In this 3 part series we will discuss some “healthy” foods that turn “bad” when processed. Stay tuned to find out what they are, and how you can enjoy them in their natural “healthy” state…they way God intended.
Every Thing That is White is Not Milk
In this, part 3 of the Healthy Foods Gone Bad series, we will take a look at milk. More specifically… Pasteurized Cow’s Milk. Let’s look at the pasteurization process in three easy steps.
Step 1
The pasteurization process begins by heating the milk to 145-150 degrees F and maintaining that temperature for at least 30 minutes. Then the milk’s temperature is lowered to less than 55 degrees F. In this process all bad germs and bacteria are killed, but keep in mind all the good bacteria is also killed.
So lets stop here and look at our milk. Have you ever thought about where all that dead bad bacteria is… don’t worry they leave it in the milk. Yup, you are drinking every drop of it, sounds bad right? Well it does not stop there. The pasteurization process completely changes the milk proteins structure (denaturalization) into something the human body does not see as milk anymore. This changed milk is now seen by the body as a foreign entity, what the body can’t identify is classified as a poison.
Step 2
Separation of the butterfat from the milk is performed, this butterfat (cream) is then used for other products. A small amount of the original butterfat is added back to the milk to get 1%, 2%, etc.., but it never reaches the original levels of 5-8% butterfat.
Have you every noticed that milk says it is enriched with different vitamins? Why? Because most of them were destroyed in the pasteurization process, such as the vitamin B12, B6, most of the vitamin C, calcium, and the list goes on.
What about the issue of the growth hormones, pesticides and antibiotics we have heard so much about, don’t worry they are in there too. And here is a fact that is usually missed, almost all commercial dairy cows are fed grains, not grass like a cow is supposed to eat. This will change the composition of the fats in the milk.
Step 3
What about homogenization? Another neat process invented to harm the milk. Homogenization is a process where the milk is forced through tiny openings under high pressure, breaking down the fatty globules of cream so that none of the cream will float to the top and the cream is evenly spread throughout all the milk. Sounds so even. That is the idea.
Well this idea actually destroys the cream modules by ripping the cells open. Now our bodies are not sure what to do with that destroyed cream modules. Remember all the dead bacteria we mentioned above, it got ripped apart also, so now that is floating around evenly in the milk too.
And what did we say earlier about things the body can’t identify? The human body classifies them as a poison.
Pasteurized cow’s milk has now become the number one allergic food in America. It has been associated with a number of symptoms and illnesses including: Diarrhea, Cramps, Bloating, Gas, Gastrointestinal bleeding, Iron-deficiency anemia, Skin rashes, Allergies, Colic in infants, Osteoporosis, Increased tooth decay, Arthritis, Growth problems in children, Heart disease, Cancer, Atherosclerosis, Acne, Recurrent ear infections in children, Type 1 diabetes, Rheumatoid arthritis, Infertility, Leukemia, Autism.
Guess that about raps up the modern commercial milk process.
What can I do?
If you don’t want to deal with all the issues that can come from drinking commercial processed milk then I would suggest finding a source of raw milk. Raw milk is unpasteurized milk that is not changed in away was after being taken from the cow.
You can read more about raw milk in the article Raw Milk – 8 Reasons It Is “The Perfect Food” or check out this great video Raw Milk Truths Revealed.
To find a local farm that sells raw milk in your area visit RealMilk.com
Till next time I will be enjoying my cold, smooth, creamy, rich glass of raw milk, well maybe more than one.
Jeff
About Jeff
Thanks for the article. I would like to know a little more about the body recognizing the “ripped apart” bacteria / fat cells as poison. How is it different from when our body digests and breaks down the fat cells after we consume them? I would think our body was a pro at handling a huge variety of molecular structures from our diet that a fractured fat cell really wouldn’t be seen as a poison. And what about the hormones & pesticides…are those not denatured from the homogenization process too? Not that we want ANY component of ANY pesticide in our food, of course! I guess I’m just curious for a little more detail…I struggle with the absoluteness of the statement that something our body can’t recognize is responded to as a poison. I thought there were plenty of things that simply pass through our digestive system without causing a reaction or response. Looking forward to your response. Thank you!!
Erin, Good questions I will keep it short. Keep in mind there are two types of processing of food. 1. you do at home, blending, mixing, etc. (overall not harmful to cell structure). 2. commercial processing, high heat, pressure, chemicals, etc. (not natural). Type two processing alters cell type, the body can digest it, but the result is not clearly useable by the body, (altered by man). When I say toxins or poisons there are many different levels, (slightly irritating to harmful). Un-natural substances (chemicals) can stand much higher temps with out being altered than natural cell structure. I can boil chemical oil and it is fine upon cooling, can’t boil food structure and have it stay the same. Natural vs. Un-natural. The thing to keep in mind is everything in nature has a cause and effect. Just because the effect is not large enough to be observed in the present moment does not mean overtime it will not be an issue. Look at water over rock, it will crush the rock overtime so it is classed as an irritant to the rock. Don’t be mis-led into thinking everything that does not hurt you right away is not a problem. I would suggest doing some research on what microwave cooking does to cell structure and you will get the picture better. Search “microwave cooking changes cell structure” – Jeff
It does help. I just have one problem. If I want to drink whole milk, I either have to buy homogenized cow’s milk or goat’s milk (which is really expensive). Homo milk is the only thing that is available to us here if you want whole milk.
I understand you have to get what is available. If you want to make the homogenized cow’s milk more nutritious and easier for the body to digest, you might look into getting some kefir grains and making “Kefir” out of the milk.
Living in canada, if you don’t live on a farm, you have absolutely no way of drinking raw milk as it is illegal. I have only access to pastuerized milk, and I have 3 small children. What is your suggestion that I do?
Great question, thanks for asking. If I was in your situation I would find the best quality whole milk I could and then make kefir or yogurt out of it. Pasteurized milk is hard to digest since the enzymes that breakdown the lactose are dead, but yogurt digests the milk sugars to a degree that most have no issues, you also are re-establishing the live helping to restore in part the beneficial bacteria that was killed in pasteurization. Make your own yogurt as you then control the quality and will create a much higher level of live bacteria than anything you can buy. Here is a link to the recipe Homemade Yogurt The Easy Way. I would then later start making Kefir, it is the next step in the live foods created with milk, as it contains even more beneficial bacteria. Hope that helps.
If Alberta, Canada, we can buy Vital Greens organic milk at health food stores. It is not homogenized and is only pasteurized to the lowest temperature necessary to meet legal requirements. It’s ironic that our government approves drinks laced with deadly artificial sweeteners yet makes the most healthy drink of all an illegal commodity! Really makes you wonder!!
Mama Sun, Great to hear you can get non homogenized milk. Studies show how important the unharmed fat is to the body.