Have you ever been told that drinking raw milk is bad for your health or even dangerous? You may be surprised to hear that this isn’t true at all. In fact, raw milk offers many health benefits. So, sometimes it’s best to ignore the reputation and focus on the good things.
Raw Milk: What is It?
Basically, raw milk is milk from grass-fed cows. What makes it different from standard store-bought milk is that is a homogenized and unpasteurized, meaning it still has all of its natural enzymes, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. Because of all its contents, many people refer to it as a complete food.
Can raw milk increase your risk of consuming problematic bacteria? Actually, this risk is pretty low. In fact, according to one study, you’re 35,000 times more likely to get sick from other good sources than you are from raw milk. One study even suggests you have a higher chance of dying from eating raw oysters than raw milk.
As you can see, most of the concerns and accusations around raw milk are exaggerated, while its health benefits are underrated and plentiful. In fact, raw milk may address a huge number of nutritional conditions suffered by millions of people around the world, including allergy and skin-related conditions.
Nutritional Value of Raw Milk
Raw milk is really one of the most nutrient-rich foods in the world. Its nutritional profile is unique from other foods, so while it’s understandable that the rumours have led you to be cautious, you should really try to drink some.
So what makes raw milk a superfood? It’s nutritional content, of course! Raw milk contains fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin K2, D and A, all of which are essential for a well-functioning nervous system and brain function, focus and development. Fat-soluble vitamins also help support a natural hormone balance and bone density.
Raw milk also has a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, CLA and other short-chain fatty acids. One of these is butyrate, a type of short-chain fatty acid which helps control various health issues related to stress resistance, slow metabolism and inflammation.
In addition to all of this, raw milk has whey proteins, which help burn fat and build and retain lean muscle. Finally, being a dairy milk, it contains probiotics, essential for digestion.
Health Benefits of Raw Milk
Here are some of the most astounding health benefits of raw milk:
- Has no sugar or synthetic ingredients. Since raw milk undergoes homogenization, the fats in it are broken down. This also means there is no sugar or synthetic ingredients in it.
- May help fight an H. pylori infection. The good bacteria and whey proteins in raw milk are essential in combating the H. pylori infection. This particular infection may cause stomach ulcers or vomiting.
- Helps prevent nutrient deficiencies. According to the USDA, we can attribute about 300 calories a day to added sweeteners or sugars. Comparatively, raw milk only has about 424 calories, though it contains a great number of nutrients.
- Helps improve skin health. Raw milk is essential in improving skin health. As a matter of fact, it can improve conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis.
- Helps reduce allergies. Studies show that those who drink raw milk have about a 50% lower risk in developing allergies and about a 41% lower risk of developing asthma. This is one of the best health benefits of raw milk.
Raw milk truly is essential for health!
