Drinking raw milk is taking a big risk

I don't think anyone will argue with me that milk does a body good.

Kids are taught as early as 4 years old that drinking milk will give them strong bones and teeth. As a result, they gulp it down in mass proportions. To promote a healthier diet, kids can even opt for milk, regular or chocolate, with most of their fast-food kids' meals, thereby ditching sugary sodas for a serving of calcium. These days, even those who are lactose intolerant don't have to remove milk from their diet. Depending on which brand you buy, there isn't a drastic change in taste whatsoever.

And you can't forget the ever-so-health-conscience, organic-only individuals. They opt for the pricier organic milk that's free of hormones some studies have linked to elevated cancer risk.

One thing's for sure, when it comes to milk, everyone has a preference.

NOT ALL GOOD

But there is one form of milk the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reminding consumers not to drink - raw milk.

The FDA reports that from 1998 to May 2005 the CDC identified 45 outbreaks of foodborne illness that implicated milk or cheese made from unpasteurized milk. The outbreaks accounted for 1,007 illnesses, 104 hospitalizations and two deaths. The actual number of illnesses was almost certainly higher because not all cases of illness are recognized and reported, according to the FDA.

SALES RESTRICTIONS

It's illegal in some states to buy or sell raw milk. In Mississippi, the sale of raw goat's milk is legal. Despite sale restrictions of raw milk for human consumption, those who want it find ways to acquire it, often claiming it's more nutritious and inherently antimicrobial - claims the FDA reports are myths.

Pasteurizing milk removes bacteria responsible for diseases such as campylobacteriosis, tuberculosis and diphtheria and more. Pregnant women, the elderly, infants and those with weakened immune systems are especially encouraged not to drink it.

In the end, drinking raw milk is a matter of choice and personal freedom for proponents of it who are ready to fight to the end to drink what they want.

But it's a choice researchers report could be fatal.

Tomado de: clarionledger.com

Aporte de: Mauricio Restrepo