I have created this website and the Nourishing Foods Menu Planner as resources for people who have allergies or sensitivities to dairy, gluten and soy products. So it may seem a bit paradoxical at first that I am writing about and promoting the use of raw milk. However, my hope is that by writing about this somewhat taboo and controversial topic that people who read it will learn the amazing qualities and attributes of this somewhat hidden and healthful food.
It took me a long time to wrap my brain around the possibilities that raw milk holds for people who are “lactose intolerant,” including myself. The first time I remember hearing about it’s healthful properties was from my chiropractor in Solano Beach, CA. He basically said that I might want to try it since he knew I couldn’t drink regular pasteurized milk.
Well, that was at least four years ago and I didn’t start drinking it until recently. It obviously took some convincing on my part to be open to something which has been claimed to be wrought with bacteria and diseases. Plus, I never liked milk growing up so why start now?
I won’t give you a huge amount of facts in this blog post but I will start with the basic ones. Then if you’re interested, you can watch the videos down below or link to some of the resources of raw milk I have l listed.
I will also share my experience of raw milk with you. First of all, I haven’t been able to drink regular milk since at least high school because it gave me stomach aches, flatulence, and made me constipated and congested. Same goes for ice cream and to some degree with cheese depending on which kind. I was able to tolerate yogurt though because it contains probiotics that help to digest the milk proteins.
The main difference between pasteurized (and homogenized) milk and raw milk is that raw milk “is truly a whole food, alive with natural enzymes, immunity building probiotic bacteria.” (The Family Cow pamphlet, Scotland, PA) Pasteurized milk on the other hand no longer has these enzymes alive in the milk because they have been killed in the heating process.
An important thing to note here is that when milk is raw, it “still contains the natural enzyme lactase which is necessary for the digestion of lactose. Since enzymes are destroyed during the pasteurization, some people have difficulty digesting pasteurized milk. Many who call themselves lactose intolerant are actually pasteurized milk in tolerant. If this seems surprising, remember, mother’s milk is Raw Milk.” (The Family Cow pamphlet, Scotland, PA)
I will also add here that not only am I able to drink raw milk and not react adversely the way I would with pasteurized milk, I also feel a great degree of well-being when I do drink it. I have more energy and I simply feel more alive.
On a practical level: Although it is a great alternative for people who are “lactose intolerant,” I suggest that you keep it in its original raw form by not baking or cooking with it over 110 degrees F. This would basically kill the enzymes and you would end up with basically pasteurized milk. But there are many ways you can enjoy it:
Smoothies (it is recommended not to blend it with the other smoothie items because this too can break down the milk. Stir it in after you have blended the other ingredients.)
In cold or hot cereals (after they are at least 110 degrees)
Add maple syrup and you will have very yummy maple milk
Make kefir or yogurt out of it (more on this later!)
Some resources for you to check out:
Weston A. Price: a Campaign for Real Milk
Plus here are some videos for you to enjoy. The first one features William Campbell Douglass II, MD talking about the benefits of raw milk. He also wrote a book on raw milk entitled The Raw Truth About Milk (formerly The Milk Book).
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The second video features Mark McAfee, founder and owner of Organic Pastures Dairy. (www.organicpastures.com)
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The third video is called The Raw Milk Controversy: Fact and Fiction, part one. It features the conversation between Mark McAfee and Dr. Dale Jacobson, DC (Jacobson Chiropractic in Nevada City, California. If you want to watch parts two and three, you can watch them on youtube.
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I’ve recently tried Raw milk. I too was surprised that I didn’t get usual effects that I get with pasteurized milk. It’s great as long as the source/farm is state certified and tested. My sister scared me and said she will never drink raw milk..and that kind made me stop. However, I hope to visit the farm again, I like the raw butter and ice cream as well. the only disadvantage is shelf life..
I love the recipes on your site. However, drinking unpasteurized milk is risky business. There are many pathogenic bacteria that were spread through milk before pasteurization became the norm (E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, several Campylobacter species, and even Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Mycobacterium tuberculosis just to name a few). Because we have taken for granted the benefits of pasteurization for so long, we have a short memory of how devastating these diseases can be. This is much like the increasing popoularity of the “anti-vaccine” movement.
Its true that most of the time you won’t get sick from drinking unpasteurized milk. But it is still an unnecessary role of the dice. And when you do get sick, it can be very serious (like spontaneous abortion or severe birth defects caused by Listeria in pregnant women).
Here is a good website:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm079516.htm