I suppose I should post about the benefits of raw milk before I post this defense of it! But, I cant wait to post this comment I found on the Internet. This guy is such a clear thinker. He was on a forum in 2009 and some folks were talking about how society needed to be protected from unpasteurized milk. Personally I think we should make our own choice, the gov't shouldn't have the right to tell us how we consume our food. I am not of the opinion that people are ignorant and need protection from themselves.This mans name is Christopher and that is all I know; Is it certainly something to think about~
Raw milk as well as pasteurized milk are both excellent media for propagating bacteria. Pasteurization kills bacterial and fungal pathogens that have contaminated the milk prior to pasteurization (though heat resistant strains are beginning to become problematic). Following pasteurization, the milk is just as susceptible to contamination as raw milk (it may even be more susceptible as raw milk contains probiotics that can prevent the growth of pathogens). Recently, in Massachusetts, there was an outbreak of Listeria traced back to contaminated pasteurized milk, that killed two people.
As pathogens have killed quite a number of people throughout history, we are not surprisingly fearful of them. However, it is becoming more apparent, that there are many beneficial bacterial strains as well. It is estimated that the human body is comprised of 10 trillion human cells and 100 trillion bacterial cells. It appears that these symbiotic bacteria have numerous and profound effects on a variety of biological processes. 10% of human breast milk is comprised of oligosaccharides (complex sugars) that humans cannot digest but beneficial bacteria (bifidobacteria) can. I think at this early stage in our knowledge of how intestinal bacteria effect our health it would be premature to say that pasteurized milk is healthier than raw milk, as the full benefits of raw milk are not yet known. Human breast milk contains pathogens (in addition to multiple redundant anti microbial mechanisms), would proponents of pasteurization also suggest that pasteurizing human milk is a healthier alternative to simply breast feeding?
4 comments:
We made the switch to raw milk after my husband went to work at a creamery. It was simply DELICIOUS! We stopped drinking it because the females in our household had stomach/intestinal issues that I thought were caused by the milk. So we switched again to pastuerized, unhomogenized milk, Also delicious. I now believe it was a stomach virus that caused the issues so we may be switching back soon.
Well it could have been the milk. My mom will even get a stomache ache if she switches the bottled water she drinks! LOL! Weston Price has a lot on raw milk, and others so I should really start posting. Today after I make more fly/tick spray Ill post the recipe too. I havent forgotten!
Check out this article in the Los Angeles Times about Armed Police officers invading a health food store just because they were selling raw milk. When the Government begins telling us what we can and cannot consume out liberties are being taken away. http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/25/business/la-fi-raw-food-raid-20100725
I used to work at Linbergs Nutrition in CA and they used to sell delicious raw milk. The Gov wants to stop this. ~Anne
When they start telling you 'what' you can or cannot eat; then they tell you when you can and cannot eat. One should take the liberty of food choices for granted but in this day and age you cannot! Thanks for commenting and sending the link Anne.
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