According to Amy Lee, a board-certified physician in internal medicine, clinical nutrition, and obesity medicine and head of nutrition at Nucific, pasteurisation can actually offer more nutrition than raw milk. “There is an assumption that anything not pasteurised is more natural. But in reality, they are pretty equal when it comes to benefits,” she says. “Pasteurised milk may contain fortified vitamins, minerals, and omegas that raw milk does not possess.”
What are the risks of drinking raw milk?
Serious health risks can come with drinking unpasteurised milk. “Raw milk has been associated with multiple infections, some of which could have serious health consequences or even be fatal,” says Dr. Braha. These infections include campylobacter, brucella, Listeria monocytogenes, salmonella, and Escherichia coli (E. coli).
Who can drink raw milk?
Doctors warn against drinking raw milk for everyone, no matter your age and health. Due to the infections that can occur, “individuals who are prone to infection or immunocompromised should not drink raw milk,” says Dr. Lee.
Dr. Baha adds that children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to infection and should not drink unpasteurised. “For those planning pregnancy, certain infections like listeria can lead to miscarriage or significant illness to the newborn baby,” says Dr. Baha.
No matter your condition, drinking raw milk is strongly advised against overall. “Even if you are healthy, you are still at risk for infections and serious consequences of drinking raw milk,” Dr. Baha continues. “Because of these risks, the FDA has mandated that all milk and milk products are pasteurised before final sale.”
Why do people believe raw milk is beneficial?
Given the serious health risks involved, why is raw milk becoming more popular? “There is plenty of disinformation on the internet and social media suggesting that raw milk is better and safer than conventional milk,” says Dr. Baha. “This is not based on sound scientific evidence, and multiple studies show no benefit of raw milk compared with conventional pasteurised milk. In fact, raw milk places patients at higher risk of developing serious infections.”
To combat misinformation, Dr. Baha does not recommend raw milk to any of his patients, while Dr. Lee encourages her patients to educate themselves. “I recommend doing research, especially if there are underlying health conditions for the individual, as there are increased risks from raw milk based on the type of condition,” she says.
Raw-milk alternatives
Here’s what you can drink without putting your health at risk. “There are multiple ways to gain the nutritional value of milk in our diets,” says Dr. Baha. “For patients that do not wish to drink animal milk, we recommend alternative plant-based milks that are fortified with necessary vitamins and nutrients.”
When in doubt, always seek guidance from a health professional. “It is important that patients consult with their physician, especially for pregnant moms, infants and children,” stresses Dr. Baha.
This article originally appeared on GLAMOUR (US).
