I want your honest opinion (not that you'd give me anything else.... :-)
If I'm not going to buy raw milk, is whole milk still best? Or should I avoid fat as much as I can, since that fat has been homogenized and is hence more likely to clog arteries?
I think food is best when it is closest to the state it was made to come in. So, yes, I'd get whole milk homogenized before I'd get reduced fat or fat-free. I'd still shoot for organic milk. It's more expensive, but the nutrients you get compared to cost makes it more of a bargain. Since you don't take a lot of fat, you'd probably also drink less, and it will be more filling and last longer.
Here are my reasonings, and you know I'm not a professional, this is based on my reading over the last few years.
1. Saturated fat is not the evil that it is said to be. It is actually very necessary. You can't absorb the fat soluble vitamins in food without fat. That means Vitamin A, D, and E which are in milk, don't get metabolized without the fat.
2. When they make 2%, 1%, or fat free milk, they do more to it to remove than simply remove the fat. They add preservatives and they flavor it with powdered milk, which is oxidized, so not only are you dealing with the risks associated with homogenization (because they still homogenize them), you are also dealing with the risks from the powdered milk which might be a carcinogen.
3. I had a doc tell me once, and I've heard it other places, that with all they do to milk and with the crud commercial dairies feed cows, that there probably is little more to milk than colored water -- except for the Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Calcium that they re-ad in synthetic forms after pasteurization. Your body can barely use these. If you'll notice, despite all the advice to drink milk, osteoporosis doesn't seem to be going away, at all.
If you aren't at least going organic, you might want to research other, inexpensive, usable sources or supplements.
I was buying raw milk for my kids from a local Co-op for a while, but then it was getting so expensive I gave it a break (5 kids). I've gone back to only whole milk, usually organic, but isn't the organic still processed - I mean pasteurized and homogonized? I started wondering if the "Organic" really had any more nutrients and any fewer chemicals than non-organic. Now practically every brand says "from cows not treated with rBST", which was one of my main reasons for buying organic in the first place, but are there still other "advantages" in my getting organic instead of non? Thanks
Cows raised organically are still fed better food, and therefore more natural nutrition in the milk. If I remember correctly, not only does it include rBST, but also routine antibiotics, and you also know they are not fed foods laced with pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
Sadly, our raw milk supply has temporarily gone. Our farmer is having some difficulty with his cows, and doesn't trust the milk to be raw. His own family isn't even drinking it. Yet, he sells it to Dean's. Ewww.... But I trust him. When they start drinking it again, we will, too. Oh, and I get my milk whole from the farm, but I skim the cream for coffee and recipes. So we're drinking raw 2%, although we also eat the fat in other things. FYI.
Image via WikipediaA very good, basic article on why raw milk is a MUCH better option.
I want your honest opinion (not that you'd give me anything else.... :-)
ReplyDeleteIf I'm not going to buy raw milk, is whole milk still best? Or should I avoid fat as much as I can, since that fat has been homogenized and is hence more likely to clog arteries?
I think food is best when it is closest to the state it was made to come in. So, yes, I'd get whole milk homogenized before I'd get reduced fat or fat-free. I'd still shoot for organic milk. It's more expensive, but the nutrients you get compared to cost makes it more of a bargain. Since you don't take a lot of fat, you'd probably also drink less, and it will be more filling and last longer.
ReplyDeleteHere are my reasonings, and you know I'm not a professional, this is based on my reading over the last few years.
1. Saturated fat is not the evil that it is said to be. It is actually very necessary. You can't absorb the fat soluble vitamins in food without fat. That means Vitamin A, D, and E which are in milk, don't get metabolized without the fat.
2. When they make 2%, 1%, or fat free milk, they do more to it to remove than simply remove the fat. They add preservatives and they flavor it with powdered milk, which is oxidized, so not only are you dealing with the risks associated with homogenization (because they still homogenize them), you are also dealing with the risks from the powdered milk which might be a carcinogen.
3. I had a doc tell me once, and I've heard it other places, that with all they do to milk and with the crud commercial dairies feed cows, that there probably is little more to milk than colored water -- except for the Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Calcium that they re-ad in synthetic forms after pasteurization. Your body can barely use these. If you'll notice, despite all the advice to drink milk, osteoporosis doesn't seem to be going away, at all.
If you aren't at least going organic, you might want to research other, inexpensive, usable sources or supplements.
I was buying raw milk for my kids from a local Co-op for a while, but then it was getting so expensive I gave it a break (5 kids). I've gone back to only whole milk, usually organic, but isn't the organic still processed - I mean pasteurized and homogonized? I started wondering if the "Organic" really had any more nutrients and any fewer chemicals than non-organic. Now practically every brand says "from cows not treated with rBST", which was one of my main reasons for buying organic in the first place, but are there still other "advantages" in my getting organic instead of non?
ReplyDeleteThanks
Leah,
ReplyDeleteCows raised organically are still fed better food, and therefore more natural nutrition in the milk. If I remember correctly, not only does it include rBST, but also routine antibiotics, and you also know they are not fed foods laced with pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
I think every step up makes a difference.
Where do you get raw milk in Fort Wayne?
ReplyDeleteRebecca,
ReplyDeleteContact me privately - rebelliouspastorswife AT gmailDOTcom
Sadly, our raw milk supply has temporarily gone. Our farmer is having some difficulty with his cows, and doesn't trust the milk to be raw. His own family isn't even drinking it. Yet, he sells it to Dean's. Ewww.... But I trust him. When they start drinking it again, we will, too.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I get my milk whole from the farm, but I skim the cream for coffee and recipes. So we're drinking raw 2%, although we also eat the fat in other things. FYI.
Melody,
ReplyDeleteI hope it returns soon!
We skim fat off of ours, too. What's important is it gets in them somewhere :)