The popularity of unpasteurized or “raw” milk has been growing, largely because of glowing reviews on social media about its taste and alleged health benefits. Is it really better for you than conventional milk? And is it safe? The lowdown on raw milk in this episode of … the Healthy Skeptic.
Pasteurization, named after the scientist Louis Pasteur who invented the technique, involves briefly heating milk to high temperatures to kill harmful bacteria and other germs.
Before the practice was widely adopted, contaminated milk routinely caused illness and death.
Pasteurization has made milk safe to drink and is credited with saving countless lives.
But proponents of raw milk say that pasteurization makes milk less healthful by destroying vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. In fact, any losses are small and haven’t been proven to make a meaningful difference.
There’s also a lack of solid evidence for other purported benefits of raw milk, including that it’s easier to digest or better for bones than pasteurized milk.
One claim does have scientific support, though: research has linked raw milk to lower rates of allergies, asthma, and respiratory infections in young children.
The problem is that this possible benefit and others that are, at best, theoretical … are far outweighed by the very real risks of drinking raw milk, especially for children.
We know that raw milk can contain bacteria such as e. Coli, salmonella, and listeria, which can cause, among other things, stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea and in severe cases, kidney failure.
Reports of disease outbreaks show that over a 5-year period, raw milk sickened nearly 700 people, with 98 of them needing to be hospitalized. Two died. There are likely more cases that weren’t reported.
Purchasing raw milk from a reputable farm with strict hygiene and testing standards may reduce the risk but doesn’t eliminate it.
Raw milk poses the biggest threat not only to kids but also to pregnant women, older people, and those with weakened immune systems. It hardly seems worth the risk for anyone, though… especially since there are so many safe alternatives. And that’s the raw truth.
For more on diet and nutrition claims, check out my book, Coffee is Good for You, which reveals the truth about everything from red meat to red wine.
Helping you be a healthy skeptic, I’m Robert Davis.