Ultra-Pasteurization: An Overrated (And Damaging) Processing Method
The case to stop drinking ultra-pasteurized beverages
Dairy is an important topic to demystify because a lot of people parrot propaganda that it’s inherently deadly and harmful to human health.
I’ve written about this subject before, most notably, what I call the ‘three tier dairy hierarchy’ which explores the spectrum of milk, its quality and how it’s processed.
You can read it below.
This article is going to exclusively be on the subject of ultra-pasteurization, a processing method for milk and other beverages (like orange juice) which, in my opinion, is overrated and harmful to human health.
Pasteurization: Defined
The pasteurization process refers to when a liquid is heated to a specific temperature meant to eliminate harmful bacteria.
Why is it called pasteurization?
To honor the man who invented pasteurization.
Pasteurization history reaches back further than Louis Pasteur in concept — the Chinese have been using heat to preserve since 1117, while Japanese and Italian texts between the 1400s and 1700s also document the process.
Because tuberculosis was often carried in milk products, pasteurization was introduced in the late 1800s as a method known as the “low-temperature, long time process (LTLT),” or “batch pasteurization,” or “VAT pasteurization” in which milk was heated to about 145 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. This is believed to have led to a dramatic drop in tuberculosis cases caused by milk.
1882 marked the beginning of commercial milk pasteurization, this time using high-temperature, short-time homogenization (HTST). Instead of the 30-minute heating time, milk was now heated to 162 degrees for just 15 seconds.
Everyone and their mother raves about how raw dairy is deadly, but is this really the case?
Before we dive into that, I want to differentiate between two forms of pasteurization. I’m not making the case that this processing method is bad because raw milk can be pasteurized while maintaining the nutrient profile and taste we love.
While ultra-pasteurization is an unhealthy way to process raw dairy, VAT pasteurization is a healthy middle ground if you don’t have access to raw dairy.
It utilizes the same cooking method as a crockpot (which is superb).
Low temp heat over a longer time period as opposed to the ultra-pasteurization method which uses extreme heat in short time.
Through this, you process raw dairy in a way that maintains the flavor, nutrients, enzymes and other co-factors associated with it.
It’s also much more accessible to people because companies like Alexandre Family Farms stock their product in places like Whole Foods, Mother’s Market, Sprouts, Gelson’s and beyond.
The 5 Ultra-Pasteurization Myths
It’s very difficult to eradicate the misinformation people believe about raw dairy.
Below, I’ll arm you with some valuable information to digest and bring to other people who are curious about the truth of this subject.
Myth #1: Ultra-pasteurization doesn’t damage the nutrient profile of raw dairy
The high heat used for this type of processing method destroys many of the nutrients, vitamins and enzymes present in raw dairy.
This is why I view conventional dairy as a poison.
Your body doesn’t recognize it as food because it’s been artificially manipulated.
With consumption over the long term, it sets you up for worse health by creating chronic inflammation which directly causes chronic disease.
We have a complete food that’s been stripped of its nutritional power.
Myth #2: Ultra-pasteurized milk contains less allergens
Raw dairy has been shown to have a protective effect on certain conditions and the immune system because it gradually bolsters immune function.
It takes us back to first principles thinking.
We know that raw dairy has been around in various forms throughout hundreds of cultures, so why is it that there’s a push to demonize it now?
If you dive into Rockefeller’s influence on the dairy industry, you’ll have your answer.
Myth #3: Raw milk is deadly
The CDC states that “healthy people of any age can get very sick or even die if they drink raw milk contaminated with harmful germs.”
But that’s not the entire picture.
Harmful bacteria can cause illness and, in some cases, death - but some of the ones they name are often in other types of contaminated foods. Raw milk is far from the worst offender.
Dr. Chris Kresser painstakingly reviewed data regarding the “many” outbreaks described by the CDC. In his analysis, which used a review that ended in 2008, dairy (including both unhomogenized and homogenized milk) was one of the smallest offenders when it came to foodborne pathogen outbreaks.
You can read his full breakdown here.
Here are some interesting points from it:
Not a single person has died from an illness caused by contaminated raw milk since the mid-1980s, although 10 million or more people consume it on a regular basis. To put that in perspective, about 5,000 people in the U.S. die each year from these types of illnesses.
The CDC reports included reports of “bathtub cheese,” related incidents as part of their figures on raw milk. This product, known as Queso Fresco, is an illegal cheese made from raw milk at home. It’s inherently dangerous, causes far more issues than traditional raw milk cheese and, in Kresser’s words, “distorts the data and makes raw milk seem more dangerous than it really is.”
You are more likely to become sick from shellfish or die from eating raw oysters than to contract an illness from raw milk.
What’s even better is that once we use relatively newer data, we see that there were a total of eight outbreaks related to dairy between 2001–2010.
This number includes all forms of dairy.
In comparison, beef caused 28 outbreaks during the same length of time.
Myth #4: Pasteurized milk helps develop strong bones
A scientist by the name of Pottenger noticed a problem with conventional theory back in 1946. When he fed animal subjects pasteurized milk, he discovered they weren’t getting enough nutrition and that they had significant “skeletal changes and deficiencies in development.”
Pottenger also noted that it was virtually unknown what impact pasteurization would have on milk’s “growth-promoting factors that determine the skeletal development of our children.”
Myth #5: Ultra-pasteurized milk tastes better
This one is laughable to anybody who has tasted both conventional and raw milk.
Raw milk tastes incredible, like ice cream.
Conventional milk tastes like cooked milk water.
The two, taste wise, are incomparable.
You can read more about this here.
This information gives you a lot to work with, so don’t believe any of the common lies that have infected most people’s minds.
You’ll feel incredible improvements in sleep, energy, mood, mental clarity, performance in work and the gym and beyond.
And here’s the beautiful thing..
Because I use the 80/20 principle for my coaching and have over 7 years of experience in this realm, you experience the benefits within DAYS and WEEKS.
Furthermore, you’ll be taught the fundamental tools and lifestyle that you’ll use for the rest of your life (and hopefully your family will follow along because you’re leading by example).
This will genuinely change your life if you’re willing to invest in yourself.
Much love,
Zaid