Difference Between Raw Milk and Pasteurized Milk

Milk is very important for the all-around development of the body, physical and mental both. It has several nutrients in it. It is taken in breakfast and after dinner also. Even some people avoid taking heavy meals and drink a glass of milk instead. There are several sources of milk. Some are animals, while some are from fruits/nuts.

 For example, cow milk, goat milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and many more. Except these also there are types of milk that include raw milk and Pasteurized milk. While they do not have many differences as most of the time, they have the same source, but still, there are plenty of differences among themselves.

Raw Milk vs Pasteurized Milk

The main difference between Raw Milk and Pasteurized Milk is that Raw Milk is a less safe option when compared to Pasteurized Milk. RAW Milk also has some things that are not present in Pasteurized Milk, such as Lipase and Pathogenic Bacteria due to the heating process. And for the same reason, Pasteurized Milk has a longer shelf life in comparison. Except these some properties of Pasteurized Milk also changes.

Raw Milk is the milk that does not go under the process of heating for killing several bacteria to make it safer for consumption. It is also known as unpasteurized milk. Due to heat, few important nutrients inside the milk are destroyed, which is not in the case of raw milk. Its taste and color remain the same.

Pasteurized Milk is when cold raw milk is undergone through a process of heating. It results in terminating harmful bacteria present in the milk that can cause food poisoning or some allergy. After heating, the milk can be preserved for a longer duration, and it also comes in several forms.

Comparison Table Between Raw Milk and Pasteurized Milk

What is Raw Milk?

Raw milk has been proven the best source of nutrition. It is better than Pasteurized Milk in several ways and has the following benefits:

1. It is full of nutrition as 244grams of raw milk has Calories: 150, Protein: 8 grams, Fat: 8 grams, Calcium: 30% of the RDA, Vitamin A: 6% of the RDA, Iron: 6% of the RDA, Cholesterol: 10% of the RDA, Sugars: 12 grams. It contains content that can be easily digested and is best for increasing Vitamin A, zinc, and magnesium in the body.
2. Excellent source of Raw Protein: we all are aware of the benefits of protein in the body and what can cause a lack of protein. Therefore it is important to add protein-rich food to our diet. For this purpose, raw milk is the best option, as it contains all the necessary amino acids.
3. Beneficial for bones: as we know, it has all necessary nutrients that include calcium. It is best for the healthy development of bones, making them stronger. It also prevents various diseases that may cause because of lack of calcium in the body.
4. Helpful in preventing weight gain: it is a useful and great option for preventing the problem of obesity, this has been proven in studies too that drinking raw milk prevents obesity in children.
5. A versatile product: it is very versatile and can be consumed with several other things. That includes oats, muesli, which can be used for making coffee, and smoothies, etc.

What is Pasteurized Milk?

When Raw Milk is gone through the process of heating, it turned into Pasteurized Milk. This process was invented around 150 years ago. It is heated in stainless steel utensil for a few minutes or seconds.

Following are the benefits of consuming Pasteurized Milk:

1. Less risk of Sickness: consuming raw milk invites several bacteria to the body. It leads to several diseases. For example, it can cause food poisoning in the body or can cause headaches too. This is terminated when milk is heated. Therefore Pasteurized Milk does not cause any direct problem.
2. Rich in Nutrients: raw milk only has few existing nutrients. But Pasteurized Milk can also have added extra nutrients. Therefore, it is healthier. Also, it tastes better than Raw Milk.

Except these, Pasteurized Milk can be stored for a longer period than Raw Milk.

Disadvantages of Pasteurized Milk:

1. Less natural occurring nutrients: due to excessive heating, few nutrients that were present in the Raw milk are destroyed, and therefore, when compared, it has less natural nutrients than Raw Milk.
2. Added Contaminates: in Pasteurized Milk, sometimes, some extra synthetic products are added. Although it does not have any major side effects, it is said that any synthetic product is not good for long-term consumption.

Main Differences Between Raw Milk and Pasteurized Milk

1. Drink Raw Milk on a daily basis is not a safe option as it can lead to several diseases that include, heart problems or food poisoning related problems while Pasteurized Milk is safer as it terminated all the disease that is caused due to Raw Milk.
2. In terms of shelf life, RAW Milk does not have a longer shelf life means it cannot be contained for a longer period, while in comparison, Pasteurized Milk has a longer shelf life, i.e., it can be stored for a long period.
3. Raw Milk can be consumed after homogenization, but for consuming the Pasteurized Milk, certain steps have to be done.
4. In Raw Milk, calcium can be absorbed easier due to the presence of phosphate, whereas it is not present in Pasteurized Milk as it gets destroyed due to the heating process.
5. Properties such as color and taste or Organoleptic properties of milk remain the same in the case of Raw Milk, while these properties changes in the case of Pasteurized Milk due to heating.
6. Raw Milk contains Lipase that is required for the digestion of fat while it is not present in Pasteurized Milk.
7. Pasteurized Milk is available in different forms, i.e., semi-skimmed and skimmed form, while Raw Milk is only available in liquid form.
8. Raw Milk has some Pathogenic bacteria which are not present in the Pasteurized Milk.

Conclusion 

Therefore, they have all the above-mentioned differences. Now it should not be very difficult to choose between them. While milk has several benefits, but there are some disadvantages to drinking milk too. This includes obesity, diabetes, heart problems, etc. therefore, it is recommended to intake it in proper proportion. It is also taken with some other ingredients, such as turmeric, nuts, and many more, to increase its benefits. Hot milk is said to be more beneficial than cold.

Although most people like and drink milk, few avoid milk. They don’t even eat any milk-related products.

References 

1. https://academic.oup.com/femsre/article-abstract/37/5/664/541439
2. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/fpd.2009.0302
3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958694601001510
4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666308000822
5. https://journals.asm.org/doi/abs/10.1128/aem.51.2.438-440.1986