?

FAQ

Is raw milk better than pasteurized milk?

“No. When balanced with the risk of raw milk, [its purported] The benefits are not legal,” Mills said. Bruen added that pasteurization is one of the most important steps to protect human health, so it is in your best interest to continue buying standard dairy milk (or plant-based milk).

Will raw milk cause foodborne diseases?

Yes, raw milk can cause food-borne diseases. According to the CDC, symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps, while more severe cases may lead to paralysis, renal failure, stroke or death.

There are many reasons why the primitive milk movement seems to be stronger than ever.

According to Pasquariello, these include, but are not limited to:

Desire to fix health hacks quickly
Communicate health trends and preference for “restore nature”
Marketing influencers and politicians, there is something to get (whether it’s popularity, followers, their own plans or the sale of products)
Rely on anecdotes (not scientific evidence)
Distrust of public health institutions, mainly based on misinformation and the increasing politicization of food systems

Where to buy raw milk legally?

In the United States, regulations and legality surrounding the sale of raw milk vary by state. “In many parts of the country, it is illegal to sell or buy raw milk, and in other areas, if you decide to buy, you must sign an exemption, release the supplier’s liability and for contact tracing purposes,” Pasquariello,” Pasquariello explained. Some states may enforce other levels of regulatory compliance (such as requiring warning labels), while others ban sales altogether.

If consumed, how should you store native milk?

If you choose to buy and consume native milk (again, according to the vast majority of public health, food and diet experts, it is unwise to be sure to keep it cool and store in the refrigerator.