Dairy - Health dairy choices - organic, grass-fed, fresh, unpasteurized
Is raw milk safe to drink?
Is raw milk safe to drink?
A calf thrives suckling on its mother's manure-covered
teat. Raw milk inherently contains protective systems that
can reduce or eliminate populations of pathogenic bacteria.
Yes, raw milk is safe under the following conditions:
• From pasture-fed cows
(not CAFOs). Under extreme, unhygienic conditions in confined animal
farming operations, the multiple anti-microbial components of raw milk may be overwhelmed.
• Full fat
• Cows free of TB and undulant
fever
• Produced under sanitary
conditions
• Immediately placed in cold
storage
• Regularly tested for somatic
cell count and pathogens
Fivefold Protective System in Raw Milk
1. Raw milk kills
pathogens in milk
2. Stimulates the Immune system.
3. Builds healthy gut wall.
4. Prevents absorption of pathogens and toxins in the gut.
5. Ensures assimilation of all the nutrients.
In 1938, researchers noted that heating milk supports the growth of harmful bacteria
by inactivating factors that inhibit bacterial growth.
Reference
H. Dold, E.Wizaman, C.
Kleiner, Antiseptic in Milk, The Drug and Cosmetic Industry ,
July 1938:43:1.-109
Specific Built-In Protective Systems in Raw Milk
Lactoperoxidase
Uses small amounts of H2 O2 and
free radicals to seek out and destroy bad bacteria 1
Found in all mammalian secretions.
Breast
milk, tears, saliva, etc.1,2
Levels are 10 times higher in goat milk than in breast
milk 3
Other countries are looking into using lactoperoxidase
instead of pasteurization. Both to ensure safety of commercial
milk as well as for preserving other foods1,2,4,5
1. Indian J Exp Biology, 1998;36: 808-810.
2. British J Nutrition, 2000;84(Suppl. 1.): S19-S25.
3. J Dairy Sci, 1991;74:783-787.
4. Life Sciences, 2000;66(25):2433-2439.
5. Trends in Food Science & Technology 16 (2005) 137-154
Lactoferrin
Plentiful in raw milk. Effectiveness
greatly reduced by pasteurization1
Steals iron away from pathogens.
Carries
it through the gut wall into the blood stream;
Has anti-inflammatory properties;
Stimulates the immune system1
Kills wide range of pathogens including viruses.
However, it does not kill beneficial bacteria.2
• Treatment with lactoferrin significantly reduced
the burden of tuberculosis organisms - In a study involving mice bred to be susceptible
to tuberculosis, 3
• Mice injected with Candida albicans, another
iron-loving organism, had increased survival time when treated with lactoferrin.4
Believed to cut visceral fat levels by as much as 40% .5
Many other health benefits. Sold as
a supplement!
FDA approved for use in anti-microbial spray.
To combat E. coli O157:H7 contamination in meat industry!6
1. British J Nutrition, 2000;84(Suppl. 1):S11-S17; JACN
2001 20(5):389S-395S.
2. Zimecki and Kruzel. J Exp Ther Oncol. 2007;6(2):89-106;
International Dairy Journal 2006 16:1252-1261
3. J Experimental Med, 2002 DEC 02;196(11):1507-1513.
4. Infection and Immunity, 2001 JUN;69(6):3883-3890.
5. MSN-Mainichi Daily News, 2007 APR 11.
6. FDA News, August 22, 2004
Blood Components
Leukocytes. Eat all foreign
bacteria, yeast and molds (phagocytosis). Destroyed at 56C and by pumping milk.
Produce H2 O2 to activate the lacto-peroxidase system. Produce
anaerobic CO2 that blocks all aerobic microbes. Basis of immunity.
B-lymphocytes. Kill foreign bacteria;
call in other parts of the immune system1,2
Macrophages. Engulf foreign proteins
and bacteria2
Neutrophils. Kill infected cells;
mobilize other parts of the immune system1
T-lymphocytes. Multiply if bad bacteria
are present; produce immune-strengthening compounds1
Immunoglobulins (IgM, IgA, IgG1, IgG2).
Transfer of immunity from cow to calf/person in milk and especially colostrum; provides
"passive immunization"2
Antibodies. Bind to foreign microbes
and prevent them from migrating outside the gut; initiate immune response.
1. Scientific American, December 1995.
2. British J of Nutrition, 2000:84(Suppl. 1):S3-S10, S75-S80,
S81-S89, S135-136.
Fats and Carbohydrates
Polysaccharides. Encourage the growth
of good bacteria in the gut; protect the gut wall
Oligosaccharides. Protect other components
from being destroyed by stomach acids and enzymes; bind to bacteria and prevent
them from attaching to the gut lining; other functions just being discovered.1,2
Medium-Chain Fatty Acids. Disrupt
cell walls of bad bacteria; levels so high in goat milk that the test for the presence
of antibiotics had to be changed; may reduce intestinal injury and protect the liver.3
Phospholipids and Spingolipids.
Bind
to intestinal cells, prevent absorption of pathogens and toxins.4 Spingolipids are
important components in cell membranes, protect cells against toxins, support digestion
and protect against cancer.
1. British J Nutrition, 2000:84(Suppl. 1):S3-S10.
2. Scientific American, December 1995.
3. International Dairy Journal 2006 16:1374-1382 and 1362-1373
4. Spingolipids and Cancer, scitopics.com; Koopman, J
S, et al, AJPH, 1984, 74:12:1371-1373
Other Bioactive Components
Enzymes. e.g. Complement & Lysozyme—Disrupt
bacterial cell walls. Complement destroyed at 56C; Lysozyme at 90C.1,2
Hormones & Growth Factors.
Stimulate
maturation of gut cells; prevent "leaky" gut.2
Mucins. Adhere to bacteria and viruses,
preventing those organisms from attaching to the mucosa and causing disease.1,2
Fibronectin. Increases anti-microbial
activity of macrophages and helps to repair damaged tissues.1
Glycomacropeptide. Inhibits
bacterial/viral adhesion, suppresses gastric secretion, and promotes bifido -bacterial
growth; supports immune system. 3
Beneficial Bacteria. Lactobacilli and bifidus bacteria,
crowd out bad bacteria, product lactic acid that kills bad bacteria.
Bifidus Factor. Promotes growth of Lactobacillus
bifidus, a helpful bacteria in a baby'sgut, which helps crowd out dangerous
germs4,5
B12 Binding Protein. Reduces Vitamin B12
in the colon, which harmful bacteria need for growth4
Lactoglobulins. Carry vitamins A
and D and possibly other nutrients.5
1. British J Nutrition, 2000:84(Suppl. 1):S3-S10.
2. Scientific American, December 1995.
3. British J Nutrition, 2000:84(Suppl. 1):S3-S10, S39-S46
4. Scientific American ,
December 1995.
5. FEBS Journal 2009
276:2251-2265.
