Every year on June 1, we celebrate World Milk Day. This day is dedicated to the importance of milk and dairy products in our diets. It has also been celebrated every year since 2000, to raise awareness about the benefits of milk for overall health.
While most of us drink milk after boiling, a new Instagram trend has netizens drinking raw milk. So, what is the truth? How safe is drinking raw milk? Let us answer all your questions.
Lately, people are having unpasteurised milk, in the hope of better health. Many have even shared the potential benefits of having raw milk. However, this is far from the truth. After 58 herds of dairy cattle were infected with bird flu in the US, federal authorities have requested that citizens not consume raw milk.
Drinking raw milk can expose you to harmful bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria that invite illnesses like food poisoning and infections. Raw milk that is not pasteurised can cause problems in children, pregnant women, and the elderly. One may also experience vomiting and nausea.
Boiling milk has many health benefits as it destroys dangerous germs and bacteria that might cause food-borne illness. Boiling your milk also kills harmful organisms that cause typhoid fever and tuberculosis.
Make sure to store your milk in the main body of the refrigerator so it won't be exposed to extreme temperature changes.
In India, however, the packaged milk is pasteurised and can be used without boiling.
Also watch: Shah Rukh Khan's 'tandoori chicken tikka' diet: How good or bad is it for health?