Milk in its raw form is healthier that pasteurized milk, a fact made abundantly clear in a recent study by Dr. Loren Cordain about the presence of betacellulin, the growth factor found in the whey fraction of milk.

Dr. Cordain cites 25 studies connecting increased rates of cancer to drinking pasteurized milk due to betacellulin, as it passes into the adult digestive tract intact, then comes in contact with receptors and the circulation that stimulates the growth of cancer cells throughout the body.

The factor that makes raw milk a healthier choice, as it protects your health from betacellulin: The presence of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA blunts the cancer-causing effect of betacellulin and has prevented cancer in lab tests too, particularly in conjunction with saturated fat.

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Dr. Mercola's Comment:

Just a reminder, organic milk may be free from hormones and other contaminants, but it's still pasteurized, a destructive process that eliminates virtually any good bacteria already present, and may have lower levels of CLA too. Milk in its purest raw form, on the other hand, is rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). The CLA content is also five times greater in milk produced by grass-fed cows.

Although organic milk is certainly far better than non-organic milk because it does not contain harmful pesticide and hormone residues, it is vitally important to understand that nearly all raw milk is better than organic milk.

Even though it is a challenge to obtain raw milk, it is far better to obtain your milk from raw sources than it is to purchase organic milk.
There simply is no comparison in the quality. Grass-fed raw milk is even better.

Most of the time with milk, the certification is an expensive certification process that doesn't add any value to the milk other than to assure you that the milk was raised under clean conditions.

Ideally, you should locate the dairy yourself and do your own inspection. Talk to the farmer and see how the cows are being raised. That beats any type of certification process that can be easily manipulated.

Additionally raw milk:

• Causes fewer allergies: Raw milk more than halves the levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), a chemical pumped out by cells in response to an allergen.

• Has more nutrients: Raw milk is an outstanding source of nutrients including healthy beneficial bacteria such as lactobacillus acidophilus, vitamins and enzymes.

• Is healthier: Raw milk is not associated with any of the health problems surrounding pasteurized milk such as rheumatoid arthritis, skin rashes, diarrhea and cramps. Even people who have been allergic to pasteurized milk for many years can typically tolerate and even thrive on raw milk.

• Tastes better: As with any food, fresher is always better and this applies to milk as well. Fresh raw milk is creamier and better tasting than pasteurized milk that has a shelf life of several weeks.

If you've been looking for a raw milk source near you but have had no luck finding one, you'll want to review the listings on the Real Milk Web site.

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