Is Raw Milk Safe to Drink?

August 31, 2023

Raw milk is growing in popularity, with some people claiming it has health benefits that pasteurized milk doesn’t. Contributing to the trend is the legalization of direct-to-consumer sales of raw milk in several states. But is there merit to these health claims – and is it worth the potential risk that raw milk poses?

Jacob Wolf, ND, LAc, a naturopathic doctor and licensed acupuncturist with University Hospitals Connor Whole Health, doesn’t believe so.

“There’s no strong scientific evidence supporting drinking raw milk. We have been pasteurizing milk widespread for decades and foodborne illness from dairy has decreased dramatically,” says Dr. Wolf.

Pasteurized vs. Raw

Pasteurization is a process in which milk is heated to kill off bacteria, viruses and parasites. This is in contrast to raw milk, which comes directly from the animal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pasteurization was first developed in the 1800s and has been in widespread use since 1950 to prevent a number of deadly diseases, including tuberculosis and typhoid.

There is a much higher risk of illness from unpasteurized dairy products, Dr. Wolf says. They can harbor dangerous pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Listeria, Brucella and many others. The risk is especially high for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems.

There is no completely safe way to consume unpasteurized dairy, Dr. Wolf added. This is because there are many potential sources of contamination – ranging from the cleanliness and health of the animal itself, to animal feces or milking and bottling equipment.

The CDC says that consumption of unpasteurized dairy has led to outbreaks of foodborne illnesses that can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting and even kidney failure and death.

Popularity Driven by Misinformation

So why are products linked to such serious illnesses becoming so popular? Dr. Wolf suspects misinformation about the health benefits of raw milk spread through social media may share some of the blame.

“Theoretically, raw milk may have higher nutrients, enzymes and antibodies that can be changed during pasteurization,” he says. “However, the evidence of higher nutrient content and damage caused by heating is incomplete.”

Dr. Wolf also notes that some of the nutrients that may be decreased via pasteurization – including B vitamins and vitamin C – are not a significant part of raw dairy to begin with.

Helping to drive the trend is the changing laws surrounding raw milk sales in many states. Retail sales and/or farm-to-consumer sales are now legal in more than half the states in the U.S. It should be noted that selling raw milk directly to consumers is currently illegal in Ohio, though raw milk can be acquired legally through a herdshare, in which a consumer owns a share of the livestock that produces the milk.

Alternatives to Raw Milk

Milk is a reasonably good source of a variety of nutrients, and non-dairy alternatives can nearly match the nutrients of pasteurized milk, says Dr. Wolf. For people looking for more beneficial bacteria or foods high in enzymes, a probiotic or digestive enzyme supplement may work as a substitute. And fermented foods such as kefir and sauerkraut can also provide these benefits – and will be much safer than raw milk.

Dr. Wolf also notes that he generally doesn’t advocate for heavy dairy consumption for most adults, since many people have trouble digesting dairy and there are great non-dairy alternatives for those nutrients. These include:

Milk product alternatives: There are many great direct non-dairy replacements for most dairy products, including almond, coconut, oat and cashew milks, coconut or almond milk yogurt, and dairy-free cheese, which is typically made with pea or rice proteins or nuts.

Calcium: Other sources of calcium include dark, leafy greens (e.g., spinach, kale and Bok choy), broccoli, calcium-fortified orange juice, salmon, sardines, tofu, edamame and winter squash

Healthy fats: Non-dairy sources of healthy fats include fish, avocado, nuts, seeds and olives