Post: #1

Who drinks it?
Raw unheated milk from grassfed cows.

I don't know how the situation is in America but here in the Nordics it's a growing movement. The propaganda machinery from the dairy industry have been telling people for decades now that it's dangerous to drink raw milk.

Recent studies shows that all the good things with milk goes away when you're heating it up.

Experiences?

Post: #2

Unfortunately it is illegal in Australia, even for cheese.
I typically drink unhomogenised organic milk preferably pasteurised at the lowest legal temperature tastes much better but is about 3 times as expensive.

Post: #3

I am not to keen on the taste.

I do like unpasteurized beer however!

Post: #4

I like the idea of drinking raw milk, but I have to consider why it's illegal to purchase in many states in the US. There is no dairy industry propaganda - there's a very obvious reason why they pasteurize the milk. Considering the very close proximity of the anus and teat (and the severity of disease), I just don't think it's worth the risk.

I understand that raw milk is becoming fashionable now, but take a moment to do some Google searches about people's stories of getting sick from drinking contaminated milk. It's not something at all that I'd be interested in.

Post: #5

Raw milk is available in Australia as a bathing product in most health food stores! Not for human consumption. I buy it often when I can. It does tend to go off more quickly than pasteurised milk though.

Post: #6

Dupe thread!

Post: #7

(04-28-2014 08:29 AM)RexImperator Wrote:  Dupe thread!

Link?

Post: #8

(04-28-2014 06:37 AM)SteveCR Wrote:  I like the idea of drinking raw milk, but I have to consider why it's illegal to purchase in many states in the US. There is no dairy industry propaganda - there's a very obvious reason why they pasteurize the milk. Considering the very close proximity of the anus and teat (and the severity of disease), I just don't think it's worth the risk.

I understand that raw milk is becoming fashionable now, but take a moment to do some Google searches about people's stories of getting sick from drinking contaminated milk. It's not something at all that I'd be interested in.

I think more people are getting sick of industrial milk than raw milk.
I know several people whos stomachs can't handle industrial milk but raw milk is no problem at all.

There is a good reason for pasteurizing milk. Yes, so it last longer and you can sell it in shops for a longer time. ( and of course to prevent the listeria bacteria)

I recommend you to google the health benefits of raw milk. I could link interesting stuff but unfortunately it's not written in English.

Post: #9

I've got this a few times, very tasty:

http://www.hildebrandfarmsdairy.com/creamline.html

Most people in the US should have a local dairy farm nearby or can get this at their farmer's market. I'm going to seek out grassfed butter next, kerrygold costs too much.

Post: #10

(04-28-2014 09:38 AM)Chaos Wrote:  

(04-28-2014 08:29 AM)RexImperator Wrote:  Dupe thread!

Link?

/thread-26611.html

Anyway, yes, I'm a fan of raw milk if I'm going to drink milk...otherwise I tend to eat yogurt instead.

Post: #11

(04-28-2014 09:45 AM)Chaos Wrote:  

(04-28-2014 06:37 AM)SteveCR Wrote:  I like the idea of drinking raw milk, but I have to consider why it's illegal to purchase in many states in the US. There is no dairy industry propaganda - there's a very obvious reason why they pasteurize the milk. Considering the very close proximity of the anus and teat (and the severity of disease), I just don't think it's worth the risk.

I understand that raw milk is becoming fashionable now, but take a moment to do some Google searches about people's stories of getting sick from drinking contaminated milk. It's not something at all that I'd be interested in.

I think more people are getting sick of industrial milk than raw milk.
I know several people whos stomachs can't handle industrial milk but raw milk is no problem at all.

There is a good reason for pasteurizing milk. Yes, so it last longer and you can sell it in shops for a longer time. ( and of course to prevent the listeria bacteria)

I recommend you to google the health benefits of raw milk. I could link interesting stuff but unfortunately it's not written in English.

What type of milk are they drinking? If it is anything but whole milk no wonder they're getting sick. All of the milk derivatives destroy the nutritional content of whole milk.

Drink whole milk and you can get the same benefits of raw milk without the risk of bacteria.

The whole "raw milk" fad ranks up there with not getting vaccines. I'll stick to my industrialize processes that remove pathogens.

Post: #12

Check out that thread started by Basil. If you drink a lot of pasteurized milk (i.e. Starting Strength...) you can deplete your lactase enzymes. Raw milk avoids this. Of course you can buy pasteurized milk with enzymes added back. Raw milk tastes better, too, in my opinion.

Post: #13

Yeah the taster is better for sure. When I grew up I had raw milk on the table every day.
I still remember when I was 6 years old and went to kindergarten and there I was served pasteurized for the first time. I threw it all up, it tasted so bad so I couldn't believe it was milk!

Another thing I noticed in school and also later in the army was that kids who had been drinking raw milk had almost no allergics at all.

Coincidence?

Post: #14

Probably not... at least I've heard of scientific studies that showed that young kids who have been exposed to farm animals have fewer allergies and are less likely to develop asthma. So it may not be a direct cause, but it could be because kids growing up on farms are more likely to drink raw milk.

Post: #15

Living in the Dairy State I've been around dairy farms quite a lot.

The ones I have been around generally do not buy milk from the store, so guess what they are drinking? They are not getting sick.

On the flip side, I have been in some milking parlors and while they clean the udders before attaching the milkers I'm not all that keen on drinking it myself. One guy would drink it straight from the cow. As in squirting it from teet directly into his mouth.

Post: #16

Raw milk from unhealthy fenced up cows is probably not healthy. If you were to stop boiling the milk that most people drink nowadays, they'd probably get sick from it.

But raw milk is from pastured cows that tend to be much healthier. There have been some disease outbreaks linked to it, but some are more susceptible than others, including children and the elderly. Try it out, look up the risks, and decide if the benefits are worth the costs. It's not for everyone... Just like everything else.

Personally, the risks are irrelevant because raw milk is expensive. It's $15 a gallon while pasteurized milk is $3.50 a gallon, and I use a lot of milk.

You can also ferment the milk to make it healthier, eliminate the sugar and possibly even destroy deleterious bacteria - I've seen the latter claimed, not sure if it's true. Short of having a hookup for raw milk though, I don't anticipate drinking much of it because of the price. I'd rather get 2-3 lbs of meat at that rate.

Post: #17

never tried unpasteurized milk (probably impossible to get legally in the us),not sure if there would be any real reason to make this a movement. Basil had a good point, just picture the disgusting conditions those cows live in...
But i have tried fresh squeezed unpasteurized orange juice from a random stand out in the middle of nowhere and it was some good stuff.

Post: #18

I remember trying raw milk a few times a couple years ago and thinking it was incredibly delicious. Pasteurized milk pales in comparison to the rich creamy sweetness of raw milk.

Raw milk is also a whole food whereas pasteurized dairy is obviously processed. Something just feels healthier about consuming dairy that's in its natural form.

Most importantly, as has been mentioned above, is that the raw milk come from healthy grass-fed cows. If you're putting raw dairy into your body from a cow thats been fed a diet of corn/soy, and who has been pumped with antibiotics, you're likely putting your health at risk.

Something else that I find interesting and I think is of special importance is that raw milk contains lactase, whereas the process of pasteurization heats the lactase enzymes and destroys them. So for people who have trouble digesting dairy, raw milk will be a lot easier on your stomach.

I'm pretty sure I'm lactose intolerant as drinking milk and eating anything with cream usually gives me the runs. I never experienced unpleasant bowel movements after drinking raw milk (albeit I've only had it a handful of times), and I credit lactase's ability to break down lactose as the reason.

Post: #19

"Kylee Young was a healthy two-year-old when she contracted an E. coli infection from drinking raw milk, an illness that caused a stroke and culminated in a kidney transplanted from her mom."
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2014/02/a-...1-D1qhX-uY

Poor kid. All because what? Her mom fell for the raw milk sensationalism. There's a reason why dairy products are pasteurised. There's plenty of these stories from a Google search. It's beyond me why people are willing to take such a risk.

Post: #20

I actually like the taste of pausterized milk and it still has enough nutrients to be worth consuming; when I was a kid I used to occasionally pour myself a large bowl (half a liter) and drink it just like that. Unless I become lactose intolerant and have to experiment, I'm sticking with it. The only value raw milk holds to me is in the romantic Heidi-like sense.

Post: #21

"If you're putting raw dairy into your body from a cow thats been fed a diet of corn/soy, and who has been pumped with antibiotics, you're likely putting your health at risk."

I think it's the sanitation conditions, not the diet or antibiotics.

"Something else that I find interesting and I think is of special importance is that raw milk contains lactase, whereas the process of pasteurization heats the lactase enzymes and destroys them. So for people who have trouble digesting dairy, raw milk will be a lot easier on your stomach.

I'm pretty sure I'm lactose intolerant as drinking milk and eating anything with cream usually gives me the runs. I never experienced unpleasant bowel movements after drinking raw milk (albeit I've only had it a handful of times), and I credit lactase's ability to break down lactose as the reason."

Try kefir. Its as cheap as milk when you make your own, has no sugar and probably won't give you symptoms because the kefir culture eats up all the lactose.

As for the health risks, I think it would be better to legalize it and regulate it closely, with warning labels and perhaps a recommendation against giving it to children.

Post: #22

We have here in Estonia raw milk machines in some stores where you can fill your bottle, I get sometimes 1litre for breakfast.

Post: #23

(04-29-2014 09:19 AM)Basil Ransom Wrote:  Try kefir. Its as cheap as milk when you make your own, has no sugar and probably won't give you symptoms because the kefir culture eats up all the lactose.

Good call, Kefir is actually the only type of dairy I consume at the moment.

Kefir from cow's milk gives me acne though, so when I go to Whole Foods I usually pick up this brand of Goat's milk Kefir: http://www.redwoodhill.com/goat-kefir/plain/

Tastes pretty good, sometimes I toss in a packet of Truvia to sweeten it up a little bit. The goat Kefir definitely doesn't break my skin out as much as the Cow's milk.

When I'm home from school, I culture my own Coconut milk Kefir. I purchase Kefir grains and then culture it myself replacing a new cup of coconut milk daily into the mason jar where I have my Kefir grains growing. It's actually really cool to feed your Kefir Grains (whether it's cows milk, goat milk, or coconut milk) and watch them grow.

...Btw I do this for the health of my gut. After years of antibiotic use when I was a teen, my stomach was pretty messed up. Taking probiotics really helped my stomach feel better and I've been able to better digest food ever since I began regularly using probiotics. Adding Kefir, L-Glutamine, and Bone Broth help even more if you've ever suffered from gut issues or think your 'gut micro biome' may be out of balance from antibiotic use, or poor eating/lifestyle habits.

Post: #24

Yeah I think I get a bit of acne from all my dairy kefir drinking (a quart a day). Trouble is goat milk is a lot more expensive, especially if you get it raw. Raw goat milk kefir is probably the ideal.

I heard the grains die eventually if you use coconut milk instead of animal milk - do you cycle it on and off animal milk? Is your coconut milk from the cartons or the cans, or do you juice your own coconuts?

Post: #25

(04-29-2014 01:19 PM)Basil Ransom Wrote:  I heard the grains die eventually if you use coconut milk instead of animal milk - do you cycle it on and off animal milk? Is your coconut milk from the cartons or the cans, or do you juice your own coconuts?

When the grains arrived in the mail, they were pretty small. I placed them into a mason jar, poured about a cup of Whole Cow's milk on top of the grains, and then loosely placed the lid of the Mason Jar on top without tightening it.

I've read that it's important to rehydrate and 'reactivate' the grains with cow's milk because it is much harder for the Kefir grains to begin growing if you immediately use Coconut milk. A day later, I poured out the milk, and poured a fresh cup of cow's milk on top of the grains. After doing this for 3 days, the kefir grains had definitely gotten bigger and the milk was starting to get really thick and tangy (I took a few small sips of it).

Then I switched to coconut milk and began pouring a new cup of coconut milk on the grains every 24 hours or so. It only took a day or 2 for the coconut milk to take on that thick consistency and provide the sour but enjoyable flavor of Kefir. I think coconut milk is actually a little better tasting than dairy kefir.

I did that everyday for a month and the grains were consistently growing and appearing healthy. When I wanted to take a break using the grains, I would submerge the grains with just a 1/4 cup of cow's milk or whatever just covers the grains, and stick the mason jar in the fridge. I read on Marks Daily Apple and some other Paleo sources that when you don't need to use them for awhile, sticking them in the fridge while submerged in milk keeps them from dying.

When I was ready to use them again I just poured out the milk and refilled with coconut milk, and then continued my usual process leaving the jar lightly covered on the kitchen counter (room temperature). The grains definitely did not die as they continued to produce the same thick tangy kefir.

They might not last a year, but they certainly lasted a few months for me before I returned to school (I threw them out when I left home). I'm looking forward to making homemade coconut Kefir again this summer. I might try to get my hands on some raw cow or goat milk and see how that goes.

...and the type of Coconut milk I used mostly was this: http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/prod...nsweetened

^ It has some additives that might not make it perfect, but I've found it very hard to find Coconut milk products that don't use Carrageenan or Guar Gum.