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Dr. Jack Braha, DO, a board-certified gastroenterologist at Allied Digestive Health, points out that pasteurization has been used for over 100 years. “This process helps reduce the risk of transmitting infections from the animal source to humans,” he says. “Before we employed the pasteurization process, thousands of people died every year from infections due to ingesting unpasteurized milk.”
According to the CDC, federal law prohibits the sale of raw milk across state lines, but state law governs intrastate sale.
Is raw milk better than pasteurized milk?
No, raw milk is not healthier or more beneficial than pasteurized milk. “There are some who made claims that raw milk is better for you, but these claims are largely false and not based on sound scientific evidence,” says Dr. Braha. “The multiple medical societies, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, endorse a ban on the sale of unpasteurized milk products.”
According to Dr. Amy Lee, MD, a board-certified physician in internal medicine, clinical nutrition, and obesity medicine and head of nutrition at Nucific, pasteurization can actually offer more nutrition than raw milk. “There is an assumption that anything not pasteurized is more natural; but in reality, they are pretty equal when it comes to benefits,” she says. "Pasteurized 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 unpasteurized 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 also especially vulnerable to infection and should not drink unpasteurized. “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 pasteurized 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 to conventional pasteurized milk. In fact, raw milk, places patients at higher risk of developing serious infections."
