Raw milk has been consumed as part of a natural, healthy diet for at least 10 000 years. It became illegal in Scotland in 1983 despite considerable opposition. In England the opposition was much stronger, despite several attepts to ban it, and it is still legal to buy direct from the farmer. Raw milk producers there are enjoying a boom, mainly because of the growing awareness of its very noticable health benefits.
- Raw milk from small local farms travels a much shorter distance and, as it is not heat treated, very little energy is used in its production and transportation. So it's better for the environment!
- Vitamins and minerals are more bioavailable.
- Raw milk tastes sooo much better!
- Raw milk is full of probiotics.
- Raw milk contains enzymes
- Raw milk protects against allergies1 2 like eczema and asthma
- Raw milk from grassfed cows rarely contains pathogens
- The pathogens abundant in the waste products of intensively reared animals are also implicated in the contamination of other food and water supplies3. So although pasteurisation can disguise the contamination of milk from intensively farmed animals, these same animals are still contributing to the overall food poisoning burden
30% of UK pasteurised milk comes from 10% of "battery" cows who never see daylight. Raw milk from these cows may contain pathogens.
more coming soon!