Want to Absorb More Nutrients, Improve Your Gut Health, and Strengthen Your Immune System? Just Drink Raw Milk!
As the farm-to-table movement continues to gain momentum and becomes mainstream, many people, including me, are making a conscious effort to buy clean food that’s sustainably sourced and minimally processed, if not raw. Since about 2020, my family and I have almost exclusively drunk raw milk from Jersey cows, which are acknowledged as the best producers in the industry. Among such products, none has sparked as much interest and debate. Understandably, pasteurized milk overshadowed raw milk until recently, but now that several public health advocates, most notably Robert Kennedy, Jr., have brought it to national attention, it’s worth giving raw milk a thorough review and finding out what makes it such an excellent addition to our diets.
But first, a clarification is necessary. Over the last few years, many have expressed concerns that raw milk is unsafe for human consumption, especially for children, pregnant women, the immunocompromised, and the elderly. However, nothing could be further from the truth. It’s important to note that contrary to common suspicions, a CDC analysis of the most common foodborne illnesses from 2009 to 2015 revealed they were linked to chicken, pork, and seeded vegetables. According to the Raw Milk Institute, a prominent food science nonprofit in Fresno County, California, carefully produced raw milk is a low-risk food that’s fundamentally different from pre-pasteurized milk.
Still, let’s put aside the science momentarily and answer the million-dollar question: just what makes raw milk so good? Recently, I realized that interestingly enough, my love for it ties into my love of Greek mythology. In one of my favorite stories, the sun god Apollo has a herd of prize red cows, which the messenger god Hermes steals as a baby, that provide the best dairy anywhere; every time I drink raw milk, I think of them. Above all, raw milk has an incredibly rich, full-bodied taste that hits the spot like nothing else when you need a boost, especially in a protein smoothie after an intense workout, and the texture and color are amazing, too. Because raw milk hasn’t been de-homogenized, its higher fat content ensures the cream rises naturally to the top, and its smoothness goes down my throat like velvet. What’s more, quality Jersey cows graze on green pastures in fresh air. Their all-natural diet means their milk is always golden, and I’m convinced Apollo adds a little sunshine – no wonder a quick glass always makes me feel so good!
As such, it’s only natural that the more we examine the research, the more it speaks for itself. When RMI researchers compared pathogen test data from pre-pasteurized milk versus raw milk intended for direct human consumption, they found that pathogen testing of pre-pasteurized milk samples detected pathogens in up to 33% of them. In contrast, they detected zero pathogens in thousands of samples from raw milk intended for direct human consumption. Raw milk is full of nutrients that pasteurization significantly reduces, if not completely destroys. For one, raw milk retains its bioavailability of calcium and phosphorus; its presence of copper and iron; its Vitamins A, B, C, and E; its beta-lactoglobulin, which increases the intestinal absorption of Vitamin A and D; its probiotics; and its beneficial enzymes, including lactase and anti-inflammatory alkaline phosphatase. In sum, raw milk – like a mother’s breast milk – contains a wide array of beneficial nutrients, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals in their natural form that the body most easily utilizes; both liquids are explicitly designed to provide core nutrition and strengthen the immune system.
Additionally, raw milk’s unique positives are a testament to sustainable ethical farming. Instead of stores, many often buy theirs directly from local farms, which cultivates a closer connection between consumers and producers. According to the Dairy Farmers of America, their dedication to sustainability ensures that not only do about 85% of those in the network have 114 cows or less, which ensures their animals get the love and care they need to thrive, but also that their cows graze on pasture on small family-owned farms handed down from generation to generation. This dedication ensures that their respect for animals and conservation of resources produces an output of the highest possible quality.
Ultimately, everyone has the right to eat what they want, but one of the best decisions my family and I ever made was to find raw milk and never look back. Other than the knowledge that we’re giving our bodies optimal fuel, it’s wonderful to know that by supporting our community in a way that counts the most, we pay it forward for future generations. As a conscious consumer, I couldn’t be happier that this superfood is now an integral part of my life, and I hope I can inspire others to make it a part of their lives, too. Let's raise a glass to raw milk, the cream of the crop in more ways than one!
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