Milk and dairy products are essential for overall health as they provide important vitamins and minerals needed for bone health, improved digestion and cell repair. However, in India, a common practice like drinking raw milk has been under the radar for quite some time now, especially among experts.

While in many areas of the country, drinking raw milk is considered a superior nutrient to natural food containing more amino acids, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, experts have come to oppose this view, suggesting that That drinking raw milk can be harmful. Hazardous to health.

Harmful effects of drinking raw milk

The norm of milk consumption in India involves bringing milk directly from the farm and boiling it before drinking. However, recently, the trend of drinking unpasteurized milk has been increasing, especially due to social media trends.

Many people believe that raw milk does not cause lactose intolerance because it contains lactase secreted by the “beneficial” or probiotic bacteria present in raw milk. Probiotics are beneficial for maintaining the gut microbiome, which means healthy digestion.

However, studies including those from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have shown that raw milk does not contain probiotics. Actually, there are many health risks associated with drinking raw milk.

Raw milk contains many types of bacteria, such as E.coli, coliform bacteria, Salmonella, Listeria and Staphylococcus etc. To make milk suitable for consumption, these pathogens must be eliminated.

• E.coli – This bacteria, when exceeds the limit level, causes gastroenteritis, urine infection, etc. It should be absent in milk.
• Exceeds limit level. It should be absent in milk.
• Coliform bacteria – Its presence indicates an unhealthy manufacturing process.
• Salmonella – It causes food poisoning and typhoid.
• Listeria – Causes listeriosis infection that can cause symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and difficulty breathing.
• Staphylococcus – It causes food poisoning, diarrhea and gastritis.

According to the Government of India, raw milk should be boiled as soon as possible so that the bacteria present in it die.

Dr. Vibhu Kawatra, Senior Consultant Pulmonologist Pediatrician, Vibhu Nursing Home, New Delhi, “Drinking raw milk is not recommended as it may contain bacteria like E.coli, Salmonella, Listeria and Campylobacter, which can cause serious gastrointestinal infections. It can cause serious gastrointestinal infections. It also contains pathogens that cause food-borne illnesses and pose a health risk, especially to children, the elderly, and pregnant women.”

Dr. Kawatra said that long-term consumption of raw milk can damage the kidneys, leading to E. coli-related infections and even kidney failure.

Dr. Cyriac AB Phillips, aka The Liver Doc, in a recent post on X urged people not to drink raw milk, saying many of the bacterial infections it contains are not easily treatable. “Some of them can ruin your life (for example: Listeria can attack the brain and cause frequent seizures in your child) or kill you (severe Salmonella infection can cause shock and Within a limited period of time the heart and brain may stop),” Dr. Phillips wrote in his post.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “The germs in raw milk can be especially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems (such as transplant patients and individuals with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and diabetes), children, Are.” Older adults, and pregnant women.”

Drinking raw or unpasteurized milk can cause flu-like symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain.

Pasteurization is necessary to make milk safe. Additionally, a lot of unregulated milk production in the country involves the use of chemicals, which is worrying. “It is best to purchase pasteurized milk from reputable sources and boil it before consuming,” Dr. Kawatra underlined.