Raw Milk, is it ok to drink?
Replies
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Milk is not good for you at all. raw, not raw,/ You are not a calf. Milk from cows is made for calves not humans.
Switch to Coconut, Almond, or Rice Milk if you are concerned about health.0 -
Don't do it, everybody that drank raw milk before Louis Pasture learned how to make it safe,,,,,,, died.
I don't buy milk from the supermarket, but love raw milk--absolutely delicious. I can only get it in fancy farmers' market where they know the lineage of every cow and tomato vine, so it's pricey, but worth it.0 -
Milk is very, very good for youMilk is not good for you at all. raw, not raw,/ You are not a calf. Milk from cows is made for calves not humans.
Switch to Coconut, Almond, or Rice Milk if you are concerned about health. 0 -
Don't do it, everybody that drank raw milk before Louis Pasture learned how to make it safe,,,,,,, died.
People always get correlation and causation confused. Someone who was alive in 1862 would have died in the intervening 151 years regardless of whether he drank pasteurized or raw milk... And there were other limitations on safe food handling of the day - not the least of which being that the refrigerator had only been invented 21 years earlier and was not in widespread use.
Folks get too caught up in absolutes. Can you die from pathogens in raw milk? Of course. Will buying pasteurized milk prevent you from dying from those same pathogens 100% of the time? No.
Near me, there was a Mennonite farmer who sold raw milk. His big mistake was selling some to a coop that happened to be about 2 miles over the state line that was 7 miles from his farm. In the US, INTERSTATE transportation and sales of raw milk is illegal. In my particular state, it is also illegal unless marked "not for human consumption," but we also have an incredibly powerful dairy farm lobby.
So, what ensued was a 15 month sting operation involving state police from both states and the FBI. Now, we probably could have saved the taxpayers a ton of money by simply informing the coop and the farmer that they were violating the law (yes, I know it's their responsibility to know the law, but good grief...),but no one ever did.
So he was shut down, lost the farm that had been in his family for 4 generations. Now, his milk was tested regularly for pathogenic organisms, such as e-coli, Listeria, and Salmonella. Guess what? His milk always tested well below the levels of PASTEURIZED milk from the grocery store. Yup, there are bacteria in the pasteurized milk you buy - presumably it is contaminated after pasteurization in the packaging stages, or the pasteurization isn't always completely successful as folks are lead to believe.
People claim raw milk is alive. Others claim it obviously isn't. We get lost in semantics, because raw milk isn't a life form. However, raw milk contains things that are alive. Lots of bacteria, for example. Many of which are very beneficial to consume. It also contains many enzymes, which are destroyed in the pasteurization process, that are beneficial. The "good" bacteria can actually compete with any harmful bacteria that may also be present, or contaminate the milk later, thus keeping their population low. Meanwhile, theoretically sterile pasteurized milk is basically just food without any competition for anything that should contaminate it, so when a pathogen gets in, it can multiply much more rapidly. This is part of why pasteurized milk rots, while raw milk spoils (different processes, for sure).
So, is raw milk safe to drink? Maybe, depending on many circumstances. It's situationally dependent. I know I personally would not drink any raw milk before observing the health of the cow it came from (and its health maintenance/monitoring program), seeing what the cow ate, and seeing the milking and post-milking handling process. Is it healthier than pasteurized milk? Probably, assuming it's safe, but definitely not if it isn't.
Is pasteurized milk safe to drink? Maybe, depending on circumstances. It's situationally dependent. It's less reliant on people, so if I can't verify the circumstances of its production as above, I feel more comfortable drinking pasteurized milk.
It is pretty much impossible to ensure safe production of raw milk in large scale dairy - probably anything more than a dozen cows. so, obviously, the dairy industry is going to support keeping raw milk unavailable. and they have the money to hire lobbyists (whereas the small producer of raw milk can't), and many of those lobbyists become FDA administrators (not as many former dairy lobbyists as former Monsanto employees, but several). So of course the government agencies are going to support the source of their funding.
Avoid being swayed by the absolutists, and investigate what's actually going on. Then decide for yourself, in your particular situation.0 -
^^^^^^I don't think you got the joke, chadgard:)0
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Recommending raw milk consumption for promoting 'pain-free labor' is incredibly irresponsible. The citation given is an anecdote from a single woman, and is not remotely valid as supporting evidence for an analgesic effect (which, based on what we know about pain signalling and labor, is highly likely to be total BS).
Raw milk may contain various pathogenic bacteria, feces, blood and other non-milk matter. If you are fit, healthy and strong more than likely you will be just fine. However, not merely condoning its consumption, but actively promoting it, to gestating women, is irresponsible, dangerous and misinformed.
The microbiologist who posted above is correct, and infinitely more qualified than a woman with a blog who has decided raw milk is just fine for all pregnant women.0 -
Milk is very, very good for youMilk is not good for you at all. raw, not raw,/ You are not a calf. Milk from cows is made for calves not humans.
Switch to Coconut, Almond, or Rice Milk if you are concerned about health.
IT"S ONLY GOOD FOR YOU IF YOU ARE A CALF. OTHER THEN THAT DAIRY IN GENERAL IS VERY VERY BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently asked the UDSA to look into the scientific basis of the claims made in the "milk mustache" ads. Their panel of scientists stated the truth clearly:
• Milk doesn't benefit sports performance.
• There's no evidence that dairy is good for your bones or prevents osteoporosis -- in fact, the animal protein it contains may help cause bone loss!
• Dairy is linked to prostate cancer.
• It's full of saturated fat and is linked to heart disease.
• Dairy causes digestive problems for the 75 percent of people with lactose intolerance.
• Dairy aggravates irritable bowel syndrome.
Simply put, the FTC asked the dairy industry, "Got Proof?" -- and the answer was NO!
Plus, dairy may contribute to even more health problems, like:
• Allergies (vi)
• Sinus problems
• Ear infections
• Type 1 diabetes (vii)
• Chronic constipation (viii)
• Anemia (in children)
Due to these concerns, many have begun to consider raw milk an alternative. But that isn't really a healthy form of dairy either ...
Yes, raw, whole, organic milk eliminates concerns like pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and the effects of homogenization and pasteurization -- but to me, these benefits don't outweigh dairy's potential risks.
Everybody needs calcium -- but probably not as much as our government's recommended daily allowance (RDA) and calcium from diet, including greens and beans is better utilized by the body with less risk than calcium supplements.0 -
^^^^^^I don't think you got the joke, chadgard:)
Actually, I got the joke. It just seemed a good jumping-off point for my diatribe on absolutism. After all, the joke, like many, is only funny because it's true.0 -
I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice. I, personally, have not had any problems with it. That being said...I, personally, would not give it to anybody who is immunosurpressed, elderly, or children.0
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I assume you work at a commercial dairy. At home ( family farm) we filtered the milk and chilled, then drank or used it and all have lived long healthy lives.
I would never drink ANY milk from the feed lots that they call Dairys here in AZ0 -
You are truly indoctrinated. That's okay! Don't drink it then. Leaves more for me. MMmmmm!!!:flowerforyou:
Milk is very, very good for youMilk is not good for you at all. raw, not raw,/ You are not a calf. Milk from cows is made for calves not humans.
Switch to Coconut, Almond, or Rice Milk if you are concerned about health.
IT"S ONLY GOOD FOR YOU IF YOU ARE A CALF. OTHER THEN THAT DAIRY IN GENERAL IS VERY VERY BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently asked the UDSA to look into the scientific basis of the claims made in the "milk mustache" ads. Their panel of scientists stated the truth clearly:
• Milk doesn't benefit sports performance.
• There's no evidence that dairy is good for your bones or prevents osteoporosis -- in fact, the animal protein it contains may help cause bone loss!
• Dairy is linked to prostate cancer.
• It's full of saturated fat and is linked to heart disease.
• Dairy causes digestive problems for the 75 percent of people with lactose intolerance.
• Dairy aggravates irritable bowel syndrome.
Simply put, the FTC asked the dairy industry, "Got Proof?" -- and the answer was NO!
Plus, dairy may contribute to even more health problems, like:
• Allergies (vi)
• Sinus problems
• Ear infections
• Type 1 diabetes (vii)
• Chronic constipation (viii)
• Anemia (in children)
Due to these concerns, many have begun to consider raw milk an alternative. But that isn't really a healthy form of dairy either ...
Yes, raw, whole, organic milk eliminates concerns like pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and the effects of homogenization and pasteurization -- but to me, these benefits don't outweigh dairy's potential risks.
Everybody needs calcium -- but probably not as much as our government's recommended daily allowance (RDA) and calcium from diet, including greens and beans is better utilized by the body with less risk than calcium supplements.0 -
This is my experience as well, and I agree regarding the feedlot style dairies.I assume you work at a commercial dairy. At home ( family farm) we filtered the milk and chilled, then drank or used it and all have lived long healthy lives.
I would never drink ANY milk from the feed lots that they call Dairys here in AZ0 -
*shakes head slowly*
I prefer to have my food tampered with as little as possible. It's why I drink raw milk, grow a garden, buy free range eggs, meat and other game from local growers and hunters, and avoid things with ingredients lists. You know. REAL food. Which many of you probably wouldn't understand the philosophy of anyway, since western society has gone so far away from what is good for us.
The sheeple are too many nowadays. Run along and follow blindly, little ones. We'll see who comes out on top in the end.0 -
Pastuerized milk is not close to real milk. All the great things that were in it are killed off or altered in the process. They then have to add other things back into it.
There are much healtheir choices than milk, but yeah, both have their pros and cons0 -
• Dairy causes digestive problems for the 75 percent of people with lactose intolerance.
I always assume that the people who rail against all dairy on in the 75%. My ancestors depended on milk into adulthood or they wouldn't have passed on to me the ability to digest lactose. And I'm happy for it!0 -
I work in a dairy and I know what raw milk is like. It containes hay, ( from the farms), it contains blood ( from the cows) )Milk is clarified to remove these. It however can also contain coli, coliform, lysteria and other microorganisms. Some of these just cause milk spoilage, some can cause serious illness. I would not recommend drinking raw mlk.
These are all true things, but like all foods you take your chances. I grew up drinking milk fresh from the bulk tank and still warm - I'm still here and so are the multitudes of my relatives that did the same. I also ate wild fruits, nuts off the grounds and vegetables freshly picked. Its all a matter of choice and convenience.0 -
Yummy stuff, I have had lots of raw goat milk. Too bad you boiled it, the raw cheese is wonderful!I keep seeing that there is a lot of concern with the bacteria and not being pasteurized. I really do not know much as far as facts go, but when we got the goat's milk from a goat farmer, we would go home boil it and put it in the fridge and not one person in our household got sick. We all grew up drinking it.
I can't count the number of times I've made raw cheese from raw, grass-fed organic cow milk....just leave it on the counter for 2-3 days until it is coagulated, then strain through cheesecloth...curds and whey...totally gourmet, and incredibly healthy and delicious. My children love it! Wonderful mixed with herbs and spread on crackers.0 -
I grew up drinking raw milk from my grandpa's farm. Never hurt me
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I work in a dairy and I know what raw milk is like. It containes hay, ( from the farms), it contains blood ( from the cows) )Milk is clarified to remove these. It however can also contain coli, coliform, lysteria and other microorganisms. Some of these just cause milk spoilage, some can cause serious illness. I would not recommend drinking raw mlk.
You work in dairy? I don't believe it. Sure, hay and whatever gets removed by processing but so does anything that was healthy. So why bother consuming milk at all?
Everything that you have said is potentially true, but there is no reason that raw milk should be contaminated with dangerous micro-organisms except through carelessness. Carelessness is not at all limited to just the farmer and it's my personal experience that farmers are very concientious with their products. Having hauled milk (thousands of cows milk all combined in a single vat- talk about contamination!) and understanding the bulk processing that occurs, I have no choice but to think that raw milk from an individual farmer MUST be safer and healthier. Raw milk has never caused an epidemic of illness, but there are corporations out there at work to keep everyone scared of raw milk from local farmers. Perhaps you belong to THAT dairy industry.
Additionally, I travelled to the US last year and what I found on the shelves is not milk. In many cases the best before dates were a matter of months, not days or weeks. I have never seen such a thing in Canada (not that our crap doesn't stink too!). Most of the products had a number of non milk ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, polysorbate, etc and since the US allows rBGH I'm guessing that might have been in it as well.
Misinformation used to support a corporate agenda ticks me off. I'm no fan of milk at all but the only kind that is likely to have any health benefit is RAW.
Edit: forgot to mention that as a baby my mom was unable to breast feed; lucky for me we lived on a dairy farm and I was fed raw milk for the first year of my life.0 -
Where I'm from, the sale of raw milk is actually illegal! It's due to the risk of illness... So I guess it depends where you live.
Sorry to burst the bubble but there are other agendas at work that have nothing to do with keeping us healthy. The agri, food, pharma, chemical, health industries are all controlled by political agendas which are strongly influenced by organizations with MONEY. When we buy from local farmers, corporations don't make money.
Don't take my word for it, start doing some research.
The sale of raw milk is illegal in Canada too but it has nothing to do with protecting Canadians from illness.0 -
Milk is pasteurized for a reason. Raw milk may contain various harmful bacteria and has been linked to numerous outbreaks and illness. It should also be noted that the pasteurization process does not impact the nutritional value of milk. Find more information at the Centers for Disease Control's website: http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/rawmilk/raw-milk-questions-and-answers.html#related-outbreaks
For those saying--go ahead and try it, what's the harm. They should look at some of the statistics, including some of the deaths (usually children) caused by bacteria found in unpasteurized milk. Per the CDC:
"Among dairy product-associated outbreaks reported to CDC between 1973 and 2009 in which the investigators reported whether the product was pasteurized or raw, 82% were due to raw milk or cheese. From 1998 through 2009, 93 outbreaks due to consumption of raw milk or raw milk products were reported to CDC. These resulted in 1,837 illnesses, 195 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths. Most of these illnesses were caused by Escherichia coli O157, Campylobacter, or Salmonella. It is important to note that a substantial proportion of the raw milk-associated disease burden falls on children; among the 93 raw dairy product outbreaks from 1998 to 2009, 79% involved at least one person less than 20 years old.
Reported outbreaks represent the tip of the iceberg. For every outbreak and every illness reported, many others occur, and most illnesses are not part of recognized outbreaks.
Are there more outbreaks related to raw milk in states where it is legal to sell?
Yes. States that allow the legal sale of raw milk for human consumption have more raw milk-related outbreaks of illness than states that do not allow raw milk to be sold legally.
For more information about outbreaks related to raw milk, see the main findings of "Nonpasteurized Dairy Products, Disease Outbreaks, and State Laws—United States, 1993-2006."
Wow, the CDC, well then it must be true. There's no corruption within the CDC at all and I'm sure there are no political agendas at play anywhere.
I'd love to see the stats on illness from "safe" processed foods alongside the ones that you have provided. Because, even in Canada, there sure has been a heck of a lot of recalls of safe, federally inspected food from federally monitored processing plants lately. I'm noticing a pattern: bulk foods processed at bulk facilities are far more likely to be contaminated with dangerous bacteria than products from our local farmers. Time to visit local farmers and open our eyes and minds instead of just soaking up bs from websites that hope we won't ever grab a clue and start thinking for ourselves.0 -
"From 1998 through 2009, 93 outbreaks due to consumption of raw milk or raw milk products were reported to CDC. These resulted in 1,837 illnesses, 195 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths." -- Doesn't sound too bad to me for 10 years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmonella -- (wiki is trustable isn't it??)
"About 142,000 (reported) Americans are infected each year with Salmonella enteritidis from chicken eggs, and about 30 die." --How many of us eat eggs regularly? And this is just eggs!!
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/outbreaks.html
And this was just a quick search for one food born illness.
The way our food empire is set up, the bottom line is about profits, not safety or quality. Watch the documentary Food, INC.
All food has a certain amount of risk associated with it. Outbreaks happen all the time, and no amount of rules will protect us all from them. Raw milk I believe is villainized, but to each his own.0 -
Oh, yes...honest engine...gospel truth!Wow, the CDC, well then it must be true. There's no corruption within the CDC at all and I'm sure there are no political agendas at play anywhere.0
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