Simple Food ~ Sane Life

Dairy, a Darwinian dilemma amongst foodies. I was, as most of us were, raised with the idea that we are supposed to drink milk. The famous advertisement … milk, it does a body good, was very true, but only when the milk that was available was healthy and nutritious!

Years ago I heard an opinion from a friend and colleague, that milk is for babies. An interesting belief! We, as humans, are the only species that consumes another’s milk into adulthood.

My son, Steven’s answer to that, between mouthfuls of salad, was: “What if we are the only species smart enough to utilize the milk of another mammal?”

Wow! Profound!

How is it that we are the only mammal or species smart enough to utilize another’s milk? Dairy is an amazing topic of discussion. It can speak to the evolutionary process, the survival of the fittest, and natural selection.

As babies every mammalian species needs a mother’s milk to survive. Humans have been able to override that natural selection process through the use of other mammal’s milk, including another female human, or other processed nourishment.

Babies are born with, and continue to produce, the necessary amount of lactase enzyme, necessary for digesting lactose, milk sugar. The production of this enzyme declines or disappears after weaning. Most adult humans have very little of the lactase enzyme. So, no big surprise when clients show up with lactose intolerance … maybe. I say maybe because some people, although they show up as lactose intolerant, are in fact intolerant to the milk protein called casein.

So does this mean that the original belief is correct? It is, and so is Steven’s.

We can consume milk products into adulthood with little problem through the practice of fermentation or souring of the milk. The souring process breaks down the lactose and predigests the casein. This yields yogurt, clabber and kefir.

Another interesting walk through the pasture takes us to the benefits of raw milk that our ancestors enjoyed. Raw milk, from cows that have been allowed to be the true grass fed vegetarians they are meant to be, unadulterated by hormones and antibiotics, is very healthy and contain a full complement of nutrients and enzymes to simplify the digestive process.

The pasteurized and homogenized milk products in grocery stores are not the quality product you want to consume. Pasteurization destroys essential enzymes and nutrients, including calcium, that occur naturally in milk. Some of the nutrients are artificially added back in after processing. If you are diabetic or on a candida elimination diet, please be aware that the pasteurization process alters the lactose, the milk sugar, making it easily available for absorption. Homogenization contributes to heart disease.

All is not lost! We can still choose to utilize other mammals’ milk to nourish our bodies as adults. Sally Fallon, the author of Nourishing Traditions, and President of The Weston Price Foundation, supports the campaign for Raw Milk, and speaks of the benefits and consumption of raw milk, and products made from raw milk.

I am intrigued and excited to be on the adventure of making my own yogurt after an inspiring conversation with a young colleague and friend over dinner recently. Thanks, Daria!

Given our ingenuity, survival instincts, and desire for waste-less consumption, are we really the mammals that are smart enough to utilize another mammal’s milk?

You decide about whether or not dairy works for you. If you desire to venture into the world of raw, find your local Raw Milk dairy farm at Raw Milk.

Milk is the food of the feminine, of the Mother. Allow it to nurture your body!

Peace,

Karyn