6 Reasons Why Raw Milk is Best for You

Last Updated on January 11, 2018 by Ellen Christian

The debate about why raw milk is best has been going on for years. It’s not only a health debate; it’s a political debate and economic debate. I guarantee that for every reason I give to drink raw milk, there is someone else who can come up with a reason why you shouldn’t. Ultimately the choice is yours, and it’s one you need to make based on the individual circumstances of your life. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

6 Reasons Why Raw Milk is Best

Milk that hasn’t been pasteurized is called raw milk. Hundreds of years ago, we drank unpasteurized milk from the cow in our backyard. In the late 1800s, tuberculosis became an epidemic. Robert Koch discovered that contaminated milk often spread disease. Pasteurization heated the milk to a temperature that killed bacteria and, starting in 1908, began to become law.

Contaminated milk started to be an issue when dairy farms became larger and less sanitary. No longer did we get our milk from a cow in our backyard or our neighbor’s yard. We didn’t know the farmer or the farm where our milk originated. We couldn’t judge the sanitary conditions of the farms. We lost touch with the origins of our food.

In many states, it’s illegal to buy raw milk in any form. In some states, it is legal to purchase but must be labeled that it’s only safe as pet food. It some states, like Vermont, it’s legal to sell raw milk if you have a small family farm with less than a certain amount of cows. In total, 28 states allow you to purchase raw milk in some form, but you can’t transport it over state lines.

My thoughts:

• Pasteurization kills the beneficial enzymes that help us digest milk. I’m not a scientist, but basically, it changes the form of lactose. If you want to read more, look up Weston Price, who discovered that many people who are lactose intolerant no longer had that problem when they switched to raw milk.
• Heating milk destroys vitamins. The process of pasteurization kills the Vitamin C, some B, calcium, and magnesium. After pasteurization, synthetic Vitamin D is added back to the milk.
• Raw milk can help prevent some diseases. There are far too many studies to list, but you can do the research if it interests you. Studies have shown that properties in raw milk (that are not in pasteurized milk) can help prevent scurvy, the flu, diphtheria, pneumonia, tooth decay, joint stiffness and arthritis.
• People who sell raw milk tend to care for their animals better overall than massive factory farms. Cows are intended to eat grass, not cattle feed. Small family farms are more likely to encourage this. Visit your farmer and the cows. The cows I get my milk from are Abby, Jemina, and Daisy.

• You can usually buy raw milk in glass containers that are reusable rather than plastic or wax covered cardboard. I’m not a huge fan of plastics near my food. Even if you eliminate the hazards of BPA, most plastics contain a chemical that mimics estrogen, not to mention the fact that plastic is made from petroleum, and you can’t completely recycle it.
• Raw milk just tastes better. Honestly, if you’ve never had raw milk, you cannot imagine the difference. It would be like comparing Chef Boyardee canned spaghetti to the real thing. It’s creamy and full of flavor and keeps you full longer than the watered down milk from the grocery store.

Ultimately, I don’t need the government to tell me what I can eat. I like to think I’m intelligent enough to make my decisions without the government telling me what I can eat like a child. I know why raw milk is best for me, and I feel that people should be able to make that decision for themselves.

What do you think?