Raw milk is the perfect medium to grow bacteria, some of which can make us sick. Here are 5 reasons why pasteurized milk is the safer option.
Raw milk is milk from cows, goats, sheep (or other animals) straight from the teat that has not been pasteurized. Consuming raw milk, or products made with raw milk, can come with several health risks, especially for infants and young children, the elderly, pregnant people, and those with a weakened immune system.
Here are 5 reasons why having pasteurized milk and dairy products is a much safer option:
1️⃣ Raw milk can contain germs like E.coli, Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, H5N1 (bird flu), and many more that can make us seriously ill. It can cause cramping, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, stomach cramping, and vomiting. Less commonly, it can lead to meningitis, kidney failure, and death.
2️⃣ Pasteurization reduces this risk by heating the milk to a high enough temperature to kill harmful germs.
3️⃣ Contamination can happen even when milk comes from a farm that takes care with hygiene and testing.
4️⃣ You can’t tell by looking, smelling or tasting whether raw milk is contaminated.
5️⃣ Raw milk doesn’t give us extra nutritional benefits compared with pasteurized milk. Pasteurized milk still provides the protein, fat, calcium, vitamin D, and other nutrients found in milk.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recently released a policy statement about raw milk, recommending that pregnant people, breastfeeding parents, infants, and kids all the way up to young adults only consume pasteurized milk and dairy. This applies to cow, goat, and sheep milk.
🤓 Nerd Alert: Did you know microbiologists sometimes use skim milk in laboratory experiments? It contains nutrients that can help bacteria grow and can also help scientists learn how bacteria break down proteins. When it comes to drinking milk, the great news is that there is a process that can be used, which was inspired by Louis Pasteur’s discoveries. By heating milk for a short time to a high temperature, they can kill harmful bacteria while keeping most of the milk’s yummy taste and nutrition.
Useful reading:
AAP – Raw dairy risks to children, pregnant people outlined in updated AAP policy
HealthyChildren.org – Raw Milk Risks: What Parents Need to Know
FDA – The Dangers of Raw Milk: Unpasteurized Milk Can Pose a Serious Health Risk
American Medical Association (AMA) – Raw milk: Questions patients may have and how to answer
