by Pat W
(Enid, OK)
We ran a Grade A Dairy for many years. Grade A, means the milk goes from the milking machines directly to a large 'bulk tank' which cools very rapidly to 40ยบ. Milk is filtered in the line. Cows are tested regularly. I and my family drank this milk daily. When I was pregnant or nursing, I would occasionally get leg cramps. So, I would drink a little extra 'raw milk' and the cramps would go away.
My doctor even recommended giving the babies our raw milk after weaning from the breast.
Years later, after selling the dairy, we bought homogenized milk like other people. But, the effect upon leg cramps - usually due to low calcium - didn't work with the packaged milk.
I think something is causing the calcium to bind with other elements & not be available to the body. I know that pasteurization is necessary for overall safety, but homogenization is more for convenience & profitable for the milk processing companies. Upon arriving at the plant, milk is separated into cream & skim milk. Then this 'butter fat' content is added back to create the various mixes of milk & fat. Milk has greater amount of butterfat than most like to drink now. Left over cream is made into ice cream, half & half, butter & whipping cream. After milk is blended back into various % of fat it is homogenized.
I have not heard of research involving the delivery of calcium in homogenized milk vs. raw milk to the body. Who knows how many other nutrients are 'bound up' by ultra processing.
We spend money for milk then have to spend more money for calcium pills.
Regards,
Pw