5 Dangerous Side Effects of Drinking Raw Milk

While raw milk seems attractive because of its natural origin, did you know that it has significant significance health risks? Unpasteurized milk from cows, sheep or goats can contain harmful bacteria and germs that pose serious health problems. Although pasteurization – a heating process that kills pathogens – makes milk safe, raw milk skips this step, leaving consumers vulnerable. Here’s everything we need to know about the dangerous side effects of drinking raw milk and why experts warn against its consumption.

Bacterial infections leading to food poisoning

Raw milk is a known carrier of harmful bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter, all of which can lead to serious illness. food poisoning. Consuming these germs can cause nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain and fever. These symptoms not only interfere with daily life, but can also be serious, especially in young people and older adults. According to the CDC, raw milk has been linked to multiple outbreaks of diabetes foodborne diseases.

Risk of listeriosis in pregnant women

Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to the dangerous bacteria listeria, which is also present in raw milk. A Listeria infection, also called listeriosis, can cause serious pregnancy problems, such as miscarriage, premature labor and even stillbirth. It strongly encourages pregnant women to avoid raw milk completely, as this virus can have potentially fatal consequences for the unborn child.

Serious illnesses for people with weakened immune systems

People with weakened immune systems – such as transplant recipients, people with HIV/AIDS, cancer patients and the elderly – are highly susceptible to infections from raw milk. Because their immune systems are weak, consuming unpasteurized milk can lead to serious illness, hospitalization, or even death. For them, raw milk is an unnecessary risk, because even a small amount of harmful bacteria can cause serious infections.

Potential for chronic health problems

Some people may later develop serious medical conditions as a result of bacterial infections in raw milk. For example, campylobacter can result in Guillain-Barré syndrome, an uncommon but dangerous disease that causes the disease immune system focuses on the nerves. This can result in paralysis that requires constant care. It is strongly discouraged to drink raw milk as the long-term effects of foodborne infections can be serious.

High risk for young children

Children are at particularly high risk when it comes to consuming raw milk due to their still-developing immune systems. In fact, the CDC notes that foodborne illness from raw milk is especially consequential children and teenagers. Symptoms of bacterial infections in young children can escalate quickly, often requiring hospitalization. Given these risks, parents should avoid giving raw milk to children altogether, as it can lead to serious, life-threatening infections.

Why is pasteurization necessary?

Pasteurization is a process named after scientist Louis Pasteur. It is a process of boiling milk to a specific temperature, which kills harmful bacteria and makes milk safe for consumption. Although some believe that raw milk retains more nutrients, the benefits of pasteurization are believed to far outweigh the minimal loss of nutrients. This simple step has saved countless lives and remains essential to ensuring milk safety.