Healthy Eating And Milk Nutrition Facts

Milk has been called the perfect food. Do you know the truth? What are the milk nutrition facts?
Man is the only species that drinks milk past infancy. Man is also the only species that drinks the milk of another species.

Yes, we have a choice. But, do we drink it because its good for us or because it is promoted as being good for us?

Well, let's take a look...

Today's milking cow lives in crowded conditions on farms that use pesticides. Pesticides get into the flesh of the animal and into their offerings.

Unpleasant conditions make the animals susceptible to getting sick. Which means, they then need medications. Antibiotics travel into the milk as well.

Milking machines must be cleaned. The solvents used are not all removed, leaving 'acceptable' residues.

The animals teats get infected and pussy because commercial feed doesn't promote health in the animal. It promotes high production. The puss would get into the milk.

Now the lifespan of the average cow under these conditions is 42 months. This adds a high cost to the operation. So, one would want the most production from each cow.

When hormones are given to the cows to speed growth or even increase milk production these too would also transfer.

Really, this milk isn't anything anyone should be consuming. So it must be pasteurized. Which is heating to sterilize. Heating kills the life of the product. Pasteurization qualifies as processing.

Homogenized milk has the fat molecules violently broken up during processing. This gives the product an even consistency.

Now, all this processing leaves a less than ideal food. Proteins are damaged. Fats are deranged. And the calcium magnesium ratio is out of wack for human absorption. That means you actually aren't getting to use all the calcium that is in the product.

Many people can't tolerate the lactose in processed milk. The body can't digest the proteins and then allergies may ensue. Or, if not shown as allergies one could have a lot of mucus or frequent colds. Constipation or even diarrhea. There is even evidence linking Cohn's disease to the inability to digest milk. Milk nutrition facts do give you options.

You could stop drinking milk altogether. Or, alternatively drink only raw milk or organic milk. The raw form has been getting praises for not causing the same problems as the regular product. I mean people who can't tolerate the processed milk seem to have no trouble with the raw product.

The other option, organic milk, although still pasteurized by law does lack the hormones, antibiotics and pesticides. The animals living conditions are required to meet a standard.

Raw milk is unprocessed. That means it is not pasteurized or homogenized.

Pasteurization is sterilizing milk by heating it. A process required by law in many states and provinces. To sell unprocessed milk to a consumer could very well result in jail time for the farmer.

Homogenizing is a violent process to break up the fat. It's what gives the milk an even consistency with out the milk fat floating to the top.

Confined cows are fed a high protein feed to increase milk production. They are kept in un-hygenic conditions and are prone to illness. With illness they need antibiotics. These drugs get into their tissues and into the milk.

Any hormones given to the animals to speed their growth or production would also get into the milk.

Pesticides used on the farm, get into the animal and then the milk.

When the animals teats get infected and pussy, the puss would also transfer into the milk.

This certainly doesn't sound like milk you should be drinking raw. And it isn't.

Raw milk can be obtained legally by purchasing a share of a cow or a share of a herd. This method is legal because the payment made is not for the milk. It is for the care, feeding and milking of the cow. Any milk you drink is your own, from your own cow. A contract with the farmer would state what services are provided for the payment.

This milk is alive. Reportedly, many people who can't tolerate the processed stuff have no difficulty with the raw form.

1. Cows graze on pasture. No pesticides are used.

2. In cold weather the cows are housed in a barn and fed hay and silage.

3. The animals are tested and are free of TB and brucellosis

4. The milking area is clean and neat. This shows care and an orderliness is present.

5. Milk is kept cold in stainless steel tank(s) or smaller containers.

6. If a machine is used in milking, the teats of the animal are washed first.

7. Milk is regularly tested to make sure it has no pathogens to humans.

Raw milk is loaded with nutrients because they have not been destroyed through processing. This milk has affectionately been called real milk.

There is sufficient reason to stay away from commercial milk. Raw and organic provide you with alternatives.