Raw Milk Revolution

Before I married my husband and moved out to the country, I had never really thought about what I ate or drank. Okay, that sounds pretty bad...Let me clarify, I never thought too hard about where the food or beverage that I was eating/drinking had come from. After living out in rural land for while, I have come to realize that there is a huge, and I mean HUGE disconnect between people and the food they eat. It's actually pretty sad to think about the ignorance that most people (including myself) have about the where food truly comes from and the process in which it is prepared. Anyway, I will save the rest of this spiel for another blog post. I am hear today to tell you about my raw milk revolution, or maybe it's a revelation, or maybe it's both! As you know, my husband and I own our own milk goats, which I milk twice a day. Now we do not purchase store bought milk, but I am sad to say we do purchase store bought cheeses, coffee creamer, and sometimes even half-and-half. I have to admit I am pretty ashamed of it now , and I will explain to you why. After failed cheese and butter making attempts on my part, my husband and I have begun to discuss the idea of buying a Dexter cow. The first question he had was, "Are Dexter's A1 or A2 milk producers?" Now for those of you who don't know about A1 and A2 milk, I will explain. All milk contains a protein called casein, or beta-casein. And this protein contains an amino acid called BCM-7, which is a powerful opiate that is directly linked to negative health effects. All types of milk also contain an amino acid called proline. In A1 type milk, proline mutates into histidine. Histidine has a weak hold on the BCM-7 amino acid. So, basically, BCM-7 overpowers histidine and thus, its negative effects remain. I hope you are sitting down, because I am about to tell you something absolutely frightening and something that I hope will make you think twice next time you reach for that ice-cold glass of milk.... A1 type milk has been linked to the following illnesses: diarrhea, cramps, bloating, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease, cancer, recurrent ear infections, colic in children and infants, type 1 diabetes, infertility, leukemia, and autism. Scary, huh?! Lactose-intolerance is the number one allergy in the United States. The interesting thing about this is that most lactose-intolerant people are only allergic to A1 milk, not A2. Now, in A2 milk, proline has a strong bond with BCM-7 which thus cancels out it's negative effects. A2 milk can be found in goats, sheep, Jersey, Guernsey, and Asian and African breeds of cows.

Now, you may ask, why don't I just drink pasteurized A2 milk? Why raw? First of all, you will not be able to find A2 milk in the stores. Most dairy farms use newer breeds of cows, such as Holstein, as their milk producers. So, if you are wanting A2 milk, you will most likely have to buy it from the owner of the A2 milk producing animal. Let me explain a little bit of what happens to milk during the pasteurization process... The milk is heated to approximately 145-150 degrees Farenheit for about 30-60 minutes. During that time, the structure of the milk proteins are drastically changed causing the milk to lose nutrients including beneficial bacteria such as lactobacillus acidolphilus, vitamins and enzymes, and much of its calcium content. If that isn't reason enough to switch to raw milk, how about this... Raw milk is easier to digest, it contains probiotics that are essential for preventing illnesses, it doesn't go bad like regular milk, and finally, it tastes a million times better!

If you are interested in finding raw milk, I would suggest looking on your local craigslist advertising site. I know that there are a lot of folks who sell either the milk or animal shares. (An animal share means that you own part of the animal. Usually you are charged a "start-up" fee, and then you pay anywhere from 8-12 dollars for a gallon of milk per week)


Cheers to healthy dairy!