Raw milk – the underrated original

What is milk really?

Milk is one of the oldest staple foods for humans. According to the legal definition, it is the secretion from the udders of cows, hygienically obtained and intended for human consumption.

But biochemically speaking, milk is much more. It is a highly complex system of protein structures, enzymes, immune factors, growth factors, and even microRNAs. These components directly affect the immune system and metabolism. Raw milk, in particular, preserves this wealth of bioactive components in their most original form.

What happens during milk processing?

To preserve milk, it is heated or mechanically treated. Each process changes its internal structure:

• Pasteurization (approx. 72 °C): Kills germs, but also destroys sensitive enzymes and immune factors.
• UHT heating (135–150 °C): Makes milk almost sterile – but also largely “dead” because many bioactive structures are lost.
• Homogenization : Breaks down fat globules, prevents creaming, but changes the structure of milk fats and their digestibility.

The result: a safe, but biologically poor product. The question is: Should milk be a sterile food – or a living one?

Raw milk in research

Several large European studies have examined the health effects of raw milk consumption.

The results are remarkable: Children and young adults who regularly drank raw milk had stronger and more balanced immune systems than those who consumed only processed milk. Furthermore, their risk of asthma, allergies, and infections was significantly lower.

👉 Important studies:

• PARSIFAL study (2006): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16611663/
• GABRIELA study (2011): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21727233/
• PASTURE study (2015): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25441645/
• Review (2023): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39365274/

These results show that not all milk is the same – the way it is processed determines its value for our health.

Milk vs. Colostrum

Milk and colostrum are often mentioned in the same breath. However, they are two fundamentally different substances.

• Milk is produced after the first few days of lactation. It serves primarily as a nutritional source , rich in fats, proteins, lactose, and vitamins.
• Colostrum is the very first milk after birth. It is rich in immunoglobulins, growth factors, enzymes, and bioactive peptides . Its primary function is not nutrition, but rather strengthening and programming the newborn's immune system .

In short: milk nourishes – colostrum protects and strengthens.

Conclusion

Raw milk is more than just a food—it's a complex, living system with a unique influence on our immune system. Modern processing preserves milk, but it deprives it of much of its original benefits.

Colostrum, on the other hand, is a special case: it differs significantly from “normal” milk and plays a central role in building immunity.

👉 If you really want to understand milk, you have to see it not just as a beverage – but as a biological system that goes far beyond the classic definition.