Raw Milk vs Pasteurized Milk
Raw Milk vs Pasteurized Milk
Raw milk versus pasteurized milk, which is better?
Generally, the only milk available is pasteurized milk. We have even been taught to only accept pasteurized milk as it is supposed to be safest. But it turns out that raw milk is actually easier to digest and has many advantages.
What if I am lactose-intolerant?
If you are lactose intolerant, you may have better luck with raw milk since its bacteria creates an enzyme called lactase that breaks down lactose.
A survey was done of about 3,000 people, which included 200 that were diagnosed as being lactose intolerant and 90 percent of that group had no problems drinking raw milk. One of the problems with pasteurized milk, which we are all encouraged to prefer, is the rapid heating process it goes through which damages the milk’s very complex proteins so when pasteurized milk is ingested, the body thinks the altered proteins are foreign, which may cause an allergic response.
What about taste?
Raw milk is considered to have a taste richer than store-bought cow’s milk. This is due partly because pasteurization alters the alkaloids that give raw milk its nice flavor. Further pasteurization also destroys the cofactors that help your body utilize all the vitamins in milk, including the binding protein that helps the assimilation of vitamin b12. Also the uptake of calcium, vitamin A and D and iron, is all compromised.
So why isn't raw milk readily available?
The FDA has argued that there is no nutritional benefit to raw milk and claims it is dangerous. However, cases proving that raw milk has caused illness are rare. Per serving many other foods have caused illnesses more frequently. This includes deli meats, lettuce, and fruit, etc. Interesting, too, that the FDA will tout pasteurized milk as being safe but ignore the fact that many milk companies get milk from cows that have been injected with bovine growth hormones.
Some states stipulate that raw milk must be sold only “on-site” at dairy farms. However eight states allow you to buy it in stores. I have seen raw milk at health food stores and in supermarkets in NYC.
While I am not a big fan of milk, when I lived in S. Korea I tried it. I found the milk to have a superior taste. It was so rich, and like drinking cold liquid cream. Add some chocolate to that and life was a thrill!
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