Raw Milk
Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to
kill harmful bacteria. Unfortunately, it kills
beneficial bacteria as well. When pasteurized
milk gets old, it goes sour and becomes
undrinkable. In contrast, raw milk past its prime
becomes clabber, a tangy, thick beverage
reminiscent of yogurt. Why? Look no further than
our friend the lactic acid bacteria. In raw milk,
the beneficial lactic acid bacteria keep e. coli,
salmonella, and other harmful bacteria in check,
while proliferating and changing the taste and
texture of the milk as it ages. In pasteurized
milk, contamination post-pasteurization is a
recipe for disaster because there are no lactic
acid bacteria present to create an acidic,
unlivable environment for pathogens.
In addition to the loss of beneficial, pro-biotic
bacteria, pasteurization leads to the loss of
many other valuable substances. The amino acids
lysine and tyrosine are altered in structure,
making the protein in milk less available. The
levels of water soluble vitamins like vitamin C
drop anywhere from 50 -80%, vitamin B 12 is
eliminated, and the availability of all major and
trace minerals is reduced. Pasteurization may
also alter the lactose molecules in milk, making
it less absorbable and causing the pancreas to
work overtime to produce digestive enzymes, often
contributing to diabetes.
The enzymes that help our bodies assimilate all
the nutrients found in milk are also destroyed,
so much of that good calcium and healthy fat
produced by happy, organic, grass fed cows runs
right through the system unabsorbed. How
depressing. Without the enzymes present in
natural milk, the body strains to digest it. The
ultimate result is a gunked up small intestine,
which prevents absorption of nutrients from other
foods and promotes the uptake of toxic
substances. Ever wonder why there are so many
more allergies these days? So much more chronic
fatigue and other degenerative diseases? Think
about it...
In most conventional dairies, chemicals are added
after pasteurization to restore taste to the now
dead milk. Synthetic varieties of the D vitamin
are added which are difficult to absorb and
linked to heart disease.
Solutions
Many organic dairy operators know this and want
to sell unpasteurized milk, but are not allowed
by law. One way around this is to buy from
private owners of small herds of cows or goats.
They may be legally allowed to sell you milk
labeled “pet food”!
Another way is to buy into a “cow share”. Since
it is legal to drink unpasteurized milk from your
own cow, simply find a farmer willing to have a
group of people “purchase” one of their cows.
They take care of it and milk it, you get the
milk! I do work trade with a family that runs an
operation like this, and they provide healthy,
organic, grass fed milk and other dairy products
for a growing list of well-satisfied cow
“owners.” So there, big government!
Again, if you can’t afford this quality of dairy
products, consider work trade or bartering. There
is always something to do on a farm, and you may
find you really enjoy helping out. You might even
buy your own cow or goat one day!
Green on a Shoestring:
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