Milk,
it's a controversial product of the modern age.
Some say that humans were never intended to consume dairy products, some
say that organic is best, while others say that raw milk is the only way to go.
So, what do you do with all of these options, especially when the folks that
are providing the information are so passionate about their positions. More importantly, who is funding the research
behind each statement about their version of the "truth" about milk
and dairy products in general?
Let's
take a step back and look at how milk is handled in today's western culture and
mindset. First off, we need to
understand that if a cow has been given antibiotics, the farmer cannot sell its
milk. So all of the advertisements that
you see in grocery stores boasting about "No Antibiotics", is
nonsense, for no reason other than it's illegal to do otherwise.
Another
fact that is important to know is that mass produced milk does have hormones in
it. You see, for a cow to produce milk
it needs to have given birth recently, if not then a farmer will give the cow
hormones, in this case estrogen, to trick the cow's body into producing
milk. There are many studies that reveal
the negative effects of an abnormal amount of estrogen in our diets.
For
instance, elevated estrogen levels in young girls is thought to be the reason
that the breast size of developing girls has increased significantly over the
last 20 years. Girls are starting
puberty younger than ever and that too is linked to the elevated estrogen
levels that they are exposed to. Young
boys on the other hand are hitting puberty later and the need for testosterone
supplements in adults is at an all time high.
Again, this is linked directly to the use of hormones in our food products.
There
is much more to be learned about the negative side effects of estrogen and the
commercial production of milk. I could
write pages upon pages of information regarding milk production and estrogen
but I think that you get the point.
However, if you'd like more info, here is
a great link and here
is another. Both are worth taking the
time to read.
Putting
aside the estrogen issue, there are a few other processes that commercial milk
is required to go through prior to being bottled and put on a shelf in your
local grocery that deserve mentioning.
Pasteurization and Homogenization.
Pasteurization is the process of heating the milk to either 135 or 145
degrees Fahrenheit, depending on whether its pasteurized(EHT) or ultra
pasteurized (UHT). This process kills
any bacteria that may harm us. Homogenization is the process of breaking the
fat (cream) into uniform sizes to ensure a smooth and creamy texture upon
consumption. Sounds like a good idea
right? Well, maybe, maybe not...
Milk
directly from a cow is teaming with life.
There are loads of bacteria and enzymes that make drinking milk a
cornerstone of any healthy diet. The
pasteurization process kills all bacteria and enzymatic activity, significantly
decreasing the benefit of its consumption.
Homogenization is a rather benign process only effecting the texture of
the beverage, however, it does expose the milk to more oxygen and as a result
the nutritional value is marginalized.
Any process will inadvertently increase oxygen exposure. The less we manipulate the raw product the
less exposure therefore the integrity of the raw product is retained.
That
bring us to raw milk. There are volumes
of pages on the internet that will tout the praises of raw milk. Loads of ancedotical evidence that supports
raw milk's role in resolving digestion issues, boosting immune system function,
fighting off cancer, correcting blood pressure, curing bacterial infections and
the list honestly goes on and on. Unfortunately,
it's obvious that selling "raw milk" is illegal so how in the heck do
you get your hands on it? There
are purveyors of raw milk and raw milk products all over the U.S. The legal path to raw milk starts with
purchasing a "herd share". This
means that you actually own a portion of the cows in that specific herd. So legally now you can do whatever you want
to do with the milk that is harvested from your cows. Next you will need to pay a monthly boarding
fee for your "portion" of the herd.
A herd share runs anywhere from $50 - $100. The boarding cost is usually somewhere around
$30 or so per month.
I
honestly believe that there are great benefits to consuming raw milk. Let me explain why; raw milk is unprocessed,
unrefined, unhomogenized, and completely natural in every way. It is in its most basic form and that is the
way it was intended to be consumed. I
will always prefer the raw, unprocessed version of any food product. The enzymes and positive bacteria will do for
our bodies what we hope vitamins will do.
Consuming organic raw milk and dairy products is what was done 2000
years ago and only since we have found a way to pollute milk even before it's
harvested have we noticed negative impacts of dairy products on our
health. It's not that dairy products are
unhealthy, it's that all of the chemicals and processes that we subject the raw
product to is making it unhealthy.
I'd be in hot water if I failed to give the disclaimer about
the potential dangers of raw milk. There
can be potentially dangerous bacteria living in raw milk. So in effect you are taking a measured risk by consuming raw dairy products. That is why it's always good to go to the
farm that your herd shares are on. Check
out their operation and get to know your cows and if you are uncomfortable with
anything then move on, there is usually more than one farmer in an area that
has herd shares available.
So,
contact your local organic dairy farmer, take the plunge and purchase a herd
share then get ready to feel the benefits of raw milk. Rest assured, they will be unexpected, far
reaching, and life-long.
Chef Pat @ CFL
Here are some internet resources to help you find raw milk
in your area.
http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/
http://www.realmilk.com/
http://www.rawmilk.org/default.php
http://www.eatfoodforlife.com/new-website/
http://www.eatwild.com/index.html
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