High quality milk provides all the nutrition required to grow and sustain a mammal. In fact, milk is so important to us mammals that we are taxonomically classified in the animal kingdom based on our ability to produce milk, since only mammals produce milk and all mammals produce milk. Each species produces a slightly different version of milk, with differing levels of enzymes, proteins, fats, and microbes necessary for nourishment. Many traditional cultures value “white blood” for its life sustaining properties and mostly consume it fermented in the form of yoghurt or kefir, which preserves it and allows for much easier digestion.

While raw milk is incredibly healthy, the highly processed “milk” sold at grocery stores is not. The factory farmed cows used for mass milk production are trapped in crowded facilities and fed soy and corn, foods they are not able to process in large amounts, putting them in very poor health. They have many critical nutrient deficiencies and do not pass much nutrition into their milk. Traditional people are keenly aware that we should not consume the products of a very sick or unhealthy animal.

Pasteurization

Pasteurization, the process of heating milk, is another major problem of modern processed milk for several reasons. Naturally, milk includes a whole ecosystem of microorganisms that protect it, making raw milk very resistant to pathogens and an effective probiotic for us. Pasteurization destroys this important microbiome, completely removing its protection mechanism and leaving it wide open for contamination. This is why raw milk sours/ferments, producing a healthy product, but pasteurized milk putrefies, producing a highly toxic product.

This heating process also destroys most of the nutrients. Heat

• denatures (alters/damages) the structure of amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) making them less bioavailable. It also oxidizes and glycates them, making them inflammatory irritants.

• rancidifies unsaturated fatty acids

• destroys around 50-80% of water soluble vitamins other than Vitamin B6 and B12 which are totally destroyed

• reduces bioavailability of all minerals by a factor of about 6

• destroys 100% of enzymes such as lactase (necessary to digest lactose, milk sugar) and lipase (necessary to digest fatty acids).

Then, toxic synthetic “vitamins” such as Vitamin D2 or D3 are added.

Homogenization

Homogenization is the process of squeezing milk through tiny holes under extreme pressure. This destroys the architecture of the fat globules, disrupting many important signaling molecules on the outer phospholipid membrane. These signaling molecules tell your body important information about the milk and without them, your body often views these zombie fats in processed milk as pathogenic and attacks them. Even without this autoimmune response, which doesn’t always occur, processed milk is exceptionally hard to digest.

Plant “Milk”

Mass produced plant “milk” is not healthy because the nuts/seeds/grains are not sprouted before processing. Remember the Third Pillar of the Human Diet, which is about Sprouting and Fermenting. Traditional people knew not to eat seeds that haven’t been sprouted or fermented. However, you can sprout nuts or grains and make your own milk alternatives that would likely provide good nutrition (not nearly on the level of raw animal milk, but pretty good).

Soy milk specifically is a disaster. Soy contains scary high levels of many antinutrients such as goitrogens (which interfere with the thyroid), phytoestrogens (which mimic estrogen and throw off the natural balance of the endocrine system), as well as the usual suspects found in seeds which haven’t been sprouted (phytates, oxalates, etc.). This is most tragic when parents, always with good intention, feed soy formula to their growing babies only to cause permanent developmental damage. Traditional Eastern people that ate soy always fermented it for long periods of time to remove these detrimental compounds.

Conclusion

Avoid processed “milk” and dairy products. They are fake foods, as are many other modern foods, and are one source of modern degenerative disease. At best, it is a minor net negative in overall health, where the damage it causes can be repaired with an otherwise nutrient dense diet. At worst, it can cause serious, even life threatening issues if consumed regularly in high amounts. Raw cheese is available in many grocery stores, otherwise check out realmilk.com to learn more and find real milk available for sale near you. I consume a lot of dairy and believe it to be an excellent source of nutrition and good health, but I make sure it’s raw!