Raw Milk Lessens Allergy and Asthma Risk, Study Finds

According to a recent large European study, children who drink raw milk are less likely to develop allergies and asthma, reports FoxNews.com.

While a direct cause-and-effect relationship between raw milk consumption and less incidence of allergies and asthma cannot be confirmed, researchers believe that certain proteins found in raw milk (they are destroyed by the heat used in pasteurization) are beneficial to children's developing immune systems.

However, drinking raw milk carries its own set of dangers. As Georg Loss, a researcher with the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel who worked on the study, says, ‘The consumption of raw milk is a double-edged sword. On the one side it is protective for the development of asthma and allergies but on the other side it may imply serious health risks due to harmful microorganisms.’

Indeed, raw milk is one of the riskiest foods of all when it comes to the dangers of contracting dangerous foodborne illnesses. ‘From CDC's perspective, raw milk can carry harmful bacteria and other germs that can cause severe illness and even death,’ researcher Hannah Gould explains. ‘While it is possible to get foodborne illnesses from many different foods, raw milk is one of the riskiest of all.’

The study found that, ‘compared with kids who only drank store-bought milk, those who drank raw milk had a 41-percent reduction in their odds of developing asthma. They were also only about half as likely to develop hay fever — even after accounting for other factors that might be relevant.’

This study is unique in that it points to the exact components in the milk that might be protective. Specifically, ‘The protective effect was linked to so-called whey proteins in the milk, such as BSA and alpha-lactalbumin.’

While the study's results are impressive, it would be a mistake to recommend the consumption of raw milk. Rather, as Loss puts forth, ‘Pasteurization remains an effective tool to inactivate harmful microorganisms but may simultaneously destroy whey proteins. The results may give rise to technological developments aiming to destroy harmful microorganisms but preserving beneficial components of milk. The ultimate aim is to use a safe and protective milk for prevention of asthma.’

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.