Exploration of the raw milk controversy: risks and advantages

Let us talk about a topic that has recently been back in the news: the risks and potential advantages of drinking raw (non -pasturized) milk. But first, what is raw milk? Raw milk is milk that has not subjected the pasteurization process, which means that it is obtained directly by animals such as cows, goats or sheep and is consumed in its natural state without heat treatment.

Current discussions and perspectives

Practically the entire milk for sale in grocery stores was pasteurized, which means that it was briefly heated to kill microorganisms that may make you sick. The widespread introduction of this process in the early 20th century was great progress for public health and security. However, many people (including our recently confirmed secretary for health and human services) believe that raw, non -pasted milk could actually be better for them. A survey from 2017 showed that around 4% of adults in the United States had consumed raw milk last year, with 1% drinking them once a week or longer. That may not sound like a lot, but it is about twice as high as the estimated percentage of a decade before.

Legal and regulatory landscape

Depending on where you live, you may find it difficult to buy raw milk. About 30 countries enable a form of raw milk sales, while around 20 countries completely prohibit this. Meanwhile, the federal regulations prohibit the sale of raw milk for direct human consumption beyond state borders and are subject to concerns about public security. Secretary Kennedy described these regulations as “aggressive oppression” and expressed himself to support the deregulation of raw milk at the federal level.

Risks related to raw milk

As is so often the case, the more hot a debate becomes, the more misinformation it seems to create. Much of what I saw about raw milk tends to underestimate the risks and overdo the advantages. And we also see that instances from information about public health are removed from state websites. In today's episode, I would like to take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of raw milk so that you can make a rational decision.

Potential health risks

Let's start with the risks. Raw milk can contain microorganisms that you can make sick, including E. coli, Salmonella and Listeria. If one of these beetles takes your stomach, you can spend the weekend in the bathroom – or you could end up in the hospital. In rare cases, food can be fatal. As with any infectious disease, small children, older people, pregnant women and people with impaired immune systems are greatest risk.

There are also concerns about the bird influenza (or bird flu) in raw milk. Although no animal studies confirmed with the consumption of raw milk in connection with raw milk in connection with the consumption of raw milk indicates that taking contaminated milk can lead to an infection. The most recent tests of the FDA found fragments of the H5N1 bird flippation virus in more than half of the raw milk samples from several conditions. In a smaller number of cases, intact virus (which could actually be infectious) was found.

Historical perspective and modern implications

Now raw milk advocates will point out that everyone drank all in the country of raw milk a few generations ago. And that's right. But it is also true that raw dairy was the most common source of food diseases and an important source of child mortality.

Of course, it can reduce the risk of certain pathogens, keep the cows healthy and maintain clean farms and milk operations – but not to zero. And obviously the bird flu introduces a new risk that was not part of the landscape a century ago. There is no way to remove the risk of pathogenic bacteria in raw milk. And in contrast to what you may have read, there is absolutely nothing in raw milk, which of course kills dangerous pathogens or protects them from them.

Between 2013 and 2018 (these are the latest data we have) 75 outbreaks of illness, which were associated with non -pasturized milk, which led to 675 diseases were connected between 2013 and 2018. Almost half of those affected were children.

Assessment of potential advantages

Raw milk advocates also like to point out that people can also get sick through pasteurized milk that are contaminated according to the pasteurization process. And that's right. But quite rare. People who drink raw milk are over 800 times more sick than pasteurized milk drinkers and 45 -more often in the hospital.

Nutrition and digestive aspects

Why should you take unnecessary risks by drinking raw milk? Well, raw milk advocates indicate that raw milk contains nutrients, enzymes, advantageous bacteria and other compounds that are denatured or destroyed by pasteurization. That's correct. So the question is not whether the raw milk differs from pasteurized milk. It is clear. The question is whether these differences have a significant impact on their health. And that's not so clear.

Useful bacteria and vitamins

Let's start with the useful bacteria. Foods that contain friendly, lactobacillus bacteria are definitely good for you. But you will get far more advantageous bacteria if you eat yogurt or drink kefir than you if you drink raw milk.

And what about vitamins and minerals? The amount of B vitamins, folic acid, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron or zinc is very low. In fact, pasteurized milk in vitamins A and D is generally much higher than with raw milk, but only because it is usually enriched with these nutrients.

Vitamin C is through the only nutrient that is significantly influenced by pasteurization, since the raw milk initially contains very little vitamin C, I cannot see that this has a significant influence on the nutrient status of everyone.

In contrast to the country -wide opinion, raw milk in lactose is not lower than pasteurized milk and does not contain any lactose -digesting enzymes. Raw milk contains some other enzymes, but their task of making milk more digestive is not clear. In general, the enzymes that are involved in the digestion are not present in food, but are produced by their own body.

Also read: Do you drink milk unnatural?

Anecdotic evidence and scientific examination

Most evidence of the advantages of drinking raw dairy products are anecdotic. People report that when they started drinking raw milk, they got fewer colds or their allergies have disappeared or their irritable bowel was not so irritated or that they were no longer lacto's intolerant. This type of testimonials can be very convincing. But as scientific evidence they have three major weaknesses.

Tolerate reporting

Anecdotal evidence can be a very precise representation of the experience of another. However, there is not much information about how likely it is that you have the same experience. This is because they notice people much more often and tell of a positive answer than if nothing special happens. This reporting tends to achieve positive results that are much more likely than they actually are.

Incidentally, the scientific literature suffers from the same tendency. An experiment that finds a relationship between A and B is published much more frequently than an experiment that does not find a relationship between A and B, but when they think about it, both are of the same information.

Uncontrolled variables and placebo effect

Another weakness in anecdotal information is that it does not control the variables. Perhaps it was part of a greater effort to improve your diet. You not only added raw milk, but also removed sophisticated sugar and ate more vegetables. If you get fewer colds, who should say that it was the raw milk that made the difference, for example the additional broccoli?

Or maybe the year in which you started with raw milk was a year in which the frost date was much later than usual, which the number of pollen lowered this spring. Or a year in which low rainfall reduced the number of mold. Is the improvement of your allergies from raw milk or environmental factors?

There are also many anecdotal reports from people who cannot drink a pasteurized milk because they are lactos intolerant – but they tolerate raw milk well. However, remember that the raw milk – which is normally unhindered – is much higher than the milk you had drunk. And the higher this fat content, the lower the lactose content.

The broccoli, the frost date, the precipitation and the fat content of the milk are examples of uncontrolled variables.

After all, anecdotic evidence does not control the placebo effect – people often feel better, simply because they believe that they will do it. The more anecdotal evidence you hear, the more likely it is that you will experience a placebo effect. That doesn't make you guilty or stupid. It makes you human.

The scientific method and controlled attempts

The scientific method was developed to counteract these all -time tendencies. Anecdotal reports often indicate that something that is worth further research. However, the way we evaluate the likelihood of certain results, control of variables and the placebo answer is to carry out controlled tests.

Unfortunately we don't have much of controlled attempts for raw milk and pasteurized milk. The most convincing scientific claim to raw milk is that it can reduce the risk of allergies and asthma, especially in children. The Gabriela study published in 2011 identified this association for the first time and the subsequent examinations supported the idea that the consumption of raw milk in early life is associated with lower asthma, healing fever and allergic sensitization. However, these observation results mainly come from children who grow up on farms – a lifestyle that may introduce many uncontrolled variables. We also have to weigh this potential benefit against the risks. In fact, in one of these studies, the researchers came to the conclusion that the advantages do not seem to be essential enough to justify the increased risk of a diseases created with food that is associated with drinking raw milk.

Conclusion for the raw milk debate

After all, many people feel that raw milk just tastes better. I believe it! Raw milk is probably fresher. It can be higher with fat. It is usually unhomogeneous. All of these things could improve the taste of milk. However, it is possible to buy fresh, unhealthy, unomogeneous milk – aligned with the farmer in these attractive glass bottles – and still have the safety of pasteurization. You can go to Localharvest.org to look for dairy farmers who sell directly to consumers at their location.

I hope that this episode has granted a little clarity in relation to this problem, and the show notes contain links to many resources and studies that I mentioned if you want to dig a little deeper.