Is Raw Milk Safe and Nutritious? An Expert Weighs In

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.

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Makenna Held, Host of the TV Series ‘La Pitchoune,’ Wants Us to Have More Fun in the Kitchen

Catch a glimpse of Makenna Held in the kitchen, and it becomes evident quickly: The writer, entrepreneur, and cooking teacher likes to have fun while she's whipping together ingredients—and she wants all of us to experience the same. Of course, it helps that Makenna teaches in Julia Child's former summer home La Pitchoune, which she and her husband purchased and now live with their kids and run their recipe-free cooking school aptly named the same. (La Pitchoune is also the name of their TV series about their cooking school.) Still, wherever Makenna is—in her native America or across the pond—she aims for a more inclusive, kinder approach to nourishing ourselves. "Food shouldn't be about stress," she says.

We caught up with Makenna over the summer to ask more about her approach to cooking and the most significant differences between our food system in the States and where she lives in France. Makenna, who is generous and kind, offers her insights, most of which are refreshingly outside of any boxes—or, as she would say, free of structured recipes. "A lot of the work that I do comes from the fact that I didn't have a choice," she says, "because I was never going to fit an ideal of what society had for me."

A Conversation with Makenna Held

How did moving to the South of France change your life in terms of how you cook and approach your day-to-day living?

Oh, that's a really good question! A lot of people talk about my move as being this massive change. I would say that our focus on cultural differences when it comes to Europe and America is almost an obsession. I think we have a lot more in common than we realize. A lot of Americans are European immigrants and are a few generations removed. So, Europe is more alike to the United States than we often admit. I would say my move didn't change much of my daily life. I still run an American business. I still have an American family. A lot of it is utterly familiar, in that there are grocery stores, farmers markets, and other things. The fact that it comes in a different language is hugely different, of course, and the products might be different, but there's so much that's the same.

Also, so much of this depends on where you're from in the United States. I spend my summers in Door County, Wisconsin, and I would say that the food system here is better than that in France. That being the local food system. What I get in the restaurants isn't necessarily the local ingredients where they're serving supper club grub, and where it may be delicious food, but it's made of, say, mass-produced chickens. So much of how you live your life has to do with personal choices and not your location. So, in answering this question, I chose to make the changes; the place didn't change it for me.

Education is a massive part of what you do in your TV show and your cooking classes, as is personal exploration and being creative in the kitchen. When it comes to cooking and nourishing ourselves, do you feel there's something people miss out on or overlook?

I would say that a lot of the ways that the system encourages us to feed ourselves in the United States is what causes a lot of the dysfunction. Having to find six exact ingredients and going to six grocery stores to find those ingredients and then facing the time wasted when one is sold out, well, that time could be spent being creative in the kitchen. One of the huge differences between how the average American and the average European cooks is that most European cooks don't follow recipes to a T. They have a few techniques they know how to utilize, and they have then figured out what's available at the market today. A huge difference between the European food system and the American system in general is that many year-round things, even in the large grocery stores, aren't present. Sure, you still may get cherry tomatoes in the winter in France, but you're not going to get mealy, hot-house-grown, no-flavor tomatoes in France. A lot of these things that we have become accustomed to in the United States year-round aren't year-round in Europe. So you're forced to think differently about food, intrinsically differently. That's a huge point of what makes the two systems so different, and it's probably what's changed me the most regarding my approach. But I had already made those decisions while living in the States. I made the decision to buy locally and check where it was coming from and how it was grown. Doing that in Europe is easier because there isn't that temptation. Even when I'm in the United States at Christmas and I see that hothouse tomato that looks red on the outside, I want to grab it. I think, maybe this one will be good. And they never are!

Much of this has to do with deciding to shop locally and mastering some techniques. If you master a dry roast and come up with a few sauces, those can become staples that make it much faster and easier to feed oneself. It is so much more fun to go into a market and buy things because they're actually beautiful and in season rather than because you need this amount of this on your list.

"Fun" is the operative word here because you look like you have lots of it in your kitchen. There's the sense that we don't have to do it all perfectly.

A lot of this is cultural, right? The obsession with Instagram-worthy dishes is because that's what you see the food stylist has styled. That pull to do that is natural. Or if you make it look pretty, your fussy toddler will eat it. Maybe that works one day but not the other. And there's the pressure to ensure your kids get the nutrition they need, because maybe what they're getting at school or at their friend's houses is not what you want.

In American culture, I've noticed that there's just a lot of pressure and stress around food. I don't feel any pressure, stress, or worry around food with anyone in my world. I have I know people who have made choices because they're celiac or face other health issues. But in my world, there isn't the stress you see so much of in other places. This also has to do with how everything is set up. In America, you have aisle upon aisle of fast chips. In Europe, generally, your chip aisle is much smaller and your cookie aisle is much smaller. The shelf lives are much shorter. The way that Ritz crackers are made in Europe is different from how they're made in the United States because of how the ingredients have been approved or not approved. It's those sorts of things that create stress. Food shouldn't be about stress, but it often becomes stressful, especially when it's made of things your body rejects.

You support the idea of recipe-free cooking. How has this approach expanded your life, in and out of the kitchen, and that of your cooking students?

When we look through one aspect of our life through a new lens and change the focus, we start to see new things. Many people make fun of me for what I do because they think it's so flippant. But it's actually not flippant. The number of people I've had in my kitchen crying because they were browbeaten by their mother, emotionally, about how they were terrible cooks growing up! Or maybe they grew up with trauma and sadness and hurt around food, whether that's eating disorders or family issues or all of those things. When you realize that you actually can be in control of the outcome, and you don't have to rely on an expert to be in control of the outcome, that can be so freeing. I am not anti-recipe. I just believe there are other ways to teach cooking than just using recipes. If you're teaching a gymnast, you may start with a recipe of a somersault, and eventually the gymnast will figure out how to do their own tricks. With cooking, we can start to figure out our own things. And that opens other places in people's lives. 

Makenna Held is an author, entrepreneur, recipe-free cooking instructor, and host of La Pitchoune: Cooking in France, on the Magnolia Network. You can learn more at makennaheld.com.

Interview and story by @staceylindsay.

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One Founder on the Everyday Way to Save Money and Support the Environment

When we think about climate change, we tend to focus on the obvious culprits, like car emissions and industrial pollution, says entrepreneur Jan Rem. But there's another contributor, one that's less visible but as significant lurking in our kitchens: food waste.

"The repercussions of food waste and its profound effect on the environment and climate change have become a pressing global and personal concern," Rem tells us, adding that modern consumer culture has fostered a "throwaway society” of overconsumption and a casual attitude towards wasting food. “This mindset has exacerbated the food waste problem, with many individuals discarding food items without considering the environmental consequences."

Rem is doing her part to tackle the problem with Ambrosia Bags, simple linen zipper produce bags she created in partnership with her son. Ambrosia offers a sustainable, convenient way to extend the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables. “By making this small change in how we store our produce, we can make a significant difference in our homes and beyond,” says Rem. 

We caught up with the founder and advocate to dig deeper into the issue of food waste and how we all can work to tackle this problem, one kitchen at a time. 

Talking with Jan Rem

Research states Americans waste 80 to 90 billion pounds of food annually. What is at the top of your mind that you want people to know?

Food waste ranks among the top three most significant food-related concerns for consumers, but there is a substantial gap between awareness and action. Educational initiatives aimed at enhancing public understanding of food waste and its repercussions are falling short of solving the problem. To truly address this global issue, we must move beyond mere awareness and implement concrete strategies to reduce food waste at all levels of the supply chain, from production to consumption. Only through concerted efforts and behavioral changes can we hope to mitigate the environmental impact of food waste and create a more sustainable future for our planet.

What personally inspired you to start Ambrosia?

Recognizing linen's beneficial and preservative qualities, I envisioned a world where everyone could access an all-natural linen ziplock produce refrigerator storage bag. My dream was to provide a sustainable solution for storing fresh produce that could extend its shelf life while promoting eco-friendly practices.

How does extending our produce's life help save food and reduce greenhouse gas emissions? 

As fruits and vegetables decompose, they release potent greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, primarily methane and carbon dioxide. These gasses trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, accelerating global warming. What's particularly alarming is that methane, the primary gas emitted by decaying food, is over 20 times more powerful at trapping heat than the carbon dioxide produced by vehicle emissions.

The scale of this problem is staggering. Globally, food waste is responsible for a whopping 11 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions related to our food systems. This means that the apples forgotten in your fridge or the lettuce wilting in your compost bin contribute to climate change in a measurable way.

By understanding the significant climate impact of food waste, we can take more informed actions to reduce our carbon footprint. Simple steps like meal planning, proper food storage, and composting can make a real difference in mitigating this often-overlooked source of greenhouse gasses.

How can better storing our fruits and veggies help us save money?

Every piece of produce we discard represents hard-earned money literally thrown away. By preserving our fruits and vegetables longer, Ambrosia Bags help us maximize our grocery budget.Beyond personal benefits, reducing food waste has far-reaching environmental implications. When we throw away less produce, we're not just saving money; we're conserving the valuable natural resources used to grow, transport, and store that food.

And there's the emotional well-being. The guilt associated with wasting food is a burden many of us carry. Ambrosia Bags alleviate this emotional toll, making us feel more responsible and satisfied with our consumption habits.

The problem with food waste and environmental issues can be overwhelming, perhaps causing some of us to feel lost about how we can do our part. What do you say to the person who feels overwhelmed?

I firmly believe that each of us has the potential to make a significant impact by taking responsibility for our actions. When we commit to making even the smallest changes to our counterproductive habits, we contribute to a collective effort that can transform both our lives and our environment. This is how we truly empower ourselves and create lasting change. By actively seeking sustainable solutions, we can simultaneously reduce our environmental footprint and alleviate the burden of self-imposed guilt. While these changes may initially require additional time or effort, the long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term inconveniences. The virtuous cycle of giving back to ourselves and our planet creates a powerful ripple effect that extends far beyond our individual actions.

What daily actions do you take to reduce waste and live more sustainably?

First and foremost, I prioritize best practices as a conscious consumer, which means I avoid overbuying and over planting in my garden. After returning home from the market or harvesting from my garden, I take the time to properly store all our fresh produce in Ambrosia Produce Bags. This gives me peace of mind, knowing that our precious produce will stay fresh until we're ready to enjoy it.

Additionally, I cherish the tradition passed down from my grandmother and mother of transforming leftovers. It's remarkable how a single dish can be reinvented by simply adding a few extra ingredients or by enjoying it either cold or hot.

I also make it a point to compost all food scraps in a closed system, enriching our garden soil and contributing to future harvests. This holistic approach not only reduces waste but also fosters a sustainable cycle of growth and nourishment.

What do you love most about running your company, Ambrosia, and educating people?

What I find truly remarkable and humbling is the way customers reach out to express their gratitude for the Ambrosia Produce Bags. One might assume that selling a simple item would be straightforward, but the reality is far more complex.

Bringing a product to market requires immense determination and perseverance. However, our customers' unwavering support fueled the resolve to work even harder and reach as many people as possible. Each time we engaged in face-to-face sales, something extraordinary would happen. Return customers would approach us, sharing how Ambrosia Bags had transformed their lives. They would even stop passersby to spread the word about Ambrosia. Witnessing people offer genuine testimonials about something I created is an indescribable feeling. These heartfelt interactions reinforced Ambrosia's value and its positive impact on people's lives.

Our experiences have taught us that true business success isn't just about sales figures or profit margins. It's about creating something that resonates with people on a personal level and improves their quality of life. The stories and testimonials from our customers have always been the driving force and reason behind our continued growth and success.

You can learn more about Jan and Ambrosia Produce Bags here. 

Interview and story by @staceylindsay.

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A Health Practitioner on One of the Most Critical and Accessible Pieces to Better Health

Joy is an elusive thing. We tend to think of it as ephemeral and fleeting, or something hard to cultivate. But the truth is, we all hold the capacity to experience joy, even during trying times. Even more compelling is that joy can be a key to better health.

This belief underscores the work of Lisa Cipkar. As an integrative health coach, Cipkar works with people dealing with chronic illness—from Lyme Disease to biotoxin illness to cancer recovery. She sees clients in the throes of healing. Often, what they need most isn’t in medication or a supplement. “People will wonder what the secret is,” Cipkar tells us, “I do think the secret is finding that joy.” 

We found Cipkar’s approach fascinating and accessible, so we spoke to her to learn more. Cipkar tells us why joy is so critical in giving us the fortitude not only to heal but to lead healthy, vibrant, satisfying lives. 

A Conversation with Lisa Cipkar, IHP

You believe that joy is a critical part of one’s healing prescription. Why is this?

It was one of the biggest lessons I learned in my journey with chronic illness. The longer I’ve worked in this space, the more I realize that the people who get better see a reason to get better. It’s like they’ve unlocked something that not everybody seems to be able to arrive at. It’s that hope. It’s about living the life you want to live.

Recently I've been challenging myself as a practitioner to make sure we're covering every possible piece we can when we're trying to support someone through their healing journey. My protocol has started to look different in that I tell clients to go play more. I tell them to go do things to keep their brain busy in a positive way. Through conversations and reflecting on how long I've been working in this space versus being the patient in this space, I’ve found the people who get better are those who set goals, pick up a new hobby, discover something that they completely fall in love with—and all that is what keeps their brain busy. So they start feeling better and that creates momentum. It’s really about that joy and that purpose.

For someone who doesn’t know where to begin to start cultivating more joy, what's your advice for where to start?

The number one thing I ask is: What did life look like before you got sick or before you started on this healing journey? What did life look like? What were their goals? Sometimes just moving towards those general memories can help them kind of wake up and think, I used to love to write or travel or cook and I've kind of lost that over time.

Of course, there will be some people who can't ever remember feeling well, and that will take extra support. But for many, it’s about sparking that memory of what used to give them joy. Sometimes that little nudge is just all that they need.

So much of your work focuses on people dealing with chronic illness, but you also work with people who are looking to simply get healthier overall. How does joy help someone who is seeking better general health?

Our life, even when we’re not facing chronic illness, is often about suppressing, suppressing, suppressing. We’re just trying to get through the day. We're either trying to survive or trying to achieve. And often, we’re taking care of everybody else, or our to-do list, or our obligations before we're taking care of ourselves. It’s so rare for people to take their full weekends anymore to rest, relax, and recoup. So no matter what, playing and having fun should have an equal amount of time on our schedule as working towards our health goals, building our future, and all those things.

Considering that you take a holistic approach to your work, meaning you consider emotional, mental, and nutritional care in tandem with physical care. In terms of how our society approaches wellness, overall, what is one key thing we’re missing or depriving ourselves of?

I like this question. I would say the number one thing for women is that we are not eating enough. We’re in starvation mode. We take care of everybody else and it might be lunchtime or dinner time before we realize we haven't eaten all day. About 95 percent of people that come into the clinic are not eating enough at all. And it’s no wonder they can't get over their symptoms or get healthy. We need those nutrients. We live in a culture where properly nourishing our bodies is very misinformed. It isn’t common knowledge how we should be eating to support ourselves, especially if we're talking about prevention.

The number two thing is that we need to look at food as medicine. We still often eat to satisfy and that's it. There is so much within the nutrition world that could change the game for us, especially in North America. There’s a reason why there are other parts of the world that are doing a whole lot better statistically with their healthcare systems and the status of chronic symptoms and diseases.

So we need to see our food as medicine, which is right in front of us. But it’s also not right in front of us for many, with food deserts, which is a whole other issue we need to change. But with that said, we need proper nourishment, proper sleep, and to see food as medicine.

Lisa Cipkar is an integrative health practitioner (IHP) and founder of Abundant Life and Wellness. She currently holds nine certifications and countless extra credentials on brain health, blood chemistry, healing from chronic illnesses like Lyme disease, and more. Learn more at lisacipkar.com.