RAW AND LOW TEMP PASTEURIZED MILK VS HIGH TEMP AND ULTRA PASTEURIZED MILK

Should you drink whole fat, 2% milk or skim milk? The question has popped into all of our minds at some time while shopping.  So what should you be drinking?

HIGH TEMPERATURE PASTEURIZATION – In high temperature pasteurization the milk is heated to 161 degrees for 30 seconds.  The problem is that anything above 150 degrees in temperature denatures proteins, kills enzymes and kills most beneficial probiotics.  Denatured protein can cause irritable bowel disease, body wide inflammation and eventually lead to inflammatory conditions.

ULTRA-PASTEURIZED – Ultra pasteurization, while it is the “newest technology” in milk pasteurization is the very worst.  Milk is heated 280 degrees, well above boiling points for just a few seconds.  At this high heat it denatures proteins, damages fats,  and destroys vitamins and minerals. It is not good at all.  My #1 recommendation is to stay away from ultra-pasteurized milk.  If it is all that is available to you in your local area, then simply don’t drink milk.

What if your ultra-pasteurized milk is organic?  Unfortunately organic milk is not impervious to the heating process.  You may have less contaminants to start with, but the heating process still alters the proteins and destroys the healthy fats.

RAW/LOW TEMPERATURE MILK – In low temperature pasteurization, the milk is heated to only 145 degrees (remember 150 is the point of no return for proteins), but low temperature pasteurization does damage some of the probiotics and enzymes. Now obviously raw milk is milk’s best form because you still have in tact proteins, active enzymes, as well as vitamins and minerals the way nature intended it.

Raw milk is currently available at select Sprouts in Arizona and its taste is wonderful!

Last note: There are groups of people that think that milk is bad and may say that we are the only species that drinks milk from another species.  I don’t find this argument convincing at all and don’t find detrimental effects from raw milk in my patient population.  that being said, drinking lots of milk can cause weight retention.