Customers line up by the dozen, in a parking lot located in Fort Mill, South Carolina. Many people drive from hours away, to purchase a substance illegal for sale in certain states. Those in line are waiting to buy milk, unpasteurized raw milk. Despite warnings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, many people believe the benefits of raw milk outweigh any potential risks, especially when the milk comes from healthy, pasture raised cows.
Complete Food
Raw milk is considered to be a complete food, meaning if a person had only raw milk and nothing else, they could survive. Raw milk contains all eight essential amino acids, 20 percent of which can be damaged by the heat used in pasteurization as reported by Raw-Milk-Facts.com. Since raw milk is not heated, these amino acids remain intact to be utilized fully by the body. Additionally, raw milk contains a complete list of fat and water soluble vitamins which are balanced by over 20 minerals for maximized absorption. Dr. William Campbell Douglass Jr., MD, wrote in his "Report in Favor of Grade A Raw Milk" that phosphatase, which is required for calcium absorption, is present in raw milk but destroyed by pasteurization. Without phosphatase, calcium absorption is inhibited, a leading cause of bone loss and osteoporosis.
Easily Digestible
Milk, in its raw, unpasteurized form, comes complete with the necessary enzymes and bacteria required for digestion. Lactobacillus is good bacteria, naturally present in milk, which is killed during pasteurization. Lactobacillus aids in digestion of lactose. When this bacteria is eliminated, those who are lactose intolerant and do not make lactase, the lactose digesting enzyme, unpleasant reactions such as diarrhea and stomach cramps occur. Raw milk however has not been heated and still contains lactobacillus and is easily digestible, often allowing even those who are lactose intolerant to enjoy a nice glass of milk without experiencing troublesome side effects.
Prevention and Treatment for Disease
Notable physician and cofounder of the Mayo Clinic, Dr. J.E. Crewe, used raw milk to treat a variety of diseases with great success. Dr. Crewe wrote about his experience with raw milk in his article "Raw Milk Cures Many Diseases." Diseases which Dr. Crewe treated successfully with raw milk include high blood pressure, tuberculosis, heart failure, diabetes and kidney disease. The Weston A. Price Foundation reports that raw milk is presently used to treat a variety of medical conditions in Germany.
Considerations
Raw milk does have the potential of carrying serious and even deadly bacteria. Supporters of raw milk encourage consumers to educate themselves regarding practices at the dairy which produces their raw milk. Cows should be healthy, pasture raised and fed a diet of grass and very little, if any, grain. Sanitation at the farm should be a high priority to the farmer, and milk should be cooled immediately after collection. Following these practices greatly reduces the possibility of infection and bacterial transmission. Milk from commercial dairies intended for pasteurization is not safe to be consumed raw.
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