What it it? :: Got Milk... in the Raw?

Milk glass 1 by ~makemeyours

What is Raw Milk?

Raw milk is just that, raw. It has not been homogenized or pasteurized. It is as pure from the animal as it could possibly be without you consuming it from the animal's teats yourself.

Pasteurized & Homogenized... Is it really safer?

Pasteurization is the process of heating a food, usually a liquid to a specific temperature, for a specific length of time and then cooling it right away to slow the growth of harmful bacteria, which slows it's spoilage. It was never intended to kill ALL of the microorganisms, but to reduce their numbers so the food will have a longer shelf life.


Homogenization of milk is done to make the milk solids, fats and liquids one big happy family, also known as an emulsion. Like oil and vinegar for a salad dressing, mixing it forms a consistent product, in mouth feel and flavor.


Do this pair of processes really make a safer milk? Yes and no. Like anything there are pros and cons to both. The FDA as well as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) say that raw milk is unsafe to drink due to pathogens, while a movement of organizations and people promoting a traditional foods lifestyle say that raw milk can be produced in a humane and safe way.


And of course to cover my own ass: “The Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and other health agencies of the United States strongly recommend that the public do not consume raw milk or raw milk products. Young children, the elderly, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women are particularly susceptible to infections originating in raw milk.”


Laws and regulations vary between countries and even provinces and states. People in the United States can find out about them here; http://www.realmilk.com/milk-laws-1.html and my international friends should look them up according to your location.

Two kinds of raw milk? Really?

The first type of raw milk is from the cow to the consumer. Each state regulates it differently, and it is the ONLY food that is prohibited from crossing state lines by the FDA. Most of the time the animals are certified as organic and are not fed Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) nor treated unnecessarily with antibiotics or hormones. If the state regulates and monitors the production and sale of raw milk, it is usually a very safe product.


The second type goes from the cow to the processor. Many pathogens may be present, even though it is regulated under the FDA's Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO). The animals are rarely allowed to graze and feed naturally, but instead are given corn, dry hay and man-made feeds containing GMOs. They can also be kept in filthy conditions and given antibiotics and hormones to keep them alive and able to produce milk. All 50 states accept this as safe practices that produce a safe consumable product.


Randolph Jonsson's website “Raw Milk Facts” has comprehensive lists about this. I recommend reading through it as well as the entire site. The “National Conference of Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS)” also has a great deal of information for you to digest.

Friends with Health Benefits

Did you know that clean raw milk was at one time, used as a medicine? It was used as a treatment and a cure for some very serious and chronic illnesses. From the times of the great Greek philosophers til as early as the first half of the last century, this perfect food's health benefits were known the world over for its medicinal properties.


Some of the nutritional attributes of raw milk are:

• Cow's milk contains all 8 essential amino acids we need to build proteins in our bodies.
  
• Antibodies called Immunoglobulins, usually destroyed during the heating & emulsion processes discussed earlier can help us create natural immunity towards viruses, bacteria and toxins. This milk from OUR mothers helped us to do this when we're infants.
  
• According to Raw Milk Facts's “Health Benefits” section: “Lactose, or milk sugar, is the primary carbohydrate in cow's milk. Made from one molecule each of the simple sugars glucose and galactose, it's known as a disaccharide. People with lactose intolerance for one reason or another (age, genetics, etc.), no longer make the enzyme lactace and so can't digest milk sugar.  “
  
• CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), abundant in milk is being thoroughly studied. Many of it's benefits include: raising metabolic rate, helps to remove abdominal fat, increases muscle growth. That is just a tiny list of the benefits.
  
• Milk contains both water and fat soluble vitamins.
  
• Milk also contains a large variety of essential minerals needed for proper body function.
  
• Milk is alive with beneficial bacteria to help our digestive systems work better. These bacteria are killed during pasteurization.

Grazing Cow 7451797in #StockProject, by ~StockProject1

What to look for in a Raw Milk provider.

There are some questions you should ask yourself and your farmer about their farm, practices and animals.

• How far is the farm in relation to yourself, town or retail location?
  
• What are the laws in my state and town for Raw Milk farming and distribution?
  
• How are the facilities kept?
  
• Is there regular testing of animals, facility and equipment sanitation and the safety of the milk?
  
• How are the animals treated?
  
• Are the animals allowed to live as naturally and organically?
  
• Is there use of hormones and unnecessary antibiotics?
  
• Do they graze in fields for a majority of their lives, and live in natural family groups?
  
• What portion of their diet is man-made feeds?
  
• What portion of their time is spent in pens or barns?
  
• Are the pens and barns in good repair and quite clean or disgusting, filthy and just down right inhumane?
  
• How is the milk harvested from the animals?
  
• How long is it held before it is chilled, packaged and delivered?
  
• Can you visit the farm and see the animals and get to know your possible provider?
  

I'm sure you'll think of more, as will I, but this is just a list of good ones to keep in mind while looking for a farmer to buy from.

How to find Raw Milk providers near me.

There are many ways to find your local farmers, and many sites you can find through your favorite search engine. One of my favorite sites is the Real Milk website. There is also another site called “Cornucopia” to let check how your local organic dairy farm rates against others from all over the country.

Where can I find more information on Raw Milk?

Here is a list of links and short blurbs about other sites where you can find all kinds of information concerning raw milk, its nutrition, science, and much more.

• http://www.raw-milk-facts.com - “My goal with raw-milk-facts.com is to help dispel the myths that have sprung up around one of Nature's most perfect foods.“
  
• http://www.ForFarmers.com - Buy or sell livestock or agricultural products.
  
• http://hartkeisonline.com/category/raw-milk/ - Kimberly Hartke's blog with up-to-date nationwide information and new.
  
• http://www.realmilk.com – Where to get raw milk.
  
• http://www.seedsofhealth.co.uk/articles/case_for_untreated_milk.shtml - a very well written article that should be on your recommended reading list.
  

There are seminars, websites, books and information readily available for you no matter where you are in the world. You may have to do some digging and make some phone calls, but it's there, waiting for you.
I advise you to research and look things up for yourself at all times and to not take anything I have said at face value. I can only help provide a glimpse of information so that you can make educated decisions for yourselves and your families. Learn, understand, question and test. I live by these words and I encourage you to do the same.