Real Milk Is Raw

I've been meaning to get raw dairy back in my house and it just hasn't worked itself out! Tonight I was out of grocery store milk (aka sludge) and I was able to trek up to Thirteen Colonies Farm in Milton, NH to get my fix. I picked up a gallon of raw milk for $4.50 (plus $5 jar deposit) and I took a chance on a quart of their yogurt which I hadn't tried yet ($3.50 plus $1 jar deposit).

My kids insisted on some yogurt for after dinner and I thought to put a little honey and I mixed in a dash of cinnamon. Let me tell you, first off their plain yogurt is AMAZING and with the added honey and cinnamon, it is out of this world! Throw some local fruit on top and what a delicious snack!

Photo courtesy of Rachel Pasch

From Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions on the reasons for raw milk:

Heat alters milk’s amino acids lysine and tyrosine, making the whole complex of proteins less available; it promotes rancidity of unsaturated fatty acids and destruction of vitamins. Vitamin C loss in pasteurization usually exceeds 50%; loss of other water-soluble vitamins can run as high as 80%; the Wulzen or anti-stiffness factor is totally destroyed as is vitamin B12, needed for healthy blood and a properly functioning nervous system. Pasteurization reduces the availability of milks mineral components, such as calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulfur, as well as many trace minerals. There is some evidence that pasteurization alters lactose, making it more readily absorbable. This, and the fact that pasteurized milk puts an unnecessary strain on the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes, may explain why milk consumption in civilized societies has been linked with diabetes.

Last but not least, pasteurization destroys all the enzymes in milk — in fact, the test for successful pasteurization is absence of enzymes. These enzymes help the body assimilate all bodybuilding factors, including calcium That is why those who drink pasteurized milk may suffer from osteoporosis. Lipase in raw milk helps the body digest and utilize butterfat.

After pasteurization, chemicals may be added to suppress odor and restore taste. Synthetic vitamin D2 or D3 is added — the former is toxic and his been linked to heart disease while the latter is difficult to absorb. The final indignity is homogenization, which has also been linked to heart disease.

Powdered skim milk is added to the most popular varieties of commercial milk — one percent and two percent milk. Commercial dehydration methods oxidize cholesterol in powdered milk, rendering it harmful to the arteries. High temperature drying also creates large quantities of cross-linked proteins and nitrate compounds, which are potent carcinogens, as well as free glutamic acid, which is toxic to the nervous system.

Modern pasteurized milk, devoid of its enzyme content, puts an enormous strain on the body’s digestive mechanism. In the elderly, and those with milk intolerance or inherited weaknesses of digestion, this milk passes through not fully digested and can build up around the tiny villi of the small intestine, preventing the absorption of vital nutrients and promoting the uptake of toxic substances. The result is allergies, chronic fatigue and a host of degenerative diseases.

So go raw....or should I say real? Here's where you can buy real raw milk locally (and other real dairy products):

• Thirteen Colonies Farm, Milton
• Brookford Farm, Rollinsford
 

(**I no longer advocate Thirteen Colonies Farm.  Please direct your raw milk business to Brookford Farm.  I am not saying that Thirteen Colonies milk is unsafe, I do not know that, but for me and a few others, their practices seem a bit off.  If you have further questions, feel free to e-mail me.)

A few more sources are listed in the Seacoast Harvest online directory. Enjoy life, drink raw milk!