6 Reasons Why We Drink Raw Milk
I was the kid who didn’t like milk.
I didn’t like the taste of it or the uneasy stomach I got after drinking it, so I didn't care for milk as much. When I became pregnant with our first daughter in 2014, I remember reading about foods to avoid: soft cheeses, undercooked or raw meat, unpasteurized milk... I thought, Well that's not a problem because I don't drink milk anyway, much less drink it unpasteurized.
Little did I know that eight years later, I would find myself milking our own cow and drinking raw milk while pregnant with our third daughter. Ha. Ha.
I was first introduced to raw milk when we attended the Homesteaders of America conference in October of 2021. I was reluctant to try it, only knowing you’re not supposed to drink milk raw. I ended up drinking a full glass and asked if I could have a second.
I didn't feel any queasiness. I even felt better after drinking it. Like my stomach had been missing something for so long. And on top of that, I never knew milk could taste so good. So what in the world is raw milk?
Put simply, it's milk that hasn't been pasteurized and homogenized, meaning it hasn't gone through the high heat process that kills off bacteria. It's completely unprocessed and in its most natural form, coming straight from the cow to you. If you're thinking of switching to a whole and natural diet, want to heal your gut, or are just curious about raw milk, keep reading.
It’s not just you—I was skeptical about raw milk at first, too. There's a lot of debate about raw milk, making it quite the controversial topic. Some say it's nutritious and healing, and some say it'll make you sick. After doing our research, we decided to choose raw milk for our family, and we feel great about our decision. I can also take comfort in knowing that generations before us consumed milk raw, and pasteurization is a fairly recent requirement.
So what's the big deal? Is raw milk actually good for you or is it dangerous?
Let me preface this discussion by saying that nobody has the same exact needs or preferences when it comes to the food we eat. If you have dairy sensitivities, you might want to try raw goat or sheep milk instead (although there have been surveys showing people with lactose intolerance being able to drink raw milk). Bottom line is that each of us is responsible for our own health. We need to be discerning about our food choices rather than letting the government and big ag dictate what we should eat. The more we do our own research, the better informed we can be in making decisions about our health.
So, here we go—our six reasons for choosing raw milk over conventional milk, anytime and all the time, for our family:
1. It has so many benefits.
Our raw milk comes from grass-fed cows that receive a healthy dose of fresh air, grass, and sunshine, their nutrition transfers directly to the milk they produce. Healthy cows = healthy milk.
And because raw milk is not processed, all the original beneficial enzymes, probiotics, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients are uncompromised. Compare this to pasteurized milk where all the nutrients are either damaged, destroyed, altered, or inactivated, and it's a no-brainer that raw milk is superior.
For example, raw milk contains lactase, the enzyme that helps break down lactose in milk and other dairy products. Unfortunately, lactase is destroyed during pasteurization, resulting in lactose intolerance for some people who would have otherwise been able to drink milk.
Raw milk also contains antibodies that can help fight off infections. There are studies linked to reduced ear and respiratory infections among those who drink raw milk. Studies have also been performed on lower rates of asthma, allergies, and eczema on people who drink raw milk.
2. It tastes better than conventional milk.
During the process of homogenization, the fat globules in the milk are reduced to extremely small particulates so that the cream gets evenly mixed in with the milk. After all, a standardized milk is what our centralized food system requires. As a result, you lose that beautiful cream line and the smooth, sweet, rich texture of milk. In the end, you're left with a watery, bland, flavorless version instead.
3. It's a living food.
Raw milk is full of probiotics and enzymes that nurture a healthy gut microbiome. Although the high heat during pasteurization is meant to kill off the harmful bacteria in raw milk, it also destroys the good bacteria—the bacteria that our bodies need to keep our gut healthy, and in turn keep us healthy.
4. It's better for the cows and for the environment.
Raw milk safe for human consumption comes from small local farms with much better practices than traditional commercial dairies. The cows are outside on pasture, eating grass, breathing in fresh air, spreading their manure naturally to nourish the soil around them. No need for complex milk collection piping or manure holding tanks like commercial dairies do (feel free to look up videos on "commercial dairy farming" and you can see for yourself).
5. It doesn't go bad.
Yup, you heard that right. When you open that jug of pasteurized milk from the store after realizing you've left it for too long in the refrigerator (or worse, that you forgot to put it back in) one whiff and you know you need to hold your breath and throw that away. That's because all the good bacteria that keeps the milk from rotting has been killed during the pasteurization process. As a result, bad bacteria freely take over, mold starts to grow, and you're left with gross milk.
On the other hand, raw milk doesn't actually go bad—it just changes. Leave raw milk out for a few days and it will clabber, or naturally ferment. What you get is a cultured version high in probiotics, completely safe and edible.
The only time it will go bad is if you use contaminated tools and equipment during milking, straining, and storing the milk. Otherwise, the milk itself, from a healthy grass-fed cow, is safe and clean.
6. It has so many uses.
From all your dairy products to skin care to garden fertilizer, nothing beats the versatility of raw milk. The simplest way to enjoy raw milk is to shake it up to mix the cream in and drink it. Of course, you're free to skim some of the cream and add it to your coffee or tea as well. Better yet, skim the cream and make butter with it, then make mozzarella with the rest of the milk. Yogurt is pretty easy to make, too. Oh, and let's not forget about the homemade ice cream.
Leave raw cream out for a day and you can turn it into cultured butter. Leave raw milk out for 4-5 days and you can turn it into cottage cheese. As it clabbers, the curds and the whey separate and you can use them in a whole lot of different recipes. Alternatively, you can feed them to your dog (or chickens, or pigs) and they will love it, too.
Is Raw Milk For Everyone?
Like I mentioned earlier, everyone has different dietary needs, restrictions, and preferences. I can't say that raw milk is for everyone, but I do believe that everyone should have the chance to decide for themselves if raw milk is something they want to add to their diet.
It's also important to know that raw milk is illegal to drink/sell in some states. For this reason, sometimes raw milk will be labeled "for pets" as a way to circumvent this law. Here's a good resource to find out where you can get raw milk in your area.
Just FYI, raw milk CAN be dangerous.
Yes, drinking raw milk has its dangers, just as there are risks in eating contaminated foods everywhere.
The raw milk you shouldn't drink.
Here's the thing: raw milk from your traditional commercial dairy is meant to be pasteurized--DO NOT drink this milk raw. This milk most likely came from cows in CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations), where cows are kept in confined spaces. This means no access to fresh grass, a higher concentration of manure, and a higher exposure to pathogens (if you looked up videos of commercial dairy farming earlier, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about).
Since milk production is prioritized over health, these cows are given hormones to boost their milk supply, which makes them more prone to mastitis, which they then receive antibiotics for. Since this milk is already intended for pasteurization, the need to keep it "clean" is not as high on the priority list.
On top of this, commercial milk is also a blend of milk from different cows from multiple dairies and goes through quite a bit before finding its way to your home. Here's a typical process:
The cows are milked 2-3 times a day by milking machines that transport the milk into large chilling tanks. Multiple times a day, depending on how large the dairy farm is, insulated dairy trucks come and pick up milk to be transported to processing plants. When it arrives, milk goes through three processes:
The milk is standardized. Cream is separated from the skimmed milk to create a base, so that different amounts of fat can be added back later (hence low fat, non-fat, 2%, half and half, whole, etc.).
The milk is pasteurized. It's heated to a certain high temperature for a certain amount of time. The goal is to kill off harmful bacteria.
The milk is homogenized. The fat is reduced to super small particles so that the cream doesn't rise to the top, which gives the milk an even texture.
And finally, the milk is packaged and transported to the store for the consumer.
The raw milk that's safe for you.
Meanwhile, raw milk from small, primarily grass-based farms comes from cows that get to graze on grass to their heart's desires. They are brushed, cleaned, and checked for health before they get milked by hand or machine 1-2 times a day, depending on the farm. When they're not being milked, they spend their days lounging on pasture, perfecting the art of laziness (or selective participation, as some would say).
After milking, this raw milk is simply filtered, tested, bottled, and refrigerated on property. This is raw milk safe for human consumption.
On our farm...
We know that Clover’s milk is healthy because we know that she is healthy. She is out on pasture all day, everyday. She gets exercise, fresh air, and sunshine. And, we take great care in milking her and in storing the milk afterwards. The raw milk that we drink is fresh.
We also practice rotational grazing here on our farm. Our animals are always moving around to different pastures. As we move them, we let each paddock rest and recuperate.
Our chickens help too when they come in after the cows and spread the manure as they forage and scratch for grubs. This system allows the grass to grow more lush throughout the year and gives the animals a diverse source of nutrition. And although we are not certified organic, we certainly do not spray our pastures.
So then to us, it makes sense why raw milk is superior to any conventional milk. Throughout our journey in switching to whole foods, we've come to appreciate the journey that our food also takes to get to us (the shorter distance, the better). Apart from the freshness of raw milk, you can't beat the amount of nutrition you get from it.
Okay I'm going to be sentimental for a bit and just say, it's a really beautiful process how Clover turns grass and sunshine into a nutrient-dense and delicious superfood for us. If there was anyone on the farm whose value is irreplaceable, it's hers. She can literally produce food for everyone here at the farm. And for this, we are truly grateful for her contribution.
