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Is Raw Dairy Right for You?


Do your research on consuming raw dairy products. It is not legal in NC to sell raw dairy, due to dairy industry regulations. However, if you are in the grocery store in Pennsylvania or California, and 19 other states in the US, you can find it in the refrigerated section, right next to the pasteurized milk. In other countries, it is widely available.
What's all the fuss? Pasteurization (named after the French guy Louis Pasteur) is simply the process of heating milk (and fruit juices as well) to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. This destroys microorganisms and enzymes that hasten spoilage. It also eliminates many of the pathogens that cause food-borne illnesses. This is helpful for large dairies that need the milk to last in a vat, then trucked to a packaging facility, then trucked to the store where it waits on the shelf.
Also, larger operations cannot always be scrupulous with milking methods due to sheer volume, and much of the process is now mechanized. So, if you don't personally know the farmer who milked the animal, and the milk or cheese has been sitting on the shelf for a few days, I'd say pasteurization is the way to go.
There is a downside though; pasteurization is not selective. It kills everything. Including all the beneficial microbes and enzymes that are so good for gut health and your immune system. Studies show that digestive issues and other health issues such as eczema, asthma and allergies have been improved by consuming raw dairy. Due to the large amounts of healthy saturated fats and omega-3 fats, raw milk also supports skin hydration.
Goat milk is easier to digest than cow's milk for several reasons: it has smaller and easily broken-down fat molecules, less lactose than cow's milk, and contains oodles of "prebiotic" carbohydrates which feed all the good bacteria living in your gut ecosystem. Raw goat's milk specifically has immune boosting properties and is full of living probiotics that help bolster your immune system and gut health.
However, certain people with highly compromised immune systems may want to avoid raw dairy, as the benefits may not outweigh the risks. If you aren't sure, do your research, talk to your medical provider, and find out what is right for you.
I know our herd is healthy, clean, and happy. I know my milk is fresh, and making cheese in small batches makes it easier to ensure sanitary practices. No one in our family has ever suffered ill effects from consuming raw dairy in the many years we've had dairy goats.
I must say how much I enjoy my probiotic rich goat milk latte in the mornings, with milk fresh from Rosemary!

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