THE RAW
FACTS ABOUT RAW MILK
As
more families try to avoid processed foods, raw milk is becoming a popular
alternative to pasteurized milk. With its supposed nutritional benefits, raw
milk may seem to be the healthier option, but there are risk factors that need
to be taken into account. To figure out
which type of milk your family should be drinking, make sure to consider both
the potential benefits and dangers of drinking your milk raw.
Raw,
or unpasteurized, milk can carry potentially deadly bacteria such as
Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, which are responsible for causing numerous
food-borne illnesses. Symptoms of a
food-borne illness, such as vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea, can lead to
dehydration and even death. The U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that there were more than
1,000 separate cases of illness related to the drinking of raw milk or the eating
of cheeses made from raw milk in the last seven years. The harmful bacteria found in unpasteurized milk
can seriously affect the health of anyone, but are especially dangerous to
pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune
systems. By pasteurizing milk, a process
that kills bacteria by heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period
of time, it can be ensured that 99% of the potentially harmful bacteria found
in raw milk are destroyed.
Raw
milk supporters argue that the pasteurization process also kills off many
beneficial bacteria and enzymes that help strengthen the immune system and fend
off illnesses like allergies, asthma, and even cancer. There is no scientific evidence that raw milk
can cure or fend off illnesses listed by raw milk advocates. The claims are mostly based on testimonials
and anecdotal stories. Without the research
to support the health benefit claims, the risk of consuming harmful bacteria
from raw milk is too great. Every time
you drink raw milk, you are rolling the dice with your health. In addition, according to the FDA, research
shows no meaningful difference in the nutritional values of pasteurized and
unpasteurized milk. The healthy vitamins,
fats, and carbohydrates found in raw milk remain in pasteurized milk.
Milk
is pasteurized to ensure the safety of the product. For this reason, milk
products sold commercially in the United States are required to be pasteurized.
In most states, it is only legal to buy unpasteurized milk from the source
itself. In other words, dairy farms can sell unpasteurized milk at their farm,
but they can not ship it out to your local grocery store. Before trying raw milk or offering it to your
children, it is advised that you proceed with caution and talk to a health care
provider about the possible risks of serious bacterial infection. If you want beneficial bacteria in your diet, you’re much
safer eating yogurt.
Preventive
medicine is just one aspect of care osteopathic physicians (DOs) provide. DOs
are fully licensed to prescribe medicine and practice in all specialty areas,
including surgery. DOs are trained to consider the health of the whole person
and use their hands to help diagnose and treat their patients.
*The
contributing physician to this article was Geraldine T. O'Shea, DO, an osteopathic internist from