How Harmful is Raw Milk to the Body?

[Jasz]

Many people are under the false impression that drinking raw milk offers healthy benefits. In fact, the opposite is true -- it can pose great risk for anyone that ingests it. Though the practice of drinking unpasteurized milk has been around for thousands of years, cleanliness in food processing methods have come a long way since then. The process of pasteurization was discovered quite by accident – Louis Pasteur and his microbiology studies helped to revolutionize the dairy industry as well as other industries using perishable goods.

Unpasteurized or raw milk obtained directly from farms is not safe to drink. Not only does it taste different, but it can harbor harmful bacteria that can make you—or your children—sick. Drinking raw milk also poses a risk of getting a disease called brucellosis by consuming unpasteurized dairy products such as cheese, ice cream, and pizza made with unpasteurized milk. Brucellosis is a bacterial infection characterized by fever and sometimes other symptoms.

Those most at risk are pregnant women, the elderly, those with weak immune systems (such as children), those who have had their spleen removed and those who work in jobs where they handle animals (veterinarians, agricultural agents).

You should avoid taking raw milk no matter the myth about its health benefits.