Man, I am falling behind on my posts. Every day juggling four kids and a business gets easier or at least more efficient so maybe I can start working on blog posts again. We will see. This opportunity may just be a fluke.
This last week has been quite the learning experience with introducing two new kids into our paleo world. When Levi and I got the phone call we kind of freaked out because we were prepared for a baby not two toddlers. We had the formula and the bottles and the crib. We ran to Walmart and bought two different sizes of diapers because we were told the two year old was not potty-trained (which we are doing now...say a prayer) and a gallon of whole organic milk and a box of Cheerios cereal. I really didn't want to buy the Cheerios but we were afraid they wouldn't eat our scrambled eggs in the morning. I am so glad to say that the Cheerios have not even been needed!
These little ones initially say no (over and over again) to every single food put in front of them...but then they start to eat it. So far they have not turned down any protein. In fact, they usually eat a second helping of whatever meat we are having. Pretty much every veggie we have introduced has been a completely foreign food to them but despite their adamant "no" they have tried and usually really liked it all. They have eaten Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, kale, sweet potato, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, spinach, broccoli, avocados, summer squash, zucchini, onions, sun dried tomatoes, and snap peas.
We have a rule in our home that you must try a bite of everything or you will not get a snack. This has always been a great encourager to all of our kids to give everything a shot and nine times out of ten they really like it. We have to pretty much enforce this rule over and over again with the same foods because they seem to forget the taste and only see the green color or funky texture. I can't tell you how many times we have had to require "no thank you" bites for broccoli before Jack and Addie figured out they loved it. I read or heard somewhere that you have to introduce a food 10 times to a child before he or she will enjoy the taste and texture. I have found that to really be true.
And I think when encouraging veggies it is important to try all veggies cooked or not cooked in as many ways possible. My kids don't really like kale when it has been cooked down over the stove top and is soft but they beg for kale chips. It is our favorite movie snack...which makes our family sound like hippy weirdos or something but it is what it is. Jack only likes raw carrots but not cooked carrots. That's okay. I just keep some carrots uncooked for him. Even as adults we prefer certain things cooked (or not cooked) a certain way. It is okay to honor your kiddo's preferences as long as they are nutritionally beneficial. Now I'm sure my kids prefer cake to meatloaf but I'm not going to give into to that one.
Feeding 6 people on paleo has be quite the challenge. Just having enough food is the biggest issue. I know you think it is just two more little kids but all four of our kids eat as much as Levi and I do. We took all four kids to Costco on a Saturday (because obviously we must have been desperate) and stocked up on fruit and veggies. We filled our buggy full and once we got to our pretty large SUV and had all the kids buckled up we realized there was no room left for the huge buggy of food we had just spent the last two hours purchasing. We had to stuff food under seats, feet and on the dashboard. It was pretty funny and made a great picture with all four kids passed out from the long day with broccoli as pillows and sweet potatoes as foot rests. I wish I could post that pic because it is super cute but I can't share my new babies' pretty faces online.
Storing the food at home was another issue too! We had to spend an extra $200 to get the smaller counter-width fridge when we built our house so it doesn't hold nearly enough...even for a family of 4. I am always rearranging trying to make everything fit. After our Costco trip trying to fit all those groceries into that tiny little fridge was like doing one of those wooden puzzles where all the pieces fit together in one specific way to form a cube but once you have taken it apart you just have to put all the pieces in a baggie because it just isn't possible to get back together. Thanks to Levi's genius mind we got it all in there with the door shut all the way. (I was ready to just cram the last thing in and shut the door real quick and seal with duct tape.)
I have kept all of our meals very simple this last week...basically a meat and veggies. I have had to come up with a few condiment recipes this week because my two new little ones. I think they turned out really good.
Ketchup
6 oz. tomato paste
3/4 cup water
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 pinch allspice
Simmer in a saucepan for 20 minutes. Let cool. Refrigerate. (Or if you forgot to make this ahead of time just mix everything together and serve. My kids didn't complain one bit about the flavors not being melded.)
Pizza Sauce
8 oz tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
2 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Simmer in saucepan for 20 minutes. Spread over crust. YUMMMM!
I like to make the kids little pizza skewers. On a skewer stick I add a meatball, applegate farm pepperoni that has been folded twice, sauteed button mushroom (if your kid is weird like Addie and begs for mushrooms), large black olive, and cherry tomato and repeat. We sometimes do a small cube of goats milk cheese too. I serve the pizza sauce to dip. This makes a great packable lunch for school age kiddos too! And the husbands love it too!
Monday, March 18, 2013
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Raw milk and cookies
Yesterday I woke up and had two kids. Today I woke up and have FOUR! We are officially foster parents to a 3 year old little charmer with the longest lashes in world (why is it always the boys!!!) and his two year old precious little heart melting sister. We are all in love with these two. How could we not be! We have been so amazed at God's perfect and comical timing in all of this. His plan is super cool and I'm humbled to be a part of it.
Okay. So now that I have confirmed your suspicions that I am crazy lets talk about how awesome raw milk is! I shared with you all the pros and cons in my last post. This post isn't so much about what I have read or heard but about our own actual experience with going to a dairy farm all for an amazingly wonderful gallon of creamy goodness.
I love my job because a big part of it is research. And in doing research I get to try and experience different things. I knew I was going to need to post on why dairy isn't officially "paleo approved" so I decided I would go straight to the source...a dairy farm. I wanted to see, smell, taste this raw milk that everyone has been buzzing about.
Levi took a Friday off and after a morning session at CrossFit we headed to Garg Farms. Garg Farms? Never heard of it? Well that is because it is in a land far far away. According to Google Maps it is one hour and four minutes from our house. Levi somehow managed to turn that one hour and four minutes in two and a half hours. We got lost. Really lost. We drove back and forth down the same road three times! But we made it...just barely. Thank goodness there was a gas station because after all that driving we were running scary low.
We turn into the farm gates and follow the little road all the way to this one building in the middle of all of this land. It was weird. Thank goodness there was a sign advertising RAW MILK or we might have turned right back around. Nah, that's not true. After that drive I was getting some raw milk if it meant I was going to hunt down a cow and milk that thing myself! Fortunately I did not have to get anywhere near an utter. We stepped inside the lone building and was greeted by the owner, Rakesh Garg and his one refrigerator and what I'm assuming was a child's cash register. My first opinion was a little harsh. But then we got to talking with Rakesh and he was such a delight! He was so intelligent and knowledgeable on all things milk...obviously that is important for his business but I was impressed nonetheless. He directed us to his one refrigerator and explained to us all about the process of pasteurization and homogenization.
The fridge was full of gallons of milk. Each one had a thick cream at the top. Some of the gallons had cream taking up almost half the gallon. Rakesh showed us that all you have to do is gently turn the gallon jug upside down a few time to get it all blended. He said that if he shook it too much it would turn to butter very easily. Seriously Addie's and my eyes lit up at the idea of butter. We both have been known to eat little pats of butter all by themselves. I know that is gross to the rest of you but Addie and I get it.
Rakesh explained that because it is raw it will not last very long. We basically needed to drink the whole thing in a week. We haven't been drinking any milk at all and the idea of finishing off an entire gallon in one week seemed like a lot. So in the end we drove two and a half miles for ONE gallon of milk.
BUT IT WAS SOOOOOO WORTH IT!!!
After we got home I wouldn't let anyone try it. I wanted to get our reactions on camera, which I did but I backed up into the corner of my opened cabinet door while I was filming the kids and it really hurt so we had to cut and never did a take-2.
I made the most heavenly paleo cookies for us to eat with our raw milk tasting. You are going to seriously want to make these. You know those girl scout cookies called Samoas? Well these were a copycat version but even better. And I can prove it because my daddy who is also a paleo convert cheated the other day because he had ordered several boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Being the very wise man that he is, he decided he was going to get all his cheating done in one day so he ate every cookie from every box in ONE SINGLE DAY. He paid for it the next day and then again a few days after that when I told on him. But he ate one of my cookies and said it was better than the real thing!
This was our finished product of our little evening treat. Levi got out the ugly plastic super hero cups and some paper towels but then I made him requested that he get out the pretty cups and a glass plate all for the sake of this picture for the blog. Seriously, those glasses only come out like twice a year which is sad because they really aren't that fancy. We are usually fighting over the Wonder Woman plastic cup which is way cooler and doesn't get those water spots or at least you can't see them.
Before taking a bite of the cookies I had everyone take a drink of the raw milk while I filmed and injured myself. Both kids made extra loud and dramatic yummy noises for the camera so I wasn't sure if it was all an act for the sake of someday being seen by a movie producer or if this raw milk was really just that fantastic. So I picked up that not so fancy fancy glass and drank what I can only describe as pure heaven. Okay, maybe I'm talking this up a little too much but truly my first thought was that it was like drinking melted ice cream. I know this because I am not ashamed to to tilt my bowl of almost finished ice cream over my head to drink the tiny little morsel that remains.
No lie, we drank half of the gallon that night! Why didn't we buy two!!!! We rationed the remaining milk and made it last a few more days. Unfortunately we have not had an opportunity to take an afternoon to go buy another gallon of milk so we have just gone without. Sniff. So I was thinking...which can be scary sometimes...that if I started a co-op where we all took turns taking 2 hours and 8 minutes out of our day to buy a bunch of milk for bunch of people then maybe each one of us would only have to make the trip every few weeks instead of every week. So who's with me!?! I am actually really quite serious about this. We could use my shop as a central drop off location and store the milk in the "personal" fridge in the back and everyone in the co-op could just stop buy and pick up their raw milk once a week. Let me know if you are interested. Depending on my ability to load all my four kids into the car I may attempt a milk trip this week. If you want to try raw milk let me know and I'll pick up a gallon for you too and leave it up at the shop.
I'm not sure if one gallon of milk is enough to say whether or not it affected our health. I will say that none of us experienced anything noticeable. I was a bit concerned because Addie had been trying to get a cold and I was afraid the milk was going to make all my methods of keeping it at bay useless. But surprisingly enough she woke up the next morning with absolutely no drainage or runny nose. I'm not saying the milk made her better but it didn't make her worse.
Now that we have littler ones I will probably be ordering them a carrageenan free almond milk and keep the raw milk for the older ones. I do plan to discuss it with our pediatrician during the kiddos' checkups and I'm really interested to get her take on it.
Enjoy the recipe!
Some-More-Ahhhhhs by Paleo Indulgences
Ingredients:
For the cookie:
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup unsweetened, finely shredded coconut
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3 TBSP coconut oil, melted
For the Caramel: (I did not have the ingredients to make this part so I just dipped in chocolate and it turned out wonderful. I did order these ingredients later to keep on hand. If you want them I can order them for you through the shop.)
1 cup coconut crystals
1/4 cup coconut nectar
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/3 cup butter (optional)
For the tops:
1/2 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut
1/2 chopped dark chocolate
1/oz unsweetened dark chocolate, chopped
Preheat to 350 degrees.
Place the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Add wet ingredients to the dry and blend well with hand mixer. Cover and refrigerate dough for 15 minutes.
Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Place six cookies on each tray, as they will spread a little. (I did smaller cookies, about 3/4 TBSP scoops and they didn't spread out on their own. I had to press them down a little to make them flat.)
Bake 12-13 minutes, or until golden brown. (I baked for only 9 minutes but I've noticed my oven always needs less time.)
Lower oven to 300 degrees.
Meanwhile, make the caramel. Place the caramel ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir to combine.
Heat over medium high heat, boiling until mixture reaches 250 degrees on a candy thermometer. (about 20 minutes.)
Remove from heat and let cool.
Now make the toppings. Toast the coconut by spreading it out in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and baking in the 300 degrees oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
Place chocolate in the top of a double broiler over simmering water and stir until melted.
Place a small spoonful of caramel on top of each cookie. (Or if you are like me and don't have the ingredients, dip cookie in chocolate.) Top with sprinkled of toasted coconut. Let cool.
Dip the bottom of each cookie in chocolate and let sit for 1 hour (or stick in the freezer for 2 minutes because you are so stinkin anxious to try one.)
Enjoy. We sure did.
Okay. So now that I have confirmed your suspicions that I am crazy lets talk about how awesome raw milk is! I shared with you all the pros and cons in my last post. This post isn't so much about what I have read or heard but about our own actual experience with going to a dairy farm all for an amazingly wonderful gallon of creamy goodness.
I love my job because a big part of it is research. And in doing research I get to try and experience different things. I knew I was going to need to post on why dairy isn't officially "paleo approved" so I decided I would go straight to the source...a dairy farm. I wanted to see, smell, taste this raw milk that everyone has been buzzing about.
Levi took a Friday off and after a morning session at CrossFit we headed to Garg Farms. Garg Farms? Never heard of it? Well that is because it is in a land far far away. According to Google Maps it is one hour and four minutes from our house. Levi somehow managed to turn that one hour and four minutes in two and a half hours. We got lost. Really lost. We drove back and forth down the same road three times! But we made it...just barely. Thank goodness there was a gas station because after all that driving we were running scary low.
We turn into the farm gates and follow the little road all the way to this one building in the middle of all of this land. It was weird. Thank goodness there was a sign advertising RAW MILK or we might have turned right back around. Nah, that's not true. After that drive I was getting some raw milk if it meant I was going to hunt down a cow and milk that thing myself! Fortunately I did not have to get anywhere near an utter. We stepped inside the lone building and was greeted by the owner, Rakesh Garg and his one refrigerator and what I'm assuming was a child's cash register. My first opinion was a little harsh. But then we got to talking with Rakesh and he was such a delight! He was so intelligent and knowledgeable on all things milk...obviously that is important for his business but I was impressed nonetheless. He directed us to his one refrigerator and explained to us all about the process of pasteurization and homogenization.
The fridge was full of gallons of milk. Each one had a thick cream at the top. Some of the gallons had cream taking up almost half the gallon. Rakesh showed us that all you have to do is gently turn the gallon jug upside down a few time to get it all blended. He said that if he shook it too much it would turn to butter very easily. Seriously Addie's and my eyes lit up at the idea of butter. We both have been known to eat little pats of butter all by themselves. I know that is gross to the rest of you but Addie and I get it.
Rakesh explained that because it is raw it will not last very long. We basically needed to drink the whole thing in a week. We haven't been drinking any milk at all and the idea of finishing off an entire gallon in one week seemed like a lot. So in the end we drove two and a half miles for ONE gallon of milk.
BUT IT WAS SOOOOOO WORTH IT!!!
After we got home I wouldn't let anyone try it. I wanted to get our reactions on camera, which I did but I backed up into the corner of my opened cabinet door while I was filming the kids and it really hurt so we had to cut and never did a take-2.
I made the most heavenly paleo cookies for us to eat with our raw milk tasting. You are going to seriously want to make these. You know those girl scout cookies called Samoas? Well these were a copycat version but even better. And I can prove it because my daddy who is also a paleo convert cheated the other day because he had ordered several boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Being the very wise man that he is, he decided he was going to get all his cheating done in one day so he ate every cookie from every box in ONE SINGLE DAY. He paid for it the next day and then again a few days after that when I told on him. But he ate one of my cookies and said it was better than the real thing!
My Addie girl is the best little helper in the kitchen. She can crack an egg better than Levi. I really hope you all bring your babies into the kitchen with you when cooking. There is just so much you can impart and great lessons to be learned during that time and it should be treasured.
My hand looks kind of alien clawish. Don't be concerned. It looks normal in real life.
Before taking a bite of the cookies I had everyone take a drink of the raw milk while I filmed and injured myself. Both kids made extra loud and dramatic yummy noises for the camera so I wasn't sure if it was all an act for the sake of someday being seen by a movie producer or if this raw milk was really just that fantastic. So I picked up that not so fancy fancy glass and drank what I can only describe as pure heaven. Okay, maybe I'm talking this up a little too much but truly my first thought was that it was like drinking melted ice cream. I know this because I am not ashamed to to tilt my bowl of almost finished ice cream over my head to drink the tiny little morsel that remains.
No lie, we drank half of the gallon that night! Why didn't we buy two!!!! We rationed the remaining milk and made it last a few more days. Unfortunately we have not had an opportunity to take an afternoon to go buy another gallon of milk so we have just gone without. Sniff. So I was thinking...which can be scary sometimes...that if I started a co-op where we all took turns taking 2 hours and 8 minutes out of our day to buy a bunch of milk for bunch of people then maybe each one of us would only have to make the trip every few weeks instead of every week. So who's with me!?! I am actually really quite serious about this. We could use my shop as a central drop off location and store the milk in the "personal" fridge in the back and everyone in the co-op could just stop buy and pick up their raw milk once a week. Let me know if you are interested. Depending on my ability to load all my four kids into the car I may attempt a milk trip this week. If you want to try raw milk let me know and I'll pick up a gallon for you too and leave it up at the shop.
I'm not sure if one gallon of milk is enough to say whether or not it affected our health. I will say that none of us experienced anything noticeable. I was a bit concerned because Addie had been trying to get a cold and I was afraid the milk was going to make all my methods of keeping it at bay useless. But surprisingly enough she woke up the next morning with absolutely no drainage or runny nose. I'm not saying the milk made her better but it didn't make her worse.
Now that we have littler ones I will probably be ordering them a carrageenan free almond milk and keep the raw milk for the older ones. I do plan to discuss it with our pediatrician during the kiddos' checkups and I'm really interested to get her take on it.
Enjoy the recipe!
Some-More-Ahhhhhs by Paleo Indulgences
Ingredients:
For the cookie:
2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup unsweetened, finely shredded coconut
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3 TBSP coconut oil, melted
For the Caramel: (I did not have the ingredients to make this part so I just dipped in chocolate and it turned out wonderful. I did order these ingredients later to keep on hand. If you want them I can order them for you through the shop.)
1 cup coconut crystals
1/4 cup coconut nectar
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/3 cup butter (optional)
For the tops:
1/2 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut
1/2 chopped dark chocolate
1/oz unsweetened dark chocolate, chopped
Preheat to 350 degrees.
Place the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Add wet ingredients to the dry and blend well with hand mixer. Cover and refrigerate dough for 15 minutes.
Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Place six cookies on each tray, as they will spread a little. (I did smaller cookies, about 3/4 TBSP scoops and they didn't spread out on their own. I had to press them down a little to make them flat.)
Bake 12-13 minutes, or until golden brown. (I baked for only 9 minutes but I've noticed my oven always needs less time.)
Lower oven to 300 degrees.
Meanwhile, make the caramel. Place the caramel ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir to combine.
Heat over medium high heat, boiling until mixture reaches 250 degrees on a candy thermometer. (about 20 minutes.)
Remove from heat and let cool.
Now make the toppings. Toast the coconut by spreading it out in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and baking in the 300 degrees oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
Place chocolate in the top of a double broiler over simmering water and stir until melted.
Place a small spoonful of caramel on top of each cookie. (Or if you are like me and don't have the ingredients, dip cookie in chocolate.) Top with sprinkled of toasted coconut. Let cool.
Dip the bottom of each cookie in chocolate and let sit for 1 hour (or stick in the freezer for 2 minutes because you are so stinkin anxious to try one.)
Enjoy. We sure did.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
It's a whole dairy situation
I am finally ready to make the dairy post. I tell you what, I stress like a crazy person over these nonpaleo issues because I don't want to mislead anyone into thinking my way is the only way. So I will say once again this is just my opinion based on my family's experiences, my observations of my customers and my reading of health articles and books.
My Jack got in the car after school the other day and said, "Momma, I've got good news and I've got bad news." I loved how he managed to find the silver lining in his rock throwing story which was ultimately all bad news but I appreciated the positive delivery of it. So my dear readers...I've got good news and I've got bad news.
Let's get the bad over with first.
MILK PROTEINS
The two categories of milk proteins are casein and whey. Casein makes up about 80% and is the main source of amino acids in milk. Sounds okay so far. But for some people casein can cause a histamine response such as headaches, tummy issues, increased asthma, and allergies. Okay. So I know a lot of you suffer from allergies. I know this because you all walk around with watery eyes and stuffy noses. You blame it on the wind or the storm or a particular growth season of a plant. Which is probably true but what if dairy is making the whole experience worse? What if you could eliminate dairy and no longer have to wear waterproof mascara? (I hate that stuff. It is like superglue on my already very sad little eyelashes.)
The other protein category is whey. Whey is a bunch of smaller proteins and hormones such as immunoglobulins, insulin, IGF-1, and estrogen. All these things are really awesome if you are a tiny little infant and trying to grow big and strong. They all promote aggressive growth. This is also why you will see IGF-1 in workout supplements. There is an argument that we don't need to continue sending the growth hormone signals to our bodies once we are weened off our mother's milk. I'm not saying I agree with that argument I'm just saying there is one. You can read more about it in It Starts with Food.
Whey also causes our bodies to have an increase in insulin response. Insulin is a good thing. It pushes nutrients into our cells. But too much insulin for too long can be bad and can lead to insulin resistance and it just gets really bad from there.
MILK SUGAR: LACTOSE
We all have heard of lactose-intolerance. If you watch Big Bang Theory you have heard of lactose-intolerance. It is why the guy that was on Roseanne gets teased about his digestive issues when consuming dairy. There is actually a really large percentage of people that have a hard time digesting lactose. The severity of the symptoms vary from just bloating to embarrassing bathroom explosions. I have read that we are all naturally lactose-intolerant but because we force so much dairy on ourselves our bodies have learned to adapt. For those of us that have been off dairy for awhile when we choose to have a dairy treat we usually experience worse symptoms than before we got off the dairy train.
Now comes the good news! YAY!
Raw milk has been found to be very tolerable to our digestive systems and also provides us with wonderful minerals, probiotics, and healthy fats. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized (a process of extreme heating to kill any bad stuff in the milk) or homogenized (a process of straining the fat globules in the milk allowing it to blend.) Some people claim that switching to raw milk actually improved their health. Actually a lot of people claim this. The crazy thing is there hasn't really been a ton of research on this. When I started to prepare for this blog I did lots of Internet searches. I found two very different sides of the raw milk coin. Anything related to the government stated very strongly, like in a weird way, that raw milk was dangerous and life-threatening. The articles were very negative and several used really strong scary words that really had me second guessing things and feeling like a bad mommy. A lot of the articles made a strong point of debunking raw vs pasturized myths in the exact same bullet point format in almost the same wording. I started to wonder if these articles were just regurgitating other articles and then which of these articles were actually based on research or facts?
Let's discuss these myths. I'm going to copy and paste they actual "myth" from one of the many articles I found. The following comes from www.foodsafetynews.com.
"Myth #1. Raw milk has been consumed for thousands of years without a problem.
This myth reflects a lack of understanding about the historical impact of infectious diseases transmitted by raw milk for centuries, especially tuberculosis, brucellosis (undulant fever), and scarlet fever (1-5). Raw milk has caused numerous deaths of infants throughout history. Pasteurization was developed to prevent these well-documented illnesses and deaths from contaminated raw milk. In developed countries, the use of pasteurization has been directly correlated to reduced infant mortality (6). In developing countries today, from India to Africa, raw milk is routinely boiled before being fed to babies, children, and other family members to protect them from deadly milk-borne infections."
It is my understanding that raw milk is never marketed or recommended to infants. Most every article I read that discussed raw milk as being beneficial was very clear on the fact that those that have compromised immune systems, including infants, elderly, those undergoing chemo, should not drink raw milk or should use great caution and possibly drink a low heat pasteurized milk instead.
"Myth #2. Pasteurization destroys all the nutrients in milk.
Since the dawn of pasteurization (using heat to kill pathogens), this myth has prevailed without scientific evidence. When pasteurization started to become more mainstream early last century, some people were suspicious of the technology. Subsequent analyses of the nutritional components of raw and pasteurized milk revealed no significant differences for the major nutritional components such as proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins (7-10). View comparison of raw and pasteurized organic whole milk labels: "
Okay, maybe this is just my tiny little brain not fully comprehending everything but I'm pretty sure the biggest advantage of raw milk's health benefits is its probiotic nature and the fact that the lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose, still remains. These two things alone are pretty important in combating a lot of those unfortunate digestive issues. And in a study titled, "Effect of processing on contents and relationships of mineral elements of milk," it showed that minerals such as iron, manganese and copper were decreased with pasteurization. There is also evidence that the bioavailabilty of B6 and Vitamin A is decreased after pasteurization. I understand that these features are not listed on the Nutrition Facts label but if we are going to dispute something lets be thorough.
"Myth #3. Homogenization produces dangerous changes in milk.
This is another old myth dating back to the first years of milk processing during the last century. Homogenization is simply the process of physically breaking up the fat globules in cow’s milk to make a “homogenous” fluid milk beverage (11-12). Unhomogenized cows milk will develop a cream layer at the top of the container. Goat’s milk is “naturally homogenized” and does not form a cream layer during storage. There is no proven health difference between mechanically homogenized cow’s milk and naturally homogenized goat’s milk."
I haven't read or heard anyone state the homogenization process is dangerous. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places? From what I have read and experienced is that non-homogenized is much creamier and richer. I will say that I was told by an owner of a raw dairy farm that when the milk is non-homogenized the fat molecule is too large to get absorbed and passes through the digestive system. I never came across any research stating that but mostly the raw milk research is focused on pasteurization not homognization.
"Myth #4. Raw milk kills pathogens.
This myth evolved from a partial truth based on experimental data where researchers inoculated “bad” bacteria into raw milk and measured its survival. In one experiment, a few strains of the bacteria Campylobacter died sooner in raw milk compared with sterile milk (13), but most strains survived long in enough in both types of milk to make someone sick. Other experiments have shown survival and even growth of E. coli O157, Salmonella, and Listeria in raw milk and raw milk products (14-17). Live bacterial pathogens are routinely found in bulk tank milk on farms, which proves that “bad” bacteria are not reliably killed by “good” bacteria, enzymes or other components of raw milk (18-21). Raw milk also does not kill or reduce foodborne viruses or parasites."
True. So basically bacteria can grow in both pasteurized and raw milk.
"Myth #5. It is safe to leave raw milk at room temperature.
This myth appears to come from a revival in the interest in traditional diets and practices. Clabbered milk is raw milk allowed to naturally sour and thicken (22). The raw milk is allowed to warm, which can be very dangerous if the milk was accidently contaminated with pathogenic bacteria that grow at warm temperature (e.g., Salmonella, E. coli O157, Staphylococcus aureus). Bacterial pathogens thrive on the nutrients in fresh milk and can outgrow the “good bacteria” once given the advantage of increased temperature. Not all raw milk contains pathogens, but because you can’t see or smell them, there is no way to know if it is safe to take this chance. A safer alternative is to buy cultured dairy products such as buttermilk, yogurt, and kefir made with pasteurized milk. View charts of pathogen growth from experiments conducted at room temperature and under refrigeration:"
Gross. Not really interested in room temperature milk anyways.
"Myth #6. Raw milk is healthier than pasteurized milk for babies.
Raw milk activists in developed countries, especially the United States, mostly perpetuate this myth. In contrast, most parents in developing countries recognize the dangers of raw animal milk and boil milk to destroy pathogens before feeding to babies or young children. Numerous studies show that breastfeeding is the healthiest option for infants (23). A human mother’s milk is designed to be the best source of nutrition and immune-giving factors for her baby. When breastfeeding is not an option, there is nearly unanimous agreement in the medical and public health communities worldwide that only pasteurized animal milk should be given to infants and young children (1-2, 24)."
This is pretty much a repeat of Myth #1.
"Myth #7. Millions of people purchase raw milk every year in the United States.
This myth appeared recently in an intense marketing campaign by raw milk advocates. Their estimate is based on a 2007 CDC FoodNet survey that found ~3% of people surveyed in 10 states reported drinking raw milk in the last 7 days (25). The survey did not differentiate between raw milk consumed on the farm vs. purchased by a customer. Most raw milk is consumed by rural dairy farm families and their workers who drink raw milk directly from their own animals (26-27). Estimates of non-farm, urban and suburban consumers who purchase raw milk from stores or farmers markets are drastically lower compared with farm family consumption. Commercial raw milk sales make up less
than 1% of milk sales overall (28). Retail commercial raw milk is a highly specialized niche product that is legal in only a few states and sold mostly in small natural food stores and co-ops. Major retailers do not sell raw milk because of the well-documented food safety risks. Whole Foods discontinued sales of raw milk in 2010 due to liability concerns (29).
I'm not sure what the point is? Because raw milk is really difficult to get obviously there are not going to be a lot of people drinking it. In Texas raw milk must be sold from the farm. This means the farmer cannot take the milk to the farmer's market or even deliver it to your home. You have to drive to the farm and purchase it there. I also think that those intense raw milk campaigners were not so concerned with the actual purchases as much as the fact that there are lots of people drinking raw milk whether they live on a farm or not and they are not falling ill or dying. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe these raw milk activists care more about the huge bucks that these small local farmers are getting paid with every $5 to $8 purchase of raw milk.
Myth #8. Deaths attributed to drinking raw milk were from “bathtub cheese” and factory farms, not legal or “certified” raw milk.
This myth goes back to at least the 1980s when a single certified raw milk dairy in California was ultimately shut down after numerous illnesses and deaths from Salmonella Dublin (30). These deaths included immunosuppressed persons with AIDS, a then newly recognized syndrome. From 1980-1983, 15 deaths from salmonellosis in California from certified raw milk were documented (31). Stricter federal regulations were put in place during the 1980s to curb the high rate of illnesses and deaths from legal raw milk (4). There are also documented deaths from listeriosis and salmonellosis due to contaminated Mexican-style cheese (e.g., queso fresco) made with raw milk, and processed milk contaminated after pasteurization (32-33). No deaths in the last decade have been attributed to legal raw milk, but E. coli O157:H7 infections and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) cases have been linked to a number of pasture-based raw milk farms and herdshares in states where raw milk sales are legal (34-36). Advances in medical treatment of HUS likely prevented death, although some patients may suffer from permanent kidney damage and other chronic health problems caused by the original E. coli O157 infection. "
I don't know what to say to this. Doesn't the fact that there have been NO deaths in the last DECADE attributed to legal raw milk kind of speak for itself? According to a report done by Center for Science in the Public Interest approximately 5,000 deaths are reported to be from foodborne illness EVERY YEAR. And we just read that no deaths have been attributed to raw dairy in the last 10 years. Cantaloupe killed more people than the "dangerous" and "life-threatening" raw milk. Hmmm.
Myth #9. European researchers recommend raw milk for treatment of child allergies.
This myth originates from large population-based studies of rural farm factors that affect allergic and other conditions in Europe. A correlation between drinking farm milk and reduced childhood allergies has been found in epidemiological studies (37-41). However, the authors admit that causation has not been proven, and it is unclear if farm (unboiled) milk or other farm factors such as being around animals and barns influence the development of allergies in children. The European researchers recommend that raw milk not be used as a “treatment” for childhood allergies due to the risk of pathogens and serious infection.
So we have discussed this issue of epidemiological studies. Just because people are carrying umbrellas and it is raining doesn't mean when large amounts of umbrellas are pointing to the sky it rains. So sometime the things we observe don't always give us a clear conclusion. But sometimes it does...or at least it may get us thinking in the right direction. I have listened to and read testimonies of lots of people that started drinking raw milk and allergy symptoms disappeared. Maybe it was a placebo affect? Whatever the reason these people are no longer snotty, sneezy, red nose messes like some of you who are starting to really consider this raw milk thing if it means no more allergies.
"Myth #10. Pathogens only come from factory farms (“confined feeding animal operations” or CAFOs).
This myth blossomed after publication of a small study in 1998 that showed a possible relationship between grain feeding and E. coli carriage in cattle (42). This lead to a widespread unsubstantiated belief that a grain diet (typical of a feedlot) affects the acidity of the stomach and promotes the growth of E. coli O157:H7. There is still much more research needed to understand how diet affects an animal’s likelihood of shedding pathogens in their feces (43-50). Higher rates of carriage have been found on feedlots where animals are crowded and when high rations of distiller’s grains are fed, but the specific influence of feed remains unclear. Furthermore, pathogens have been found in the guts and feces of cattle and other animals (including free-roaming wildlife) living on pasture with no exposure to grain."
I have read A LOT about E. coli from grain and corn-fed cows. I actually didn't know that this was an "unsubstantiated belief." There is lots of evidence for this. Now whether or not their poop has more pathogens I would assume so. Does that even need to be tested? Wouldn't it make sense that if E.coli is in the cow then it is also in its poop? And yes, I'm sure pathogens are found in feces of some pasture raised cows. I've never heard anyone say that every single pasture raised cow is perfectly healthy 100% of the time. But it just seems obvious, especially after you watch Food Inc, that those cows that are all crowded together eating food that God never intended cows to eat would have more bad bacteria in their gut as well as their poop. Just saying.
I'm not sure all of that was good new so here is the REALLY good news...In the end you don't have to freak out over whether or not to drink raw milk. You can just simply give dairy up. You will survive. It is not that big of a deal. Hey, you no longer eat crackers, bread, or pasta so what do you need cheese for? Oh that's right...for the cauliflower crust pizza. Mmmm. So if it is that important to you do some research. Chris Kresser did a four part raw milk review covering all the important points. Please read it. Be informed. Also, the movie Farmageddon is on Netflix as a play now option. Watch it. Then check out my next post. I'll let you know all about my family's experience with raw milk and give an amazing recipe for paleo Girl Scout Samoa copycat cookies.
My Jack got in the car after school the other day and said, "Momma, I've got good news and I've got bad news." I loved how he managed to find the silver lining in his rock throwing story which was ultimately all bad news but I appreciated the positive delivery of it. So my dear readers...I've got good news and I've got bad news.
Let's get the bad over with first.
MILK PROTEINS
The two categories of milk proteins are casein and whey. Casein makes up about 80% and is the main source of amino acids in milk. Sounds okay so far. But for some people casein can cause a histamine response such as headaches, tummy issues, increased asthma, and allergies. Okay. So I know a lot of you suffer from allergies. I know this because you all walk around with watery eyes and stuffy noses. You blame it on the wind or the storm or a particular growth season of a plant. Which is probably true but what if dairy is making the whole experience worse? What if you could eliminate dairy and no longer have to wear waterproof mascara? (I hate that stuff. It is like superglue on my already very sad little eyelashes.)
The other protein category is whey. Whey is a bunch of smaller proteins and hormones such as immunoglobulins, insulin, IGF-1, and estrogen. All these things are really awesome if you are a tiny little infant and trying to grow big and strong. They all promote aggressive growth. This is also why you will see IGF-1 in workout supplements. There is an argument that we don't need to continue sending the growth hormone signals to our bodies once we are weened off our mother's milk. I'm not saying I agree with that argument I'm just saying there is one. You can read more about it in It Starts with Food.
Whey also causes our bodies to have an increase in insulin response. Insulin is a good thing. It pushes nutrients into our cells. But too much insulin for too long can be bad and can lead to insulin resistance and it just gets really bad from there.
MILK SUGAR: LACTOSE
We all have heard of lactose-intolerance. If you watch Big Bang Theory you have heard of lactose-intolerance. It is why the guy that was on Roseanne gets teased about his digestive issues when consuming dairy. There is actually a really large percentage of people that have a hard time digesting lactose. The severity of the symptoms vary from just bloating to embarrassing bathroom explosions. I have read that we are all naturally lactose-intolerant but because we force so much dairy on ourselves our bodies have learned to adapt. For those of us that have been off dairy for awhile when we choose to have a dairy treat we usually experience worse symptoms than before we got off the dairy train.
Now comes the good news! YAY!
Raw milk has been found to be very tolerable to our digestive systems and also provides us with wonderful minerals, probiotics, and healthy fats. Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized (a process of extreme heating to kill any bad stuff in the milk) or homogenized (a process of straining the fat globules in the milk allowing it to blend.) Some people claim that switching to raw milk actually improved their health. Actually a lot of people claim this. The crazy thing is there hasn't really been a ton of research on this. When I started to prepare for this blog I did lots of Internet searches. I found two very different sides of the raw milk coin. Anything related to the government stated very strongly, like in a weird way, that raw milk was dangerous and life-threatening. The articles were very negative and several used really strong scary words that really had me second guessing things and feeling like a bad mommy. A lot of the articles made a strong point of debunking raw vs pasturized myths in the exact same bullet point format in almost the same wording. I started to wonder if these articles were just regurgitating other articles and then which of these articles were actually based on research or facts?
Let's discuss these myths. I'm going to copy and paste they actual "myth" from one of the many articles I found. The following comes from www.foodsafetynews.com.
"Myth #1. Raw milk has been consumed for thousands of years without a problem.
This myth reflects a lack of understanding about the historical impact of infectious diseases transmitted by raw milk for centuries, especially tuberculosis, brucellosis (undulant fever), and scarlet fever (1-5). Raw milk has caused numerous deaths of infants throughout history. Pasteurization was developed to prevent these well-documented illnesses and deaths from contaminated raw milk. In developed countries, the use of pasteurization has been directly correlated to reduced infant mortality (6). In developing countries today, from India to Africa, raw milk is routinely boiled before being fed to babies, children, and other family members to protect them from deadly milk-borne infections."
It is my understanding that raw milk is never marketed or recommended to infants. Most every article I read that discussed raw milk as being beneficial was very clear on the fact that those that have compromised immune systems, including infants, elderly, those undergoing chemo, should not drink raw milk or should use great caution and possibly drink a low heat pasteurized milk instead.
"Myth #2. Pasteurization destroys all the nutrients in milk.
Since the dawn of pasteurization (using heat to kill pathogens), this myth has prevailed without scientific evidence. When pasteurization started to become more mainstream early last century, some people were suspicious of the technology. Subsequent analyses of the nutritional components of raw and pasteurized milk revealed no significant differences for the major nutritional components such as proteins, carbohydrates, and vitamins (7-10). View comparison of raw and pasteurized organic whole milk labels: "
Okay, maybe this is just my tiny little brain not fully comprehending everything but I'm pretty sure the biggest advantage of raw milk's health benefits is its probiotic nature and the fact that the lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose, still remains. These two things alone are pretty important in combating a lot of those unfortunate digestive issues. And in a study titled, "Effect of processing on contents and relationships of mineral elements of milk," it showed that minerals such as iron, manganese and copper were decreased with pasteurization. There is also evidence that the bioavailabilty of B6 and Vitamin A is decreased after pasteurization. I understand that these features are not listed on the Nutrition Facts label but if we are going to dispute something lets be thorough.
"Myth #3. Homogenization produces dangerous changes in milk.
This is another old myth dating back to the first years of milk processing during the last century. Homogenization is simply the process of physically breaking up the fat globules in cow’s milk to make a “homogenous” fluid milk beverage (11-12). Unhomogenized cows milk will develop a cream layer at the top of the container. Goat’s milk is “naturally homogenized” and does not form a cream layer during storage. There is no proven health difference between mechanically homogenized cow’s milk and naturally homogenized goat’s milk."
I haven't read or heard anyone state the homogenization process is dangerous. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places? From what I have read and experienced is that non-homogenized is much creamier and richer. I will say that I was told by an owner of a raw dairy farm that when the milk is non-homogenized the fat molecule is too large to get absorbed and passes through the digestive system. I never came across any research stating that but mostly the raw milk research is focused on pasteurization not homognization.
"Myth #4. Raw milk kills pathogens.
This myth evolved from a partial truth based on experimental data where researchers inoculated “bad” bacteria into raw milk and measured its survival. In one experiment, a few strains of the bacteria Campylobacter died sooner in raw milk compared with sterile milk (13), but most strains survived long in enough in both types of milk to make someone sick. Other experiments have shown survival and even growth of E. coli O157, Salmonella, and Listeria in raw milk and raw milk products (14-17). Live bacterial pathogens are routinely found in bulk tank milk on farms, which proves that “bad” bacteria are not reliably killed by “good” bacteria, enzymes or other components of raw milk (18-21). Raw milk also does not kill or reduce foodborne viruses or parasites."
True. So basically bacteria can grow in both pasteurized and raw milk.
"Myth #5. It is safe to leave raw milk at room temperature.
This myth appears to come from a revival in the interest in traditional diets and practices. Clabbered milk is raw milk allowed to naturally sour and thicken (22). The raw milk is allowed to warm, which can be very dangerous if the milk was accidently contaminated with pathogenic bacteria that grow at warm temperature (e.g., Salmonella, E. coli O157, Staphylococcus aureus). Bacterial pathogens thrive on the nutrients in fresh milk and can outgrow the “good bacteria” once given the advantage of increased temperature. Not all raw milk contains pathogens, but because you can’t see or smell them, there is no way to know if it is safe to take this chance. A safer alternative is to buy cultured dairy products such as buttermilk, yogurt, and kefir made with pasteurized milk. View charts of pathogen growth from experiments conducted at room temperature and under refrigeration:"
Gross. Not really interested in room temperature milk anyways.
"Myth #6. Raw milk is healthier than pasteurized milk for babies.
Raw milk activists in developed countries, especially the United States, mostly perpetuate this myth. In contrast, most parents in developing countries recognize the dangers of raw animal milk and boil milk to destroy pathogens before feeding to babies or young children. Numerous studies show that breastfeeding is the healthiest option for infants (23). A human mother’s milk is designed to be the best source of nutrition and immune-giving factors for her baby. When breastfeeding is not an option, there is nearly unanimous agreement in the medical and public health communities worldwide that only pasteurized animal milk should be given to infants and young children (1-2, 24)."
This is pretty much a repeat of Myth #1.
"Myth #7. Millions of people purchase raw milk every year in the United States.
This myth appeared recently in an intense marketing campaign by raw milk advocates. Their estimate is based on a 2007 CDC FoodNet survey that found ~3% of people surveyed in 10 states reported drinking raw milk in the last 7 days (25). The survey did not differentiate between raw milk consumed on the farm vs. purchased by a customer. Most raw milk is consumed by rural dairy farm families and their workers who drink raw milk directly from their own animals (26-27). Estimates of non-farm, urban and suburban consumers who purchase raw milk from stores or farmers markets are drastically lower compared with farm family consumption. Commercial raw milk sales make up less
than 1% of milk sales overall (28). Retail commercial raw milk is a highly specialized niche product that is legal in only a few states and sold mostly in small natural food stores and co-ops. Major retailers do not sell raw milk because of the well-documented food safety risks. Whole Foods discontinued sales of raw milk in 2010 due to liability concerns (29).
I'm not sure what the point is? Because raw milk is really difficult to get obviously there are not going to be a lot of people drinking it. In Texas raw milk must be sold from the farm. This means the farmer cannot take the milk to the farmer's market or even deliver it to your home. You have to drive to the farm and purchase it there. I also think that those intense raw milk campaigners were not so concerned with the actual purchases as much as the fact that there are lots of people drinking raw milk whether they live on a farm or not and they are not falling ill or dying. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe these raw milk activists care more about the huge bucks that these small local farmers are getting paid with every $5 to $8 purchase of raw milk.
Myth #8. Deaths attributed to drinking raw milk were from “bathtub cheese” and factory farms, not legal or “certified” raw milk.
This myth goes back to at least the 1980s when a single certified raw milk dairy in California was ultimately shut down after numerous illnesses and deaths from Salmonella Dublin (30). These deaths included immunosuppressed persons with AIDS, a then newly recognized syndrome. From 1980-1983, 15 deaths from salmonellosis in California from certified raw milk were documented (31). Stricter federal regulations were put in place during the 1980s to curb the high rate of illnesses and deaths from legal raw milk (4). There are also documented deaths from listeriosis and salmonellosis due to contaminated Mexican-style cheese (e.g., queso fresco) made with raw milk, and processed milk contaminated after pasteurization (32-33). No deaths in the last decade have been attributed to legal raw milk, but E. coli O157:H7 infections and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) cases have been linked to a number of pasture-based raw milk farms and herdshares in states where raw milk sales are legal (34-36). Advances in medical treatment of HUS likely prevented death, although some patients may suffer from permanent kidney damage and other chronic health problems caused by the original E. coli O157 infection. "
I don't know what to say to this. Doesn't the fact that there have been NO deaths in the last DECADE attributed to legal raw milk kind of speak for itself? According to a report done by Center for Science in the Public Interest approximately 5,000 deaths are reported to be from foodborne illness EVERY YEAR. And we just read that no deaths have been attributed to raw dairy in the last 10 years. Cantaloupe killed more people than the "dangerous" and "life-threatening" raw milk. Hmmm.
Myth #9. European researchers recommend raw milk for treatment of child allergies.
This myth originates from large population-based studies of rural farm factors that affect allergic and other conditions in Europe. A correlation between drinking farm milk and reduced childhood allergies has been found in epidemiological studies (37-41). However, the authors admit that causation has not been proven, and it is unclear if farm (unboiled) milk or other farm factors such as being around animals and barns influence the development of allergies in children. The European researchers recommend that raw milk not be used as a “treatment” for childhood allergies due to the risk of pathogens and serious infection.
So we have discussed this issue of epidemiological studies. Just because people are carrying umbrellas and it is raining doesn't mean when large amounts of umbrellas are pointing to the sky it rains. So sometime the things we observe don't always give us a clear conclusion. But sometimes it does...or at least it may get us thinking in the right direction. I have listened to and read testimonies of lots of people that started drinking raw milk and allergy symptoms disappeared. Maybe it was a placebo affect? Whatever the reason these people are no longer snotty, sneezy, red nose messes like some of you who are starting to really consider this raw milk thing if it means no more allergies.
"Myth #10. Pathogens only come from factory farms (“confined feeding animal operations” or CAFOs).
This myth blossomed after publication of a small study in 1998 that showed a possible relationship between grain feeding and E. coli carriage in cattle (42). This lead to a widespread unsubstantiated belief that a grain diet (typical of a feedlot) affects the acidity of the stomach and promotes the growth of E. coli O157:H7. There is still much more research needed to understand how diet affects an animal’s likelihood of shedding pathogens in their feces (43-50). Higher rates of carriage have been found on feedlots where animals are crowded and when high rations of distiller’s grains are fed, but the specific influence of feed remains unclear. Furthermore, pathogens have been found in the guts and feces of cattle and other animals (including free-roaming wildlife) living on pasture with no exposure to grain."
I have read A LOT about E. coli from grain and corn-fed cows. I actually didn't know that this was an "unsubstantiated belief." There is lots of evidence for this. Now whether or not their poop has more pathogens I would assume so. Does that even need to be tested? Wouldn't it make sense that if E.coli is in the cow then it is also in its poop? And yes, I'm sure pathogens are found in feces of some pasture raised cows. I've never heard anyone say that every single pasture raised cow is perfectly healthy 100% of the time. But it just seems obvious, especially after you watch Food Inc, that those cows that are all crowded together eating food that God never intended cows to eat would have more bad bacteria in their gut as well as their poop. Just saying.
I'm not sure all of that was good new so here is the REALLY good news...In the end you don't have to freak out over whether or not to drink raw milk. You can just simply give dairy up. You will survive. It is not that big of a deal. Hey, you no longer eat crackers, bread, or pasta so what do you need cheese for? Oh that's right...for the cauliflower crust pizza. Mmmm. So if it is that important to you do some research. Chris Kresser did a four part raw milk review covering all the important points. Please read it. Be informed. Also, the movie Farmageddon is on Netflix as a play now option. Watch it. Then check out my next post. I'll let you know all about my family's experience with raw milk and give an amazing recipe for paleo Girl Scout Samoa copycat cookies.
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