I just love weekly pickups for grassfed raw milk. The inspiration and information exchange between folks who are making it happen each and every day with nutrient dense food preparation in their home kitchens is something you just can’t get anywhere else.
At our local pickup earlier this week, my dairy farmer relayed an interesting story to me about one of his 12 grandchildren and her very first experience with cow milk.
This little gal was presented for the very first time with a sippy cup of grassfed low temp pasteurized, nonhomogenized milk to drink as her Mom was in the process of weaning her off breastmilk. Â The child was already adept at drinking out of a sippy cup herself and so handling a sippy cup was not a new experience.
Without hesitation, she refused to drink from the sippy cup after an initial taste and turned her head away in rejection.
Undaunted, her mother next presented her with a sippy cup filled with raw, grassfed milk. It is important to note that the milk was from the very same dairy farm. The only difference is that one sippy cup had low temp pasteurized, nonhomogenized (cream top) milk in it and the other sippy cup had raw grassfed milk.
Same cows, same pasture, same everything except one sippy cup had milk that was low temp pasteurized and nonhomogenized.
Again, without hesitation, the little toddler grasped the sippy cup full of raw milk and happily began to drink!
My dairy farmer continued to explain that pets will make the same choice if you give them the option of lapping up low temp pasteurized/nonhomogenized milk versus raw milk.
Livestock exhibit similar instincts when it comes to feed as I’ve had many a farmer explain that animals always prefer the natural grain to any mix with GMOs in it. Â Of course, if GMO feed is all that you offer, they will eat that, but given the choice, the healthier option is chosen with no hesitation.
We can learn a lot by observing how healthy children and animals make their food choices. Their instincts for what is best for them nutritionally and developmentally haven’t been lost and those virgin taste buds and sense of smell are highly sensitive to the food choices presented.
Microphotography of Low Temp Pasteurized Milk and Raw Milk
Scientific examination of the molecular structure of low temp pasteurized/nonhomogenized milk and raw milk provides evidence as to why children and animals will instinctively prefer raw milk. In an article written by Beverly Rubik Phd entitled Microphotography of Raw and Processed Milk she shows in visual form the striking differences between raw milk and milk that is processed at low temperatures and not homogenized. Note that frozen raw milk that has been thawed has the same beneficial properties with little loss in nutrition.
Clearly, even low temp pasteurization with no homogenization is a very damaging process!
I found this research by Dr. Rubik to be very helpful as I have always recommended to people who have the choice between low temp pasteurized, nonhomogenized milk that is 100% grassfed and raw milk where the primarily grassfed cows get a small ration of grain each day to always choose the raw milk. Â The overall health of children on raw milk will beat the health of children drinking 100% grassfed low temp pasteurized/nonhomogenized milk in every instance I have observed.
Let’s take a lesson from the children. Â They are so much wiser than we think. Raw milk beats low temp pasteurized/nonhomogenized milk every single time.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Where I live, I have the choice between raw a2/a2 milk that is not certified organic, and the cows are fed some soy feed, or I can choose low temp. pasteurized, non-hom. milk from grass-fed cows from the health food store (raw milk sales in stores in illegal in OR). which should I choose?
I personally will not drink low temp pasteurized milk, organic or not.
But you do have to be careful.
so if its just about impossible to get any form of raw milk would you say using the pasteurized organic milk or say a liver-based formula with cream
You can never use pasteurized milk for baby formula! You can culture low temp pasteurized, nonhomogenized milk into 24 hour yogurt or kefir and use that instead of the milk portion of the recipe however.
You are making the argument that animals and children prefer the taste of raw milk and therefore raw milk is healthier. I beg to differ. Most toddlers would rather eat fried chicken nuggets than kale…you argument says fried food is more healthy than kale. Ahh No
??? You have clearly misinterpreted this article entirely. Better taste is only one of the numerous reasons raw milk is healthier.
Many people have no access or at least can’t afford to drive hours to reach a dairy farm that sells raw milk. I’m in such a position and the only milk I can get besides grocery store milk is from a nice farm with pastured grass-fed jerseys selling low-temp pasteurized milk. The milk is still a lovely golden shade as is their butter compared to the pale storebought dairy.
I feel like there is a bit of arrogance from people telling others that raw milk is the only option and that for example grass fed low temp milk isn’t good enough. People should realize that in this day it’s a privilege to live close enough to a place that sells raw dairy at all. I feel good that I’m still supporting this local farm and getting milk from happy cows that eat grass for most of the year. Articles like this stomp on that and make you feel like the best you’re able to get is still not good enough. I’ve felt much better after switching from the store milk which always made me feel sick. So yeah I’d like to say that it is a good substitute for raw milk that not everyone has access to.
Pasteurized milk is hazardous and the state and gov level know it. We should too.
It’s time to buy a jersey heifer.
Low temperature VAT PASTEURIZED MILK is a very nutritious FUNCTIONAL FOOD.It maintains the majority of valuable enzymes and bacteria.This process is very close by Raw Milk standards.David Keyishian,dairy science AAS SUNY @ Cobleskill Agricultural.
Sorry, you are wrong friend. Tests reveal that VAT pasteurized milk contains no enzymes are probiotics. The very DEFINITION of pasteurization is the LACK of the presence of ANY enzymatic activity.
Agree with Erik that in my experience with VAT pasteurized milk, the separation of fat does not occur as it does with pasteurized milk like Straus f.e. Which indicates to me that the process is doing less damage to the structure of the milk. Plus it is really excellent milk! I get it from Alexandre. Their pastured eggs are also great, of course.
You are confusing pasteurization with homogenization. Pasteurization whether UHT or low temp (VAT) does nothing to eliminate the natural separation of the cream at the top for cow milk. You can homogenize VAT pastueurized milk and it will look exactly the same as high temperature UHT pasteurized milk.
You are confusing pasteurization with homogenization. Pasteurization whether UHT or low temp (VAT) does nothing to eliminate the natural separation of the cream at the top for cow milk. If you homogenize VAT pasteurized milk and it will look exactly the same as high temperature UHT pasteurized milk.
How safe is raw milk for babies and toddlers? I was doing raw milk for both my baby and toodler and stopped bc I heard so scary stories about kids getting sick.
My family has consumed raw milk for close to 20 years (3 children) from numerous farms around the world and the United States with no problems. While no food is 100% safe, raw grassfed milk is one of the safest according to CDCs own data! https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/government-data-proves-raw-milk-is-safe/
Not quite correct. We use a vat (140 litre capacity) to pasteurise our milk here in Scotland, and if we wish to, we can heat the milk to 72ËšC (162ËšF) for 15 seconds. We tried it once, and it altered the taste of our milk terribly. So never again..! Instead we heat our milk to 63ËšC (145ËšF) and hold it there for 30 minutes. Taste is roughly 99% the same as raw milk. Here in Scotland we cannot sell raw milk, hence we must pasteurise it. But our customers love it, as otherwise the only milk available is High Temp pasteurised (72ËšC). In practical terms though Sarah is right, as anyone heating to 72ËšC for 15 seconds does not do this with a vat system.