Dairy milk is a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, even if it’s not your first choice for an ingredient in your morning latte. However, “raw milk” has become more popular recently. “Raw milk” is just milk that hasn’t undergone the pasteurization process, which is meant to eradicate any potentially hazardous germs. It isn’t a substitute for milk like oat or almond. While some social media users argue that raw milk is more “natural” and has more nutrients than pasteurized milk, it can be extremely risky to consume raw milk, and its health advantages have not been scientifically validated despite its recent popularity.
Meggie Connelly, MS, RDN, LDN, shared with us the reasons behind people’s beliefs about the health benefits of consuming raw milk and went over some of the dangers associated with substituting it for pasteurized milk. Here are some things to think about if you want to switch.
What Is Raw Milk?
Unprocessed milk from cows, sheep, or goats that is straight from the farm is known as raw milk. It eschews the heating procedure known as pasteurization, which gets rid of dangerous microorganisms. This indicates, according to Connelly, that there’s a high chance that raw milk has bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses, such as Salmonella, E. Coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter.
It’s comparable to the advisories not to consume uncooked cookie dough. The dough’s uncooked flour could be a Salmonella source. (Although most eggs in the US are pasteurized, so even raw there’s a low possibility of transmitting the bacteria – another case in favor of pasteurization.) Many people believe that raw eggs are what make raw cookie dough harmful. By baking the dough, the bacterium is eliminated, ensuring the safety of the cookies.
Raw cookie dough is not nearly as dangerous as unpasteurized or raw milk, though. To make sure it’s safe for human consumption and devoid of numerous bacteria—not just Salmonella—heat is required. Furthermore, a recent study found that a sizable portion of the genes resistant to antibiotics are present in raw milk. To put it another way? It’s possible that germs found in raw milk are resistant to antibiotics.
Why Is Raw Milk Trending?
Why, however, is a particular segment of TikTok endorsing raw milk as a necessary wellness product if it’s so harmful? According to Connelly, you may have seen it promoted as a natural treatment for lactose intolerance and allergies as well as a means of enhancing immune system function or gut health. She asserts, however, that science does not support her assertions. In fact, people may be unintentionally endangering their family members and themselves from dangerous foodborne infections or illnesses by choosing raw milk.
An important factor contributing to the perception that raw milk is “better” is the “appeal to nature fallacy.” It is a fallacy of reasoning to assert that something is better, healthier, or beneficial by nature only because it is “natural.” The claim that “raw milk is healthier because it’s natural and hasn’t been pasteurized” is made in this instance. This is unsupported by scientific data, though, and raw milk is not any safer or healthier than pasteurized milk despite its “natural” designation. Actually, the reverse is true.
Do the Benefits of Raw Milk Exist?
There isn’t any scientific proof that raw milk is healthier than pasteurized milk in terms of vitamins and minerals.
One persistent myth is that raw milk, which includes probiotic bacteria that generate an enzyme that breaks down lactose, is a natural treatment for lactose intolerance. People who are lactose intolerant do not have this enzyme. According to the theory, pasteurization destroys these beneficial bacteria, making pasteurized milk even more difficult for people who are lactose intolerant to consume.
However, the evidence just doesn’t support this theory. According to a recent study published in the journal Microbiome, raw milk lacks the healthy microorganisms present in fermented dairy products like kefir or yogurt. Probiotic bacteria are supposed to be healthy by definition, however raw milk contains a number of bacteria that can get you sick, including Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter. It cannot, therefore, be regarded as a probiotic product.
Raw milk is said to include Bifidobacteria, a beneficial bacteria that is present in both human and animal digestive tracts. Additionally, cow feces contain it. According to the Food and Drug Administration, raw milk that has been obtained with good cleanliness and sanitary practices shouldn’t include Bifidobacteria. If it does, it indicates improper milk collection and fecal matter contamination (are you still game to try raw milk?).
Another myth, which most likely originated from the incorrect interpretation of the 2007 PARSIFAL study, is that raw milk is a natural remedy for allergies. According to this study, there is a negative correlation between allergies and asthma and farm milk. Stated differently, the prevalence of allergies and asthma was lower in people who drank farm milk. However, the study wasn’t limited to raw milk because around half of the farm milk was cooked. Furthermore, the authors of the study make it clear that consuming raw milk from farms carries significant health risks and that doing so is not a good idea for people who have allergies or asthma.
Lastly, some advocates of raw milk assert that it includes immunoglobulins, a class of immune cell that aids in defending the body against dangerous invaders such as viruses and bacteria, and can thus “boost” the immune system. The FDA does point out that cow’s milk has a comparatively low concentration of immunoglobulins, and the kind of immunoglobulins that are present there are very heat-stable and can survive pasteurization.
The TL;DR? No, there are no advantages to drinking raw milk that would balance the serious health hazards involved.
What Dangers Come with Eating Raw Milk?
According to Connelly, there are significant risks associated with drinking raw milk, such as the possibility of contracting foodborne infections that can result in vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and flu-like symptoms. The FDA reports that between 1987 and 2010, intake of raw milk was linked to at least 133 disease outbreaks in the US. As a result, there were two miscarriages, six stillbirths, three fatalities, and 269 hospital admissions.
According to Connelly, some populations are more susceptible than others. These include those who are immunocompromised (such as those who have recently received an organ transplant, those living with HIV/AIDS, or those receiving cancer treatment), as well as young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and newborns. She stresses that pregnant women are especially vulnerable to the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, which can grow in raw milk and cause illness, miscarriage, or even the death of the unborn child.