is it raw milk?

How can you tell if milk is raw? I mean unpasteurized, straight from the cow. I got a connection in my area (selling raw milk is illegal in canada) but i want to know if its raw or if hes selling me something hes buying from safeway lol. I was told that after a small period of time a layer will cream will develop on raw milk, but this has happened yet with the milk he gave me. Does that necessarily mean it isn't raw milk?

 

I wouldn't drink raw milk based on something I read recently, not sure if it's true but take it for what it is.

 

Usually there will be some creaminess on the top, but not always. It depends what part of the batch you got. You can tell the difference between raw and pasturized milk just by the taste and consistency.

Raw milk is far superior to pasturized milk, both in flavor and in healthiness. Pasturization kills off the good bacteria and mutates the protiens and natural enzymes in the milk, which leads to a lot of allergies, digestive problems etc. Raw milk is also rich in vitamins and minerals that are absent from pasturized milk.

Pasturized milk really has no health benefits at all and is actually harmful to your health.

I try to avoid dairy products as much as possible, but I do like raw milk when I am able to obtain it.

 

Most places that sell raw milk aren't likely getting it from the same cows. The cows that regular milk come from are given drugs. It fucks them up. Cows have a pretty decent life span, but these cows typically die after a year or 2. I wouldn't be surprised if those cows had bovine leukemia considering they're given things that keep them in poor health. They're pretty much causing the need to pasteurize by making cows diseased. Think how gross that is, that most milk comes from diseased cows. Cows aren't naturally diseased, so raw milk from a normal cow is going to be healthier and safer.

 

Raw milk is also illegal to sell in the states. I don't think I would trust any source of raw milk that I couldn't see the cows (or goats) it came from!
Raw milk is delicious if the proper amount of cream is allowed to remain.
The proper amount is a matter of taste and application.
I have relatives(with milk cows) that like it completely separated. Watery, in my opinion. I like lots of cream left in, but usually it is so creamy at least some cream must be removed.

Raw goats milk is even better but it is kind of seasonal, some times of year it can taste a bit "off", mostly due to the quality of their graze.
Sometimes the milk comes out a little green if they have been eating a lot of fresh grass.

I seem to remember a bit of a scandal over an organic farm, somewhere in upstate New York, producing Gruyere cheese for some high end restaurants. As you may know, Gruyere is made from raw goats milk, so yeah, I think the guy is busted.


ZW

Edit: I should have said the best Gruyere is made from raw milk , not all.

 

Raw milk laws are different in each state. Some states do allow the sell of raw milk, though I am pretty sure it is illegal to sell across state lines.

 

Thanks for the responses.

Well I found out that this farm removes some of the cream from the milk for other purposes before actually selling it. So as I understand it doesn't develop the layer of cream on top, although it does seem to thicken a touch. I've noticed that it is thicker then milk from the store. Such as if I dip my fingers in it it will coat them with a layer of milk. So I'm going to go ahead and say its raw.

I do wish that it was legal in Canada like it is in some states, it would make it so much easier to get. I understand the potential for illness associated with raw dairy. However I believe those problems stem from the inhumane practices of farms whose main purpose is to mass produce dairy for maximum profit, and as a result need antibiotics and pasteurization to make their product "safe".

In my opinion the benefits of raw milk far outweigh the potential consequences.

 

Pasturized milk is cooked milk and has nothing to do with the creaminess. When milk first comes out of the udder the milk and cream are mixed together. Soon after sitting in a container they start to separate and the cream rises to the top. This happens cooked or not.

Homogenisation is the process they use to somehow get the cream to remain in the milk and not separate. Some claim this is even worse than pasteurisation as it is not natural.

Both pasteurisation and homogenisation were developed so the modern dairy industry could be run like well an industry instead of actually treating animals like living beings.

The only way you can really tell, unless you are use to raw milk, would be to test the bacteria content of the milk or ask the farmer if you could watch the whole process from milking to putting it in your containers and carrying them home. Farmers are usually more than happy to show their customers the whole process so you might want to ask if you feel unsure.

 

Raw milk is harder to get than drugs, insanity.

 

I managed to get a number to a place that buys raw milk from a farm. I got that number through a chiropractic center which teaches a Maximize your Living class. The class is about eating and drinking healthy, etc. Maybe theres something like that where you live you can inquire about raw milk.

 

Thanks, I'll keep looking. The problem here is that there is a big case going on in Ontario and it looks like the farmer is going to lose his farm because of it.....again! He's kind of like the Marc Emery of milk. Since it's been getting so much attention, everyone's freaked out. Last year I was up for a cow share, now anyone I try to 'get in with' and ask for a source acts like I'm asking them to hook me up with some crack!

 

LOL, well raw milk is pretty addicting...

I remember hearing about that case. It's sad that he may lose his farm. In my opinion the government can be so hypicritical. Allowing the use of toxins in foods, but then making the sale of raw...but natural milk, illegal.

Why can't they just let us see the information and let us do what we wish, at least in regards to using raw milk.

Oh, and theres one interesting loop hole some farmers have found in selling raw milk to people. They sell the milk for "pet consumption". It's perfectly legal.

 

hey you should try making yer own nut milk.
yesterday i made hemp milk... yet whatever nuts/seeds you want to use and soak them overnight. in the morning put them in a blender and liquefy em (also throw in a couple cups of water and a several pitted dates to sweeten the milk). strain the mixture with a cheesecloth or strainer and set the milk in the refrigerator to chill. mmmm.... tasty...

 

There is no law, from what I understand, against a farmer providing unpasteurized milk for pet food if it is labelled. I've heard that here in Canada you can find such stuff at health food stores... but I haven't found any.

And there is no law against drinking your own cow's milk before pasteurization.

What about buying a share in a cow for a share of the milk? Is that allowed?
I have read that it is in some places...
I don't know for sure about that here...
Or buy a cow and board it, collect the milk...
Easier said than done?

 

I want to try raw milk. The main reason why I don't drink pasteurized milk is that it's horribly difficult to digest and mucks up the digestive system like nothing else. But since raw milk has the digestive enzymes and bacteria I think it might actually be beneficial.

 

You can get those same enzymes and bacteria from eating yogurt.

Once you have a well maintained culture of these bacteria in your gut,
digesting pasteurized milk is not a problem.

ZW

 

There still wouldn't be a single reason for me to want to drink pasteurized milk, but that's interesting about the yogurt. Didn't know that.

 

Except the very rare situation where there is a genetic lack of the enzyme(lactase) from birth, many people who have problems with dairy foods just need to consume them more often...

Dairy foods can be difficult to digest, and people who don't eat them often enough have probably not sufficiently acclimated themselves to the foods.

ZW

 

On second thought, how do you know that the lactase in the yogurt will be enough to completely digest the lactose from the milk perfectly? It sounds plausible but where's the evidence that suggests that eating a bit of yogurt will really make pasteurized milk digest properly?

I just had some yogurt an hour ago for the first time in a very long time and I'm having huge difficulty digesting it. It's even that Activia brand that's so widely praised. Don't you think that the fact that you have to eat dairy often for it not to be uncomfortable to eat says something about its inherent digestibility? Even with abundant lactase it still doesn't seem like a great choice.

 

The Lactase enzyme is produced by Lactobacillus acidophilus and other bacteria that you are first exposed to at birth or when you breast fed.

These bacteria are our best friends!

They colonize in our gut and then have a symbiotic relationship with us.
We let them live there and they help us digest not only milk, hotdogs, slimjims and other nasty meat and shit that could contained pathogens that would have make us sick otherwise.
These bacteria laugh at E.coli and salmonella and then slay them mercilessly!

Sometimes a person , through a poor diet , can kill off the beneficial bacteria in their gut. However, eating yogurt regularly isn't necessarily the only way to replenish them.
No dairy required!
Vegans (and me too) can get their bacteria from fermented vegetables like cabbage ( unpasteurized sauerkraut) Kimchi or pickled(fermented) radishes
I love all this stuff!



Here's a few links for your enjoyment and health!

On acidophilus....
http://nutrition.suite101.com/article.cfm/lactobacillus_acidophilus

on Kimchi..
http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...serid=10&md5=c40ada487291afeaae11fffddaa97283

ZW