Raw milk: Whether or not it’s actually hit your lips, chances are you’ve heard of it by now, likely from polarizing points of view. Some people tout it as a magical nutrient-rich elixir that can promote vitality and quell a range of health issues, while others say these claims are exaggerated or flat-out untrue. So what’s the real deal?
Is raw milk actually one of nature’s superfoods or is it risky business? This question and more, answered below by experts specializing in dairy, dietetics, and food safety.
What Is Raw Milk?
Raw milk differs from regular milk—i.e., the kind the vast majority of people buy at the supermarket—in that the former hasn’t been heat-treated (aka pasteurized). “It’s about as minimally processed as you can find when it comes to dairy on the market,” says Brooklyn–based dietitian Maddie Pasquariello, MS, RDN. However, she warns that the term minimally processed isn’t synonymous with better for you, safer, or more natural.
And what does raw milk taste like? “It might seem more flavorful to some people,” she continues. “It’s often reported as sweeter or grassier, and creamier in texture.”
Purported Health Benefits of Raw Milk
Fans of raw milk attribute a variety of benefits to drinking it, including that it’s easier to digest and helps alleviate a range of inflammatory health issues.
According to Pasquariello, raw milk advocates also tout the following claims, each of which the dietitian deems as false:
- It’s safer and better for you since it comes straight from the source
- It supports the gut microbiome and immunity
- Its benefits outweigh the risks
Some people also claim that pasteurization kills important nutrients. “The nutrients in milk are not significantly reduced by pasteurization,” clarifies Christine M. Bruhn, PhD, a food safety expert and retired director of the Center for Consumer Research at UC Davis. “There is a slight reduction in vitamin C during pasteurization, but milk is not a significant source of this nutrient, as we get it from fruits and vegetables.”
David A. Mills, PhD, distinguished professor and Peter J. Shields Chair in Dairy Food Science at UC Davis, adds that while the process may destroy some digestive enzymes and purposely kill microbes in milk, “in no way does this counter the potential negative of the dramatically increased chance of the milk harboring a pathogenic bacteria, virus, or parasite that could do harm.” Advocates claim that raw milk contains probiotics, which he also deems as false: “It’s a misunderstanding of the term probiotic, which is defined by something that has clinical trials associated with it.”
In addition, Mills says that raw milk advocates often use the GABRIELA study, published in 2011, to argue the case that raw milk is inversely associated with asthma and allergies in farm children who consume it. However, he explains that later studies suggest that the microbes associated with farm life could be the driving factor here. “The problem with [these types of] epidemiology studies is they reveal no mechanism. They just create hypotheses to test,” he shares. “Nearly every raw milk influencer I know quotes the GABRIELA study, but they don’t understand that a mechanism linked to raw milk was never subsequently proven.”
Risks of Consuming Raw Milk
“You are much more likely to get sick from consuming raw dairy vs. pasteurized dairy products,” says Pasquariello. There are many opportunities for pathogens to contaminate dairy products throughout production. Per the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), raw milk consumption risks exposure to germs including Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Listeria, Brucella, and Salmonella.
“For those who consume raw dairy, these pathogens can be passed on and cause the flu,” she warns. (Avian flu—which causes harm to humans and has become more prevalent in recent years given the rise of raw dairy consumption—is another possibility, she says.) “Death is possible if someone’s disease state progresses or if they are particularly vulnerable.”
Whether insidious or misinformed, some of those who champion raw milk try to make a case by citing disease counts from pasteurized vs. raw milk. “They tend to look at the total number of cases of people becoming sick from pasteurized dairy, which can appear higher than the number of cases of people becoming sick from raw dairy,” says Pasquariello. This logic is flawed since you have to look at rates and percentages—not total number of cases—to analyze disease risk. “As only a small percentage (around 3 percent) of the population consumes some amount of raw dairy, there may be fewer cases in total of major incidents, but the relative risk is much higher, such that if everyone consumed raw dairy products, an extreme uptick in disease rate would be inevitable,” she explains.
In fact, per a 2017 article in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, raw dairy caused 96 percent of illnesses triggered by contaminated dairy products from 2009 to 2014—or a whopping 840 times more illnesses and 45 times more hospitalizations than pasteurized products. The authors noted that these rates will increase with higher consumption of unpasteurized dairy products, the latter of which has taken off especially in the last couple of years and may continue with the raw milk movement’s steady momentum.
Is Raw Milk Safe or Healthy?
Simply put, drinking raw milk poses more risks than rewards.
“There is clear documentation that despite the farmer’s best efforts, raw milk may contain hazardous bacteria and consumption of raw milk is hazardous,” says Bruhn. According to Pasqaruiello, the potential presence of pathogens in it could cause considerable harm to humans—especially children, the elderly, and those who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems.
Nonetheless, Bruhn warns that everyone, no matter their age or health status, could become ill from trying out this alternative dietary trend.
The Takeaway
Some wellness and diet trends are more innocent than others—but according to public health institutions and legions of qualified experts, raw milk isn’t among them. As such, it’s in your best interest to avoid leaning into this trend and silencing the noise around it as much as you can… especially if you’re being enticed to try it.
Pasquariello, Bruhn, and Mills all strongly advise against consuming raw milk. “Any RD, scientist, or evidence-based nutrition practitioner should not ethically be recommending the consumption of raw dairy, or promoting raw dairy as having health benefits that outweigh the risks,” says Pasquariello. “There is simply no reason to consume raw dairy over its safer, pasteurized counterpart.”
“Drinking raw milk is like playing Russian roulette with your health, and there is more than one bullet in the gun,” Bruhn concludes. Why gamble with your most important assets—your health and well-being—when the odds aren’t in your favor?
FAQs
Is raw milk better than pasteurized milk?
“No. When balanced against the risks of raw milk, [its purported] benefits are not legitimate,” says Mills. Bruhn adds that pasteurization is one of the most important steps to protect human health, so it’s in your best interest to continue buying your standard dairy milk (or plant-based milk) of choice.
Can raw milk cause foodborne illnesses?
Yes, raw milk can cause food-borne illness. According to the CDC, symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramping, while more severe cases can potentially lead to paralysis, kidney failure, stroke, or death.
Why is raw milk trending?
There are many reasons why the raw milk movement seems to be stronger than ever.
According to Pasquariello, these include but aren’t limited to:
- The desire for a quick-fix health hack
- Trad health trends and the preference to “return to nature”
- Marketing gimmicks from influencers and politicians with something to gain (whether that’s popularity, followers, sales of their own programs or products)
- Reliance on anecdotal (rather than scientific) evidence
- Mistrust of public health institutions, largely based on misinformation and the growing politicization of the food system
Where is raw milk legal to buy?
In the United States, regulations and legality around the sale of raw milk vary by state. “In many parts of the country, it’s not legal to sell or purchase raw milk, and in other areas, you have to sign a waiver if you do decide to purchase it, releasing liability of the vendor and for contact tracing purposes,” Pasquariello explains. Some states may enforce other degrees of regulatory compliance (such as mandating warning labels) while others completely prohibit sales.
How should raw milk be stored if consumed?
If you choose to buy and consume raw milk—which, again, is ill-advised according to an overwhelming majority of public health, food, and dietary experts—be sure to keep it cool and stored in your refrigerator.