Dairy products are often touted as an important source of the nutrition we need, but at the same time they are also one of the most common causes of allergies in humans. Lactose intolerance is a widespread phenomenon and many people also feel that milk just doesn’t agree with their digestive systems. The main problem with milk in terms of health and the development of diseases and allergies is pasteurization. Since Louis Pasteur invented the method, pasteurization has been used as a means of controlling pathogens in milk from dairy cows, but the process has many drawbacks. Among many other foods, research shows that there is a link between pasteurization of milk and the development of multiple sclerosis. Let’s take a closer look at what pasteurization does and how it contributes to multiple sclerosis and other ailments so you can be more informed about your dietary choices.
Pasteurization is the process of heating milk to high heat for a short period of time to kill pathogens and contaminants in the milk. While this is a good practice in terms of getting rid of harmful bacteria, pasteurization also removes many of milk’s health benefits, such as minerals and nutrients such as vitamin B6, B12, and C. Probably the most damaging effect from pasteurization. it is the destruction of enzymes that contribute to digestion and immunity. One of these enzymes is lactase, which allows milk to break down lactose, the sugar in milk, which contributes to high rates of lactose intolerance. Because pasteurized milk is stripped of its nutrients and enzymes, it is unable to perform one of its most vital functions: transmitting the immune-supporting compounds that trigger the immune response and the growth of antibodies. Thus, pasteurized milk becomes a trigger for various diseases, but especially autoimmune diseases such as MS. This claim is supported by scientific researchers from the French Faculty of Medicine who found a high correlation between drinking pasteurized milk and the development of MS in their study entitled “Correlation between the consumption of milk and dairy products and the prevalence of multiple sclerosis : a worldwide study” which was published in 1992.
The scientific community has known about the dangers of pasteurization for years, but this does not mean that the food industry will continue to do anything other than turn a blind eye to the research. Pasteurization is a process that is as tied to politics and money as it is to milk. Still, there are ways to avoid the harms of pasteurization and its potentially harmful side effects like MS. Raw milk or unpasteurized milk is more natural and does not harm natural enzymes or nutrients. Also, there is always the option of choosing a non-dairy diet sticking to soy and other milk substitutes such as rice milk. You only have one body in this lifetime so it’s important that you take care of it and that means knowing the risks associated with the various processes at work in the modern food industry.
