Raw milk, sometimes referred to as unpasteurized milk, is milk from an animal’s mammary glands that has not been heated through a process called pasteurization. There is a schism between two general theories of whether raw milk is safe and beneficial: Some believe raw milk can lead to health consequences and that the heat treatment of pasteurization is "crucial," as the CDC puts it, for killing germs and keeping milk "safe." Others believe raw milk is highly beneficial because it contains essential fats, anti-inflammatory and digestive enzymes, proteins, and bioavailable vitamins and minerals that pasteurization commonly kills. Mike McAfee, founder of the Raw Milk Institute and owner of RAW Farm, is in the latter camp. When milk is pasteurized, its natural nutrients "are destroyed, inactivated, or denatured," he says. 

At PrimaFoodie, we’re like McAfee and on team raw milk. But we still find this general topic and the pros and cons people toss around it fascinating. Interestingly, when we looked carefully at the evidence for both sides of the conversation (as we always aim to do in our food reporting), we saw growing support for raw milk and a swelling interest in its pure, bioavailable nutrients.

To dig in deeper, we contacted McAfee for his take on why he believes raw milk offers us immense nutritional benefits. As vocal and passionate about raw milk as he is, McAfee understands that so many people are operating under the long-held rhetoric (and bias) that pasteurization is key. But, like us, his agenda is to give the facts, as choosing to drink raw milk is personal, as is all eating. "I have a saying that I created many years ago," he says, "and that is: We never sell raw milk; we teach it."

4 Things to Know about Raw Milk—from Mike McAfee, Founder of the Raw Milk Institute

#1: Raw Milk Helps to Support Immunity

Raw milk is rich in bioactive nutrients that research points to building a healthy immune system. McAfee says the lynchpin is that raw dairy is much like human breast milk: both are fresh, natural, and unprocessed. He points out the widespread medical support for breastfeeding, including from large organizations such as the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association that tout breastfeeding's benefits for children, which include higher test scores and lower asthma. "That mammalian milk is a mirror of raw milk from cows, goats, and sheep," he adds. "I have been in front of crowds of people and spoken all over the world on this subject. I always start by saying, 'Let's not talk about raw milk. Let's talk about breast milk. Let's talk about breastfeeding. Let's talk about our gut immune system.'"

#2: Studies Link Raw Milk to Better Health

The science supporting raw milk is growing. McAfee and his advocates at the Raw Milk Institute corral the latest studies showing that raw milk consumption is associated with lower rates of allergies and other common ailments, including asthma, respiratory infections, and eczema.

#3: Pasteurization Kills Beneficial Enzymes

The FDA claims that pasteurization does not reduce the nutritional value of milk, but McAfee and the studies he references say otherwise. "What they're saying nutrition is, and what I'm saying nutrition is are two different languages." The FDA focuses on sugar, fat, and protein quantities, which remain similar after pasteurizing milk. McAfee says what's critical is that raw milk has more bioactives than pasteurized milk. That's because the high temperatures that heat the milk destroy and damage many delicate nutrients and gut-healthy bacteria in natural raw milk, such as raw whey protein, alkaline phosphatase, lactoferrin, and more. For these reasons, conventional pasteurized milk is often harder for people to digest and can lead to digestive issues.

#4: To Drink Safe Raw Milk, Ask Questions!

This is loaded and very important, says McAfee. Raw milk is beneficial, but not all raw milk is safe. That’s why it’s critical to know your farmer. At the Raw Milk Institute, he and his peers have created a set of "Common Standards" to guide raw dairy producers and support them in following the strictest safety measures in cultivating milk for human consumption. He and his team at RAW Farms regularly test for E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and other bacteria. 

For us consumers, McAfree says to find a local dairy producer on realmilk.com that specializes in raw milk for human consumption, reach out to them, and ask about their practices. "Go get to know them," he says. "Talk to their customers. Find out how long they've been doing this. Ask them some pointed questions from the Raw Milk Institute Common Standards, like how often they do testing, how they prepare their udders, what their maintenance program is, and how fast they chill." If the raw milk producer has integrity and produces a clean and safe product, they will readily answer your questions. It's not to pressure them, McAfee adds, but to get to know them better so you can become their customer and safely drink their raw milk. 

To learn more about Mike McAfee and raw milk, visit rawmilkinstitude.org and rawfarmusa.com.

Interview and words by Stacey Lindsay for PrimaFoodie.