Let's talk about raw milk

ReeceFamily · January 2014

I'm just starting to try to learn about milk and milk alternatives. For those of you who are doing/going to do raw milk, can you talk about your decision-making process and suggest references? It's locally/easily available to me, but I want to know more.

ReeceFamily · January 2014

kittynap said:

This is probably the veterinarian in me talking, but I don't think I'd be comfortable with the risk. Brucellosis, q-fever, campylobacter, tb, salmonella. I've seen too many horrors. Like when half my graduating class gave themselves crypto from working on the farm. Oy.

I guess this is the info I'm looking for - both sides of the "controversy"...if there is one?

brachysira · January 2014

Public health officials strongly recommend avoiding raw milk. They cite it as the cause of many outbreaks of intestinal diseases that can be deadly to young children.

https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/rawmilk/raw-milk-index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2012/p0221_raw_milk_outbreak.html

I would never take this risk, especially when I see no clear evidence for benefits. There does seem to be a great deal of web propaganda in favor, but peer-reviewed data is all that counts.

AshleyDehaven · January 2014

I would never take the risk. People like to jump on the "natural is best" bandwagon, and for a lot of things i am right there with them, but certain things we really need to step back and accept that science has improved it (love me some science). I feel about this, the way i feel about vaccines (prepares for the flood gates to open). Science has improved our ability to survive, and i think it is irresponsible to ignore years of research, development, and breakthroughs because of some preconceived notion that anything that has been altered by human hands is inherently bad. Raw milk is banned in several states because it is extremely dangerous for human consumption. Once upon a time, when the average life expectancy was 30 to 50 years depending on your affluence, it didn't matter because you were likely to die an early disease ridden death already. But now that people are living to be 90+ in much of the world, it is safe to assume that, that is largely due to technological and medical advancements made in that time. For the record, i consider myself pretty crunchy, i buy organic where i can, i CD, i only use natural skin and household products, and i only use cruelty free products as well. But i accept that in the road to enabling these amazing options in life, a lot of brilliant hard working people made the advancements necessary to allow it healthfully.

Wooh.. Sorry for the tangent doll. To answer your question plainly, no. We will never bring raw milk into the house, let alone give it to our son. The risk is not worth any claimed gain it may possess.

jobiann · January 2014

I would never give my child raw milk, just my opinion, to each their own. I don't think it's worth the risk.

ReeceFamily · January 2014

Don't hold back guys, tell me how you really feel! Just kidding

, I appreciate a little passion. I'm a biologist so I'm on board with science (and with vaccines for that matter, and climate change what have you), but as a scientist I also have a healthy skepticism for the recommendations of scientific institutions. So I'll do my due diligence and read up on all if this!! Thanks for the links

. God knows organic milk would be cheaper and easier.

AshleyDehaven · January 2014

That must be such an exciting field. Before i got married my dream was to go to school for Marine Biology (and Egyptology, i'm kind of a mixed bag), but being married to someone in the Army makes persuing such a grueling education very difficult. Lucky for me, we are going to be done with the Army in a couple months, so when DS goes to preschool i should finally be able to go back to school

Just need to pick a focus.

ReeceFamily · January 2014

AshleyDehaven said:

That must be such an exciting field. Before i got married my dream was to go to school for Marine Biology (and Egyptology, i'm kind of a mixed bag), but being married to someone in the Army makes persuing such a grueling education very difficult. Lucky for me, we are going to be done with the Army in a couple months, so when DS goes to preschool i should finally be able to go back to school Just need to pick a focus.

Good for you! I'm actually a wildlife biologist - I considered marine biology, but I get seasick and am terrified of open water, so there you go. Now I just get airsick doing helicopter surveys instead

. I was working in the publishing industry and went back to get my degree in wildlife biology when I turned 30. I don't regret it at all, I think there are lots of benefits to going back to school as an older adult.

ConstanceGoodspeed · January 2014

I buy raw when I happen to be at the market where it's sold. It tastes better (to me). I don't drink glasses of milk of any kind, just don't like it, but do use it in cereal, cooking, etc.

ReeceFamily · January 2014

@brendamndz and @PrivacyWanted, the Sacramento co-op carries it, too.

ConstanceGoodspeed · January 2014

I am on the east coast @Brendamndz so probably no help to you. It is legal in my state and it is at Whole Foods but I buy it from local farmer at a farmer's market.

SarahBBowers · January 2014

I thought I would chime in as I'm a veterinarian too and I would highly recommend raw milk, as long as it is from a reputable farmer that you are comfortable with!!

Homemademommy.net has a post on her blog about questions to ask your raw milk farmer that I think is very helpful.

Raw milk is much healthier, and has been shown to be less reactive than pasteurized milk in many people with dairy sensitivities.

Go for it.

SarahBBowers · January 2014

eek yourself. and I am in a mixed practice.

The real issue is not whether raw milk obtained from grass-fed cows is safe. Rather, it’s that milk from commercially raised cows is actually dangerous to consume unless it is pasteurized.

Raw milk from grass fed cows has ENORMOUS health benefits. Do some research. Visit your local farmers and ask questions.

The milk you get in the supermarket should not even be called milk.

Of course there are risks, just like with everything we eat. How about he recalls last year on spinach, canteloupe, etc?? To me, the benefits outweigh the risks. I would NEVER go back to pasteurized fake "milk"

SarahBBowers · January 2014

Heres a good read as well:

chriskresser.com/raw-milk-reality-benefits-of-raw-milk

kittynap-where do you go to school? I went to OSU. And I would definately not drink raw milk from the dairy cows at vet school. Again, raw milk from grass fed, pastured cows is different from raw milk from commercially raised cows.

brachysira · January 2014

Ah, I was thinking of submitting an article to EID. Very much like this journal. Yes, pasteurization is not some new silly thing. People do it because it prevents disease. You can read any nonsense you want on the internet. Stick to reputable sources. Don't engage in fads when it comes to children.

AshleyDehaven · January 2014

brachysira said:

Ah, I was thinking of submitting an article to EID. Very much like this journal. Yes, pasteurization is not some new silly thing. People do it because it prevents disease. You can read any nonsense you want on the internet. Stick to reputable sources. Don't engage in fads when it comes to children.

Thank you! This. So much this.

SarahBBowers · January 2014

Uh, I wasn't suggesting you do some "scientific" research via homemademommy-I was suggesting the OP use her as a place to find questions to ask your dairy farmer. Maybe you should reread my post. My recommendations for reading were for the OP because they can help in the decision-making process.

And I can read EID and regurgitate facts too. I have done loads of research on both ends, and I choose raw. You don't have to. I'm not bashing you. I was engaging you in a friendly conversation.

My posts were to help the OP.

Let's talk about raw milk

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