Benefits of Drinking Raw Goat Milk
There are many things we love about farm life here at Branru Farm. One of those is access to raw goat milk. If you are considering shifting from drinking standard pasteurized milk to raw, goat milk is a potentially good way to go. Let's look at what raw goat milk is and what its possible benefits are.
What is Raw Milk
Raw milk is simply milk that comes straight from an animal with no processing involved. It is frequently refrigerated before drinking but not otherwise treated in any way. That's in contrast to pasteurized milk, which is treated through a specific heating process. Pasteurization destroys harmful bacteria in the milk. It also prolongs its shelf life. That's why pasteurized milk is so popular, but popularity doesn't necessarily make it the best choice.
The Downsides of Pasteurization
Many holistic medicine practitioners and other proponents of raw milk think pasteurization does more harm than good. There are several reasons we at Branru Farm tend to agree, beginning with outdated general opinions on milk.
Pasteurization was established as a means of “purifying” milk and making it safe back in the 1860s. That was well over 150 years ago. At that time, sanitary practices on farms were not what they are today. Pasteurization was needed much more often to kill harmful bacteria and prevent the spread of diseases. Today, good farmers have a much better understanding of how to maintain sanitary conditions on their farms and keep both animals and humans safe. Here are some other reasons pasteurization is not necessarily all it's cracked up to be in modern society:
1. It kills harmful bacteria but also kills good probiotic bacteria needed to help maintain health.
2. Many of the natural enzymes in milk are destroyed during pasteurization, according to multiple experts.
3. The pasteurization process also breaks down amino acids and vitamins.
4. Vitamins are made harder to process by pasteurization, which is why some pasteurized products have synthetic vitamins added back to them later.
The Upsides of Raw Milk
In contrast, there are several upsides of raw milk, especially when you keep your own goats or get goat milk soap, goat milk lotion, or raw goat milk, or other goat milk products from trusted farms like ours. When you do, you know exactly where your products are coming from and how well the animals are cared for on a regular basis. Here are some other upsides of raw milk:
1. It is full of beneficial enzymes.
2. It contains a diverse range of probiotics good for gut health.
3. It is rich in vitamins and minerals.
4. Many raw milk drinkers equate it to breast milk due to the fact that it is full of easily processed nutrients and minerals designed to give the body's immune system a bit of a boost.
In addition to all of those points, raw milk is often consumed by people who are lactose intolerant or suffer from allergies. In fact, multiple studies have been done relating to raw milk versus allergies, including this one. It concluded that school aged children who drink raw milk gain some degree of protection against asthma.
Two Types of Raw Milk
One thing you need to know before buying raw milk or raising your own animals for raw milk is that there are two types to think about. The first is raw milk produced with the specific intention of having it consumed raw. Farmers who produce raw milk for that purpose are extremely careful about how they raise and care for their animals, as well as how they collect the milk. Use of best safety practices is vital.
The other type of raw milk is milk produced with the intention of pasteurizing it before consumption. Those who raise animals for the pasteurized milk industry are not always as careful. That is because they rely heavily on the pasteurization process to make the milk safe to drink.
Obtaining Raw Milk
We produce our goat milk lotions and artisan goat milk soaps on our farm here in New Mexico, but state, county, and local laws vary throughout our state and others regarding how raw milk can be distributed. Be sure you explore what your state's laws are before you try to purchase or sell raw milk. For example, some states or parts of states don't allow sale of it at all. Others may allow it only for pet consumption. You can typically consume your own raw milk produced by farm animals you own, but you can only sell it in portions of
approximately 30 states, according to information gathered in late 2023. Again, those laws are subject to changes all the time, so stay current on local and state laws in your area.