The Health Benefits of Raw Milk Are Mostly Imaginary
Maybe you like the taste of raw milk. (This is more likely because it is grass-fed than because it is raw, but that’s okay.) But if you’re looking for the health benefits of raw milk, think again.
Since unpasteurized milk is associated with an increased risk of food poisoning , any health benefits should be pretty surprising to balance that risk. And science simply doesn’t support these benefits – they either don’t exist or are so minimal that they don’t really matter to health, writes John Lucy in a review of the evidence in Nutrition Today . Among the finds:
- Pasteurization affects the structure of the protein. It may matter if you are making cheese , but it doesn’t matter for nutrition – your digestive system will still break down these proteins into pieces .
- Pasteurization does not change the mineral composition of milk ( minerals are not destroyed when heated).
- Pasteurization does lower the vitamin, but only slightly:
Pasteurization can cause very small losses (<10%) of vitamin C, folate (vitamin B9), vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and thiamine (vitamin B1). Of these vitamins, milk is an excellent source of only vitamin B12 … Pasteurization does not alter the concentration of riboflavin (B2) (which is very heat stable) or fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A or E.
These small losses will not greatly affect your diet. For example, you didn’t rely on milk for vitamin C, and milk still contains a ton of vitamin B12 even after pasteurization.
Advocates say raw milk is better for people with lactose intolerance, but milk does not contain an enzyme that breaks down lactose. If you have mild lactose intolerance and are looking for a dairy product that you can digest, try yogurt that does contain this enzyme. Raw milk is sometimes recommended for babies who are allergic to cow’s milk. Lucy writes that while this is a difficult question and more research is needed, there is currently no evidence to support the idea that raw milk helps or prevents allergies. In mice, raw milk causes astronger , rather than a weak,allergic reaction .
If you are looking for something with less lactose and more probiotic (“good”) bacteria than supermarket milk, you’re better off buying yogurt than taking the added risk and cost of raw milk. The choice is still yours (depending on local laws), but make it based on scientific evidence, not false health claims.
Consuming Raw Milk: Risks and Benefits | Meals today
Photo by woodleywonderworks .
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