DRINKING raw milk has become a popular trend in recent times, which is of particular concern. People are doing this even though there have been bacterial outbreaks of salmonella, campylobacter and listeria.
These bacteria can cause illness in our bodies and make us sick. These types of pathogens are destroyed by pasteurisation. This is a heat treatment process that eliminates bad bacteria whilst at the same time minimising damage to the food’s overall quality and nutritional value.
You should always go for pasteurised milk as this ensures safety for consumption. Don’t listen to unregulated people within this context. If you do come across raw milk it is always a good idea to boil it to a high temperature before consumption to eliminate any pathogen risk.
On a nutritional note, milk is a very versatile foodstuff and a good source of carbohydrate, protein, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iodine, vitamins B2, B3, B5, B9 and B12. These help with energy, structure, movement, teeth, bones, thyroid gland, mood, and DNA blueprint within our bodies. You should be aiming for three portions of dairy per day where we live – that includes milk, cheese and yoghurt.
Lee McCusker (BA; MSc; MSc; MSc; ANutr; SENr) is a registered nutritionist from Belfast and can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Email: attentive nutrition@gmail.com
