We’ve been getting all sorts of questions about dairy lately, especially around the many different types of milk options out there. So hopefully this post will clear some things up. Later this month we’ll be sharing our thoughts on cheese, sour cream, yogurt, and other dairy products as well so be sure to stay tuned!
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Raw Milk
Before our switch to real food I honestly had no idea what “raw milk” even was. I actually remember the day I first discovered that there's an entire world out there of raw milk advocates complete with websites, blogs, non-profit organizations, and the like. I’ve learned that the people who drink raw milk really LOVE their raw milk and feel strongly about their choice.
Raw milk is literally the way the milk comes out of the cow. It has not been pasteurized (heated to kill pathogens) or homogenized (processed to suspend fat globules) in any way, shape, or form. In the most basic terms it’s exactly what the calves get. And I actually think this quote from Wikipedia sums up why raw milk can be such a heated topic these days:
“Health food proponents tout the benefits of raw milk and the ills of pasteurization and homogenization. The medical community warns of the dangers of not pasteurizing milk. Preferences vary from region to region.” – Wikipedia
So speaking of our “region” raw milk is actually illegal here in North Carolina. I’ve had many people tell me I can drive just over the border into South Carolina to buy some, but to be honest I was actually kind of relieved that I didn’t have to make the tough decision if we should drink raw milk or not. I know the advocates say raw milk can cure all your ailments (or something like that), but others say there are health risks with milk that hasn’t been pasteurized (which kills both potentially harmful and beneficial bacteria – just like cooking raw meat).
So I’ve basically chosen to just stay out of it and drink the milk that is available to us here in town, which is obviously a personal choice that has been influenced by the state in which we live.
Plus I tried raw milk once and it didn’t exactly taste like the “milk” I am used to drinking (and enjoy), but I am certainly very happy for everyone who drinks raw milk and loves it. To each his own!
Pasteurized, Non-Homogenized, Whole Milk (from Grass-Fed Cows)
This is the type of milk that we’ve determined to be the least processed milk available here in North Carolina, and what we started drinking sometime last year. My whole 33 years prior to that I mainly drank skim milk so let me tell you what I was SCARED to gradually go from skim to whole (we briefly drank 2% in-between).
I did it though and honestly have never looked back. The milk we drink now is soooo good and fresh…it tastes how I think milk should taste! And to offset the switch to full-fat dairy we also reduced our consumption a bit, which helped from a budgeting standpoint as well.
The brand we buy is called Homestead Creamery (I get it from Earth Fare - pictured above) and it’s from cows that are mostly - but not 100% - grass-fed. Cows were designed by evolution to eat grass (not corn) so they are healthier when they do, which in turn gives more nutritious animal products to us as a result.
The milk we buy is also pasteurized at a slightly lower temperature than standard grocery store milk so for me I feel like this gets us a little bit closer to that whole “raw milk” option without going all the way. And while Homestead Creamery is not USDA Certified Organic they do follow all organic practices. Getting officially certified is expensive and timely so it’s always good to ask this question when purchasing from smaller farms.
Organic Milk
If you can’t find local, grass-fed, non-homogenized milk in your area then I think a “big brand” (i.e. Organic Valley or Horizon) of organic, whole milk is the next best bet. One downfall of highly commercialized organic milk though is that it’s actually ultra-pasteurized at a high temperature, which leaves even less beneficial bacteria.
This is why the expiration dates are sometimes further out than their conventional counterparts. I am not sure if they did this to give organic a longer shelf life (before it started becoming more popular), but regardless that’s the way it’s done and it usually says it right there on the package so it’s not a secret.
As I once heard Dr. Oz say though you can’t “peel” or “wash” off dairy like you can when it comes to conventional produce so I agree with his advice to go organic when it comes to dairy products (including milk).
Low-Fat Milk
As part of our switch to real food we did away with all low-fat and non-fat products, including milk. You can read more about that switch in our “Mini-Pledge Week 6: No Low-Fat, Lite or Nonfat Food Products” post. In short, according to Michael Pollan in his book In Defense of Food:
“To make dairy products low fat, it’s not enough to remove the fat. You then have to go to great lengths to preserve the body or creamy texture by working in all kinds of food additives. In the case of low-fat or skim milk, that usually means adding powdered milk. But powdered milk contains oxidized cholesterol, which scientists believe is much worse for your arteries than ordinary cholesterol, so food makers sometimes compensate by adding antioxidants, further complicating what had been a simple one-ingredient whole food. Also, removing the fat makes it that much harder for your body to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins that are one of the reasons to drink milk in the first place.” - Michael Pollan
After recently learning that the orange juice industry doesn’t even include their mysterious “flavor packs” (to keep the juice tasting the same year-round) on their list of ingredients I wouldn’t count on seeing “powdered milk” listed as in ingredient on your skim milk jug anytime soon either.
Long story short - I don’t think anyone can argue that low-fat and skim milk isn’t “more processed” than whole milk, which is of course one of our family’s top concerns when it comes to making food choices.
Milk Alternatives
Some people just can’t tolerate dairy and thankfully for them there are all sorts of milk alternatives out there these days. I do want to say though that I don't personally believe there’s any reason to avoid dairy unless you have an allergy or intolerance.
If you are one of those that needs to skip the lactose be sure to look for milk alternatives that are unsweetened, but no matter what always read the ingredients. My top choices would be either unsweetened full-fat coconut milk or almond milk…or even brown rice milk. Soy is already an additive in so many packaged foods so I would favor some of the other choices out there instead.
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Question: What kind of milk do you drink (and why)?
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Local Dairy Resources
To search for local farms in your area that might offer grass-fed dairy products like milk check out the following resources:
Beth E says
Lisa, I've read that you call/research your food. Do you know if Homestead Creamery adds vitamins to their products? I was recently really surprised to find out that a brand that I consider similar, Maple View Farms, adds vitamins to their products!
100 Days of Real Food says
I've called Homestead a few times, but never thought to ask that specific question...so I am not sure! I might have to call and ask now :)
Lani H says
I love Maple View but after reading this I decided to research and found that in addition to adding vitamins, they also homogenize which Lisa recommends against. Lisa - what is your thought on Maple View farms?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Lani. I'm not familiar with their products. I would just choose the best that is available in your area. Jill
Vinny Grette says
I've nominated your site for the food stories award because I think it epitomizes one family's great food saga. Also, I too love Michael Palen. I know your site is doing very well, but if you're interested, you can check out the award at http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/
Cathy says
I applaud your courage to post that story since it doesn't fit with your blog premise of "0 process foods", so very human!
Real people on real journeys do have set backs. Your fears, preference for convenience and your apparent dislike formed from your one sampling of raw milk seem to have gotten the better of you on this round.
To get 100% raw, unprocessed milk, would mean that you'd have to take up activism to have raw milk available in your state, pay more than what you pay at the grocery store, travel cross state lines (it's not illegal for consumers to transport raw milk, just farmers), and try a couple other dairies to find milk that fits your taste buds. It's a pain!
One of the key attributes of processed food, is that each batch tastes alike. They like consistency, but that gives us is dull taste buds. Same goes for processed milk. Many others that have made the switch enjoy the "terroir" of milk - the seasonal changes in milk, because of the changing fertility of the earth on the farm, the different types of pasture, different types of cows.
I would encourage you to go farm to farm in S. Carolina to find one that thrilled your taste buds and restored your confidence so that you can continue to eat 100% unprocessed foods.
Besides, getting to know the farmer behind the food, is one of the things that makes the food taste so darn good!
For the "cows milk for cows babies" argument in the comments, rubbish.
Humans have been drinking fermented and raw milk from horses, camels, goats, sheep and cows since the dawn of time. Yes, it's been found in fermented forms in caves.
Most lactose intolerance results from pasteurization where the heating destroys the bacteria that make lactase to digest the lactose. It also causes milk allergies (pasteurization mangles proteins which cause the body to mount an allergic response.
Maybe it's why the Indians consider the cow as sacred, and the family doctor. It's known in India that when a family member is sick, the cow will go out and eat herbs that will heal the family member. Put your goats out to eat poison ivy, and they will give you the antibodies in their milk. Such a lovely relationship we've had with these pasture-eating creatures over time.
I can't wait until I see posts from you when you start making raw milk buttermilk, butter, yogurt, kefir, and enjoy seeing the magic of raw milk transformation with a little vinegar or culture. The industry calls it "processing" but done in your home, it's actually just cooking, and so much fun.
Personally, I don't like milk where the cows are fed grain. I feel like I'm being shortchanged. The CLA in milk, is destroyed when grain fed. Many farmers know how to do this well. Find one, you may like the difference.
Leah says
Very interesting response! I never had the urge to try raw milk.. but maybe when we have more money/find a farm that supplies it. I also didn't know that pasteurization kills lactase! And I did NOT know that about cows in India.. fascinating! :)
megan says
I am about to worry a lot of people I am sure but not only do I drink raw milk, but when my son refused to nurse I found a recipe developed by a food biologist on the Weston A Price Foundation website ( anyone interested in raw milk both for and against) should look them up, and I mkae his formula with raw milk. He is a super healthy baby. As long as the farmer washes the udders with iodine, feeds them grass, and stores them in clean stainless steel or galvenized buckets the milk is fine. Can you really make a parent feel bad about feeding their children raw milk by citing stories of terrible deaths by e coli? How many deaths by e coli related to raw milk have you come across.? I am pretty sure that the last three years we have had an ec oli outbreak in this country it has been in non-organic FDA supervised produce. The enzymes in the milk (raw milk) can kill e. coli if it actaully happened to be in the milk before it could hurt you. When we kill the enzymes in the milk we ezpose ourselves to the risks of disease.
Also, cowss were not designed to eat corn, the corn turns to e. coli in their stomaches. So, if you get your milk from grass raised clean cows their is no concern for e. coli. The Westen A Price Foundation beleives so strongly in this that they have developed a real milk campaign. If you are concerned with your raw milk source ( as you should be due to disease), he has a list of farmers that meet the requirements to have healthy, safe milk.
While dairy should be consumed in lower quantities all cultures from the dawn of time have consumed dairy in some form. God also uses milk as a metaphor of heaven and perfection in the bible. Why would he do that if it is essentially unhealthy? We need to learn moderation. Also, some of the more healtheir cultures do consume dairy, France, Italy, the mediteranean diet. They eat cheeses, kefir, milk, etc. We say its unatural to consume dairy yet we still develop all sort os of dairy alternatives. Such as cheeses, mayo, milk, etc. If its unatural we wouldn't need alternatives, we just wouldn't need it period.
Gillen says
My family of six all drinks raw milk. It has been a year since we started our raw milk journey and I am happy to report we have not been to the doctor for any type of sickness in 12 months. Our second child had asthma, ear infections, strep, fevers, upset stomach etc. so bad as a kindergartner he missed over 30 days of school that year. This past school year he had perfect attendance. We have always raised our own garden, free range eggs and grass fed meat. Raw milk is the only change we have made. I have become a big supporter of raw milk because of the amazing health changes it has brought about for our family.
Some of the previous posts emphasized going out to the farm, meeting the farmer, asking questions and making sure the cows are fed only grass and hay not grains. This is SO, SO important. I fully support getting to know the people who raise the food you consume and the milk cows for that matter. Please don't let raw milk scare you. When the cows are well taken care of, fed correctly and the farmer uses proper sanitation practices you just can't go wrong!!
Adrian says
Hey I just had a question, I love drinking Skim Milk because it seems more "watery", I dont like the taste of full fat milk at all, what do you recommend I do to replace it without such an intense taste?
Sarah says
when I started drinking whole milk I had the same issue. Add a few ice cubes or a bit of cold (or same temp as milk) water.
100 Days of Real Food says
Adrian - How about just adding water to your whole milk?
PRC says
I'm a registered dietitian who recently stumbled upon your site. I'm curious, if you are trying to have your family eat more naturally why are you including dairy at all? It's extremely unnatural to eat dairy past infancy, and even more so to eat milk based products from another animal. The saturated fat component of whole milk is fine for a child under 2, however past that age the saturated fat content of whole/2% milk is rather high, which is why the National Academy of Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association http://www.eatright.org)doesn't recommend those products for normal healthy people over age 2.
Diandra says
Not sure whether selling raw milk is illegal in Germany, but at least I have never seen any sold around here. I buy pasteurized, non-homogenized milk with 1.5% fat (planning to switch to whole-fat milk in the future), and organic if we can afford it. The BF actually drinks homogenized millk, which I think tastes like liquid cardboard (he thinks whole milk tastes "too much like milk" - don't ask...)
kingfisher says
I've switched over to full fat dairy, exclusively - I wish I could convince the rest of my family to do the same!
Lynette Strickland says
I totally agree with those who say that cow's milk is for cow's only. It is designed by nature to turn a calf into a full sized cow in a matter of months...no wonder it is so fattening for us smaller mammals! Don't get me wrong...I love dairy and am working to get it totally out of our diet. When you've been eating cheese your entire life, it's very hard to cut out. My 2 children with asthma have been taken off dairy (one totally, the other nearly totally, with the exception of a little cheese here and there) and the difference has been astonishing! Absolutely no more emergency breathing treatments in the middle of the night, no Proventil as a preventative measure...no episodes at all. It's not that their outgrowing their asthma just happened to coincide with cutting out dairy, either. One of my children was young at the time, but the other was in her 20's. Whitewash: The Disturbing Truth about Cow's Milk & Your Health (by Joseph Keon) is a great book for more info and so is Go Dairy Free (by Alisa Marie Fleming).
Jennifer says
Lisa,
Our family has cut out processed food for health reasons and your blog is my favorite for ideas/recipes!
Thanks so much for what you do.
Mayasmommy says
For milk alternatives, dont forget about hemp milk. A much more nutritios choice than any of the other options we researched when my youngest was diagnosed with a milk protein allergy.
kellyj says
Someone commented earlier that evolution is a fact. It is technically considered scientic theory, not fact. Just to be accurate it is not proveable and therefore considered theory.
Reanna says
For the record, evolution is indeed a fact. There are a number of theories that branch off from the basic idea of evolution (the orgin of the universe, time, etc.) but as we can observe evolution in a lifetime (adaptation) it's been accepted as fact. And science does not seek to prove things, rather to disprove a theory or hypothesis in order to arrive at the truth or explanation of the matter.
An example that even those of the simplest mindset can understand is the Russian fox discovery. I think it was in the 1960s when a Russian fox farm tried breeding the foxes with the least aggressive and feral personalities with similar foxes to see if they could breed for gentleness and domestication. Sure enough, within a few generations they had litters of foxes who behaved more like your typical pet dog than wild foxes. This is evolution at work, with the assistance of selective breeding by humans. All evolution is is a minute change in the genetic structure of a species that, over time, results in a overall change in that particular species.
Another example is the different lengths of hummingbirds' beaks. Over time the birds of certain regions grow shorter or longer beaks depending upon the available food source of that time in that region.
Adaptation is the first step in the evolutionary process and this is what we see during a lifetime. To argue against this is simply to place your fingers in your ears, close your eyes, and refuse to accept that which is right in front of you and remain in a permanent state of unblissful ignorance. If you are not someone who likes to gather knowledge from reading, I suggest watching your local PBS stations - there is a whole world of information out there for the taking...
Meanwhile, if you believe in Lisa's mission to educate us about real foods I suggest you actually read the books she recommends and any documentaries as well. It is always difficult to replace one's cozy and safe schema with a new one that is probably not too pleasant, but that is how we grow. And yes, human's evoloved to tolerate the milk from other mammals in order to survive. It's what all species do.
Ellen says
Yes, but a fox is still a fox, not a house cat or a frog or a horse. The species didn't change, only a small detail. It's called microevolution. I think the writer was not saying that small changes within species could not occur, but only that species do not change into one another.
Yacko says
There is a difference between a hypothesis and a theory. Loose everyday english considers them equivalent but science does not.
You might also do well to look up "scientific method" in Wikipedia and acquaint yourself with the methodology that has guided science for the last 200 years.
Richard says
Milk is for calves that are supposed to grow 8 times their size in TWO YEARS. This is not a human phenomenon. To say that we need these nutrients is entirely made up. We are fed all of these nutrients, and our body becomes used to having a surplus of vitamins meant for a calf. It then leads us to be nutrient deficient later in life (osteoporosis) when we are not polluting our body with another animals milk on the regular.
Take a second and look at the bigger picture.
ALSO, what about the calves that are taken away from their mothers immediately after birth to become dairy cows themselves. THese cos of whom we take milk, are actually grieving mothers who 's milk is available because their babies have been taken from them! IT's disgusting, and really polluted with propaganda. Take a second look and do more research beyond "pasteurizing".
Andrea says
There is a health food store here that offers low-temp pasteurized milk, and we really like the taste much better since we made the switch.
The store owner makes a 3-hr trip biweekly to a farm in nearby Illinois.
We changed to whole from skim! The more I read and research, the more we try to make healthier, "whole" food changes for me and my family. Changing everything we thought we knew about low-fat vs. high-fat has been a real eye-opener!
Ashley says
And I bet those children dying of ecoli were not given Collodial Silver, or food grade hydrogen peroxide! Just basic "science" care is what they got! If the product isn't "pharma" they aren't getting it...
Lauren says
Didn't get a chance to read through all the comments to see if this was already brought up, but I've read the use of powdered milk to make skim milk isn't really practiced any longer. The best bet would be to call the company and ask them. Regardless of that, it is still a more processed product and you are still probably losing nutrients in the removal of the fat.
We've opted for grass fed, low temperature pasteurized unhomogenized low fat milk when we can buy it. Unfortunately it's a bit of a trip for us to get any good quality milk, and we are in NYC!
http://www.tanastable.com/ says
We don't really drink milk. I use soy or rice milk to cook with, but drinking it isn't something we really do. I grew up with my parents saying, "don't you think it's a little weird that we are the only mammals on earth that continue to drink milk once we are weaned?" This made sense to me and still does. I recently read an article where someone said, "Milk is natural food. If you're a baby cow." I thought it was humorous. From what I found those who choose to eat less or no dairy at all tend to feel better and they didn't know that the could feel better until they started eating/drinking it less. This has been the case for myself and my family as well.
Sharee says
Some thing to consider...
Consuming excess dairy (more than 2 servings)during teenage years has been shown to increase chances of prostate cancer in guys. Casein is actually what's at fault here. My two are young (3 1/2 and 6), but we have a history of prostate cancer and I have already really reduced their dairy consumption. In fact, it's usually limited to a serving of yogurt and a serving of cheese becuase they are actually more nutritionally dense than milk. I use organic almond milk as a sub for milk in recipes.
I do wish the US would be more careful about what they allow companies to do -- and not to tell us.
Annalisa says
My family drinks Humbolt County Creamery pasture raised milk. Its pasterized and I am more then happy to buy that. THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD EVER DRINK RAW MILK OR SERVE IT TO MY KIDS!!! I think every person who serves raw milk to their children must watch and care for a child who is dying from E.Coli induced HUS, then tell me if the risk to your children is worth it. Now adults go eat whatever you want... your an adult. Yes a lot of the scientiic data regarding nutrition pushed by the govenment I disagree with but this Louise Pasture break through has saved countless lives... I trust this science
Colleen B says
Annalisa, I don't think anyone who drinks raw milk is arguing with the science of pasteurization. But give some thought to how it happened to come into use. Farmers left the fields for the factories...in cities. Less farmers needed to produce more milk for people who were further away. So, things started happening to improve milk production. More cows means it is harder to milk them in the conventional way, so now they keep them contained, creating new ways of milking more efficiently. And now cows are standing around in their own filth, and in close contact with other cows. Now illness is more prevalent and so something must be done to fix it (the symptom, not actually fix the problem). It was a very natural progression of how it all happened. You could not pay me to drink raw milk out of a mega farm where the cows are standing around in their own filth every day. That is where e coli comes from so it makes sense that if they are standing in their own filth and then being milked that e coli (and other nasty things I don't want to think about) are getting into the milk. Yes, a parent is absolutely CRAZY for giving their kids that. I wouldn't give my dog that! But, that is not how many (I certainly can't say all!) farmers who produce raw milk do it. The place we go is clean. The cows are out outside in a field. They are healthy. They eat grass and not drugged up feed. And I know I am more likely to contract e coli from eating non-organic produce or from going to almost any local restaurant these days as I am drinking the raw milk from the place I go. But I have been there, seen the cows, talked to the owners, and I trust them. There is the important part. As a consumer of raw milk, I actually don't want it to be legal to sell in the grocery store. Because if every mega dairy farmer can take some raw milk off the top before they send the rest for pasteurization, there are gonna be a lot of sick people in this country and that does nothing for our health or for our position. So, kudos to you for going as far as you are currently willing to go in your quest for healthy food for your family. But, should you ever have a child (or yourself) with a health problem like asthma and allergies, and within days of switching you find all their symptoms disappear, you might change your mind the other way. For the first time in 12 years (for me) and 5 years (for my daughter) we have been illness free, asthma flare up free, allergy symptom (almost!) free, AND drug free (of daily oral and inhaled asthma meds and allergy meds) for 6 months. This is nothing short of a MIRACLE to us, both for our health and our pocket book ($200-$300 per month in meds MINIMUM for just the two of us). So, thankfully, I have not watched a child die from HUS, but I have spent 5 years watching my child (and then me!) get sick every 2-3 months like clockwork, coughing (her asthma symptom) every night for 6 months or more out of the year, and having to take meds that have possible lifelong toxic effects. Not to mention missed school, friends lost, and overall health and well being. And then, within DAYS of switching to raw milk, it all stopped. We all take risks every day...you ride in a car, you cross the street, and you eat food you have not grown yourself. It is part of life, and the only thing we can do is take our unique circumstances and do research on our needs, and make the best choices we can! Good luck in your real food journey!
Ashley says
If you are really worried about ecoli or any bacteria, just drink collodial silver! It WILL kill it!
Michelle says
All fair points Ange, Liz and Stephanie, but I'll leave the cow's milk for the cows, the goat's milk for the goats and so on. It is my belief that humans weren't meant to consume dairy. I do appreciate everyone's right to choose what is right for them, however.
Monica says
I totally agree with you. My son had chronic ear infections and it turned out to be an allergy to just whole milk. Now, I noticed many, many friends from high school on facebook reporting that their little ones are getting tubes in their ears. Hello! All these kids start having ear problems around the time they start getting cow's milk! It isn't natural for us to consume it in such great quantities.
:) says
Organic valley non-homogenized whole grassmilk :)
:) says
O and because its less proccessed. We would do raw but I haven't found a trusted source for it and I am a little nervous about drinking it while pregnant and giving to my fiddler. We did find a source for raw goats milk but that's an hour or so away.
Jessie says
We drink regular whole milk. We are slowing becoming a "real food" household. We have tackled grains, breads, etc, but have't looked into milk very much yet. We switched from skim to whole milk after reading "in Defense of Food".
Amanda Fry says
We have a local dairy farm that sells organic goods, and one way they got around selling raw milk directly (since it is also illegal here in CA), is offering people to participate in a cow sharing program where they pay a fee to own a share of these cows, and then they could come and get the milk themselves from their dairy. A few years ago, a woman drank a small portion of their raw milk, and became paralyzed from the bacteria that was found in the raw milk.
Here is the article from our local newspaper...
http://www.triplicate.com/News/Local-News/MARIS-CLIMB
I really like your informing article, and it has really taught me more about the milk I buy, even if it is organic! I want to now make the switch to whole milk. Thank you for your informing article!
...and you have such a beautiful family! I watched your satelite interview!
Sarah (In Sustainability and in Health) says
Meant to say "this is why dairy makes my face breakout." autocorrect...
Sarah (In Sustainability and in Health) says
I am torn in many ways on the issue of milk and dairy. Mostly because of the evolution debate.
I agree that cows are herbivores and evolved to consume grass instead of corn. Absolutely.
I also think, however, that humans did not evolve to consume milk past infancy. Definitely not the milk of another species. (Humans are the only species that drinks another species' milk, I believe.) I think cows' milk is full of great nutrients, but those nutrients were evolved to develop calves. Perhaps they can benefit humans, too, but that's not what milk was "evolved" to do.
Finally, since milk can only come from cows that have been pregnant and are in a state of "nursing," it is full of hormones. I have really sensitive skin and I believe this is why dairy makeshift face break out.
On the flip side, I know calcium is crucial for humans, and it is recommended to take a supplement or consume fortified foods for calcium if you don't consume dairy. That doesn't seem very natural or evolutionarily correct to me, either.
This is a tough issue! Love your blog and would love to meet you sometime! I'm a fellow Charlottean.
Audrey says
Sarah, I really like your thoughtful comments. I would agree with most of what you said and actually posted something similar earlier in the discussion. I have read studies, and I'm not able to remember the sources well enough to cite them here, that have shown humans do not absorb calcium as well from dairy products as they do from other sources, like dark, green leafy vegetables. So yes, while we do need it, we can look for it from spinach, kale and other vegetable sources.
Reanna says
Lisa recommended Michael Pollan's book In Defense of Food. I checked it out from the library and read it. I already took the book back to the library but if Lisa owns it she can probably cite the page number and paragraph where Mr. Pollan describes humans adapting (short term observable evolution) to drink cow's milk about four or five thousand years ago. Our ancestors ate and drank what they could find to stay alive and pass along their genes. They lived off the "fatta the land" (or something to that extent -the fat of the land is what it means - I think John Steinbeck talks about that in The Grapes of Wrath).
Evolution is fact; it can be observed in one's life time. All species, from the tiniest single celled organisms to the multi-celled complex homo sapien, must constantly evolve in order to stay ahead of the world of microscopic bacterium that are also constantly evolving and competing for life against us. It's hard to explain but I suggest reading Evolutionary Psycyology in its most recent edition. It's a university text book and rather bulky but it's absolutely facinating and enlightening as to how survival is attained.
Meanwhile, I say hooray for milk and the complex and spectacular food web!
kellyj says
This has been an interesting thread of conversation. Eating foods the way God created them logically makes sense. The body would recognize it and utilize it efficiently. We feel healthier when we eat unprocessed food. After researching raw milk we so wanted to try it. We live locally to Lisa in Indian Trail, NC. We found a reputatble dairy just over the border. Friends of ours were also trying their milk. We got one gallon. It tasted absolutely wonderful. Then our entire family, all 7 of us, began having intestinal trouble within 24 hours. After several days of this 2 of us went to the doctor. Our pediatrician is very familiar with issues like this having worked in third world countries. He said any cow can eat something to cause bateria in their systems (not necessarily e-coli) that will upset our systems because it changes the flora and fauna. It has been 6 weeks and we are still not back to "normal", even after taking lots of probiotic and good quality yogurt. The doctor said we could continue to drink it and our systems would "probably" adjust or just not try it again. I am neither advocating nor discouraging raw milk. I believe it is the healthiest out there. Our grandparents grew up on it just fine. All that to say, e-coli aside because we didn't have that, it can cause intestinal issues. We've been just miserable enough that we don't know if we have the courage to try again, even though we know it is so natural and healthy. We also wonder if we will ever be "normal" again. I would encourage each of you to have grace with others. Every mom wants to make the best decision for their family. I do too, but after seeing all of us suffer and still not 100% now, I have so much more grace to give in the area of food choices.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Kelly - Our team is sorry to hear about the intestinal issues you and your family have been experiencing. We hope you are all feeling better again soon. Jill
shannon says
do have to say something funny: When I made the switch from regular milk to organic my husband was drinking it he was like did you put your almond milk in here? I was like NO why? he was like it taste earthy and different. I said yea it's because your not drinking growth hormones and antibotics :)
Ben says
I don't want to start the debate of creation vs. evolution here - I'm all for your right to believe whatever you want to. However, you sentence, "Cows were designed by evolution to eat grass..." is quite contradictory. You might want to re-think your wording there.
Otherwise, enjoyed the article. It sheds light on the very confusing and misleading topic of milk. Thanks for sharing.
Amy G says
That sentence really jumped out at me too, and I was wondering if anyone else was going to put a word in for creation - God made cows, and they most certainly should eat grass.
Thanks for a nice website, Lisa.
Audrey says
I'm glad someone else mentioned this, too, because the sentence also hit me like sandpaper. I definitely believe God made cows. But I'm not opposed to the idea that cows have evolved some since God made them.
shannon says
we do organic milk but not raw.There was a raw milk outbreak here in Missouri. The milk had some how been contaminated with e.coli and some were sick enough to be hospitalized.I'm not sure if they found out if it was the milk or I'm thinking maybe the containers weren't cleaned properly??
I don't want to be slammed with mean comments or replies I know not all raw milk has this happen and I actually think this might be the first case I've heard of at least. But for me raw milk just isn't a option. But then I'm a big food safety person that drives my families crazy at get togethers. :)
Sally says
I found this website http://www.realmilk.com/where.html. It shows where in each state you can buy raw milk. It is avaibale, legally, in each state. The producer has to be licensed and regulated through Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF). Check it out, it had a list for North Carolina.
I was sceptical about raw milk. I just do not like the pastuerized homogenized milk any more. Raw milk is that good!
Also, it is fun to take the cream off and let the children make butter.
Morgen says
My son and I drink local whole milk but my husband has celiac disease and can't tolerate lactose. For him we alternate between home made almond milk, home made cashew milk and westsoy unsweetened soy milk (2 ingredients, water and whole organic soybeans). We now avoid most of the traditional non dairy milks on the market, even the unsweetened ones, because of the added vitamins and minerals. Almost all contain vitamin D2 which is synthetic and not absorbed well by our bodies.
Maryea {Happy Healthy Mama} says
We mostly drink almond milk, but when we do get dairy milk we get the type you described.
Laura says
I too was glad to have the debate about raw milk vs less processed milk taken out of my hands. As far as I can tell the selling of raw milk for consumption seems to be illegal here in Western Australia as well. I was lucky enough to find one of the large grocery chains here are stocking an organic non-homogenized milk. I had found a similar milk in Melbourne, Victoria (Aus) as well, but when I moved, I was sad to see my milk go too! I was extremely excited to come across this wonderful milk. Full cream (whole) organic grass fed (with grain supplements in the summer) non-homogenized milk! For anyone in the land of Oz: http://www.margaretriverorganiccreameries.com/index.html
Amanda says
I switched our whole family to raw milk a year ago and we love it. I thought I was lactose intolerant my whole life, but it turns out I'm just pasteurized milk intolerant!
rhyann says
In Birmingham, AL we can get milk from the Working Cows Dairy in Slocomb, AL - about 4 hours away. Its the closest thing to local I have been able to find. The cows are grass fed - except in the winter when they get hay. The milk is low temp pasturized and non-homogenized. It is simply the BEST milk I have EVER had. My kids love it and we cannot get enough. It runs about $6.50/gallon - but worth knowing that my family is getting decent, high quality milk.
Melanie says
I haven't had raw milk since I was a kid and had a family friend who shared it with our family. Recently, a friend went raw and she was getting the milk (which is illegal here) from a nearby farmer (who sold it as "pet milk, not for human consumption"). Her farmer was still arrested and jailed. I actually hate milk, or did until I switched to coconut milk for all things dairy since I'm breastfeeding and my baby has an intolerance to dairy. I love coconut milk and will probably continue to buy it!
Laura says
Ok, kinda random and hard to get, but I love camel milk! Raw and organic. We used to get it from a farm in Lancaster County, but it's too pricey. Has tons of health benefits!
How long does raw last in the fridge? I'm in NC too, but we have a local farm that sells raw. I don't drink milk, but I I use almond milk for coffee. I actually don't like almond for my family because it doesn't have enough calcium. Raw has 30%more calcium then convential milk. I've been thinking I need to start drinking it!
Alicia says
Our milk is whole or 2% and from a local farmer who raises grass-fed cows. It's pasteurized but not homogenized.
We made the big switch like you: skim, 1%, organic skim, organic 1%, and now the milk we drink. I was hesitant at first because at one store it was very expensive. For half gallon it was more than a gallon of organic milk! Then I found another brand at another local grocery story. Our milk is the same price as organic milk.
It's pricier than regular milk, but we drink less.
Ashley says
We are all over the health benefits of raw milk! It's available in NY, and the flavor is wonderful! It's like whole milk. We drink it mainly because of the homogenization process, it changes the fat molecules and basically makes the good fats in raw milk bad fats which is now processed milk. So for me it's a no brainer.
Also about your sponsor, I've contacted them and with no response about if they have lead in their ceramic and glaze that they use. If you ever find out please share. Most crock pots have lead in their glaze, it's in the clay naturally. I avoid lead and can never get this company to answer the question, which makes me a little on the doubting side that they're the new best thing, until them it's stainless steel for me. ;)
Lori Jeffries says
I have used raw milk and actually prefer it. It spoils a bit quicker than pasteurized milk, but I like the taste much better. The key is you have to have local cows, eating grass and know your farmer is super good about sterilization of his equipment, etc.,
Once that was no longer an option (we move with the military every 3 years) we have switched to whole milk. I knew that they had to replace the fat with something.