Raw milk: whether you really hit your lips, you are likely to have heard of it for now, probably because of the polarizing views. Some people promote it as a magical elixir rich in nutrients that can promote vitality and quell a variety of health problems, while others say that these statements are exaggerated or not are fine. So what is the real business?
Is raw milk actually one of the superfoods of nature or is it a risky business? This question and more, answered below by dairy specialized experts, dietary and food security.
What is raw milk?
Raw milk differs from regular milk, of the type that the vast majority of people buy in the supermarket, in which the former has not been treated with heat (also known as pasteurized). “It is as minimally processed as you can find when it comes to dairy products in the market,” says Brooklyn, based in Brooklyn. Maddie Pasquariello, MS, RDN. However, it warns that the minimally processed term is not synonymous with better for you, safer or more natural.
And how does raw milk know? “It may seem tastier for some people,” he continues. “It is often informed as sweeter or more grass, and more creamy in the texture.”
Supposed benefits for raw milk health
Raw milk fans attribute a variety of benefits when drinking it, including that it is easier to digest and helps relieve a variety of inflammatory health problems.
According to Pasquariello, the defenders of raw milk also promote the following statements, each of which the dietitian considers that FAKE:
- It is safer and better for you, since it comes directly from the source
- Supports intestinal microbioma and immunity
- Its benefits exceed risks
Some people also claim that pasteurization kills important nutrients. “Nutrients in milk are not significantly reduced by pasteurization,” he clarifies Christine M. Bruhn, pHDFood Security Expert and Retired Director of the Consumer Research Center at UC Davis. “There is a slight reduction in vitamin C during pasteurization, but milk is not a significant source of this nutrient, since we get it from fruits and vegetables.”
David A. Mills, PhDDistinguished Professor and Peter J. Shields President in Dairy Food Sciences at UC Davis, adds that although the process can destroy some digestive enzymes and kill microbes in milk, “in any way this counteracts the possible refusal of the possibility dramatically greater than the greatest possibility of a greater probability of milk that houses a pathogenic bacterium, virus or parasite that could harm. ” The defenders claim that raw milk contains probiotics, which also considers false: “It is a misunderstanding of the probiotic term, which is defined by something that has clinical trials associated with it.”
In addition, Mills says that raw milk defenders often use the Gabriela studyPublished in 2011, to argue the case that raw milk is inversely associated with asthma and allergies in the children of the farm that consume it. However, he explains that Subsequent studies Suggest that the microbes associated with the life of the farm could be the driving factor here. “The problem with [these types of] Epidemiology studies is that they do not reveal mechanism. They simply create hypotheses to try, ”he shares. “Almost all the influencers of raw milk that I know quotes Gabriela’s study, but do not understand that a mechanism linked to raw milk was never subsequently tested.”
Risks of consuming raw milk
“It is much more likely that you get sick when consuming dairy products of crude dairy dairy products,” says Pasquariello. There are many opportunities for pathogens to contaminate dairy products during production. By him Disease control centers (CDC), the consumption of raw milk risks exposure to germs such as Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. Coli, Listeria, Brucella and Salmonella.
“For those who consume raw dairy products, these pathogens can be transmitted and cause flu,” he warns. (Aviar flu, which causes humans and has become more frequent in recent years given the increase in the consumption of raw dairy products, is another possibility, he says). “Death is possible if someone’s condition progresses or if they are particularly vulnerable.”
Whether insidious or poorly informed, some of those who defend raw milk try to present a case citing the pasteurized milk disease counts in front of the raw. “They tend to analyze the total number of cases of people who get sick from pasteurized dairy products, which may seem higher than the number of cases of people who get sick from raw dairy products,” says Pasquariello. This logic is defective since it must analyze rates and percentages, not the total number of cases, to analyze the risk of disease. “As only a small percentage (about 3 percent) of the population consumes a certain amount of raw dairy, there may be fewer cases in a total of important incidents, but the relative risk is much greater, so that if all consumed dairy products raw, an extreme increase in the disease rate would be inevitable, ”he explains.
In fact, for a 2017 article In the newspaper Emerging infectious diseasesRaw dairy caused 96 percent of diseases caused by contaminated dairy products from 2009 to 2014, or a whopping 840 times more diseases and 45 times more hospitalizations than pasteurized products. The authors pointed out that these rates will increase with greater consumption of non -pasteurized dairy products, the last of which has taken Especially in recent years and can continue with the constant impulse of the movement of raw milk.
Is raw milk safe or healthy?
In a nutshell, drinking raw milk raises more risks than rewards.
“There is a clear documentation that despite the best efforts of the farmer, raw milk can contain dangerous bacteria and the consumption of raw milk is dangerous,” says Bruhn. According to Pasqaruiello, the potential presence of pathogens in it could cause considerable damage to humans, especially children, elders and those who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems.
However, Bruhn warns that allRegardless of your age or state of health, you could get sick when trying this alternative dietary trend.
Take food
Some welfare and diet trends are more innocent than others, but according to public health institutions and the legions of qualified experts, raw milk is not among them. As such, it is your best interest to avoid relying on this trend and silence the noise around you as much as you can … especially if you are attracted to try it.
Pasquariello, Bruhn and Mills strongly advise against the consumption of raw milk. “Any RD, scientist or evidence -based nutrition professional should not ethically recommend the consumption of raw dairy or promote raw dairy products such as health benefits that exceed risks,” says Pasquariello. “There is simply no reason to consume raw dairy over its safer and pasteurized counterpart.”
“Drinking raw milk is like playing Russian roulette with your health, and there is more than one bullet in the gun,” Bruhn concludes. Why play with your most important assets, your health and well -being, when the probabilities are not in your favor?
Frequent questions
Is raw milk better than pasteurized milk?
“No. When balances against the risks of raw milk, [its purported] The benefits are not legitimate, ”says Mills. Bruhn adds that pasteurization is one of the most important steps to protect human health, so it is the best for interest to continue buying its standard dairy milk (or plants -based milk) of choice.
Can raw milk cause food transmitted diseases?
Yes, raw milk can cause food transmitted diseases. According to him Centers for Disease Control and PreventionSymptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramps, while more serious cases can lead to paralysis, renal failure, stroke or death.
Why is raw milk in a trend?
There are many reasons why the movement of raw milk seems to be stronger than ever.
According to Pasquariello, these include but are not limited to:
- The desire for a fast health hack
- Commercial health trends and the preference of “returning to nature”
- Marketing cut of influential and political people with something to win (be it popularity, followers, sales of their own programs or products)
- Dependence on anecdotal evidence (instead of scientific)
- Distrust of public health institutions, based largely on erroneous information and the growing politicization of the food system
Where is it legal to buy raw milk?
In the United States, regulations and legality around the sale of raw milk vary according to the State. “In many parts of the country, it is not legal to sell or buy raw milk, and in other areas, you must sign an exemption if you decide to buy it, releasing the supplier’s responsibility and for contact layout purposes,” Pasquariello explains. Some states can enforce other degrees of regulatory compliance (such as demanding warning labels), while others completely prohibit sales.
How should raw milk be stored if consumed?
If you choose to buy and consume raw milk, which, again, is poorly advised according to an overwhelming majority of public health experts, food and dietary, surely keep it fresh and stored in your refrigerator.
