For decades, I couldn’t consume milk. I loved it, but it didn’t love me back: viciously and immediately, in the way of chest and back acne breakouts that led me to avoid dairy and favor high necklines. This is just the way I’m built, I reasoned. I can’t do milk.

Then menopause neared and the joint pain associated with dairy was incontrovertible. I swore it entirely and became an almond milk girl, so much so that I made my own almond milk to avoid the tannin, Phytic acid and oxalates found in almond skins. It was a labor of love!

But then this past summer I had the opportunity to try raw, unpasteurized milk. I’d heard so much about it that I had to see what the hype was all about.  I reasoned, a glass and 24 hours of symptoms would tell me everything I needed to know about raw milk.

Well, wouldn’t you know? My milk symptoms - the breakouts, the bloating, the joint pain and inflammation - didn’t appear. In fact, it’s been 2 months now of me drinking raw milk every day and I have nothing but a frothy white mustache to show for it.

That’s when I decided to get smart on raw milk and see if it’s something I’d recommend for you.

Benefits of Raw Milk: A Closer Look at Probiotics, Enzymes, and Nutrition

For centuries, raw milk was a dietary staple—straight from the cow, goat, or sheep, unheated and unprocessed. But in the early 20th century, Big Ag took over dairy farming and happy grazing cows disappeared; milking factories became the norm where cows were crowded into tight pens, fed a diet of grains and antibiotics (that they can’t digest well), given virtually no sunlight and allowed very little movement. Unsurprisingly, disease and illness began to spread. Instead of backtracking, Big Ag moved towards pasteurization to reduce foodborne illness. 

That's pretty much the dairy industry today. So while it made milk more “commercially available” and offered us a longer shelf life, that process also wildly altered the living microbiology and nutritional componentry of dairy and milk.

So what’s really in raw milk? And what happens to it when it’s pasteurized?

Probiotics: Gut-Healing “Good Bacteria”

Raw milk is literally teeming with life. It’s rich in lactic acid bacteria like Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc — the same friendly microbes you’ll find in yogurt or kefir. These probiotics support digestion by helping to break down lactose (the milk sugar), which is one reason some people who can’t tolerate pasteurized milk do just fine with raw. They also crowd out harmful bacteria in the gut, keeping your microbiome diverse and balanced. And because these microbes are alive, raw milk can naturally ferment into kefir, yogurt, or clabber without the need for added starter cultures. Pasteurized milk? It doesn’t ferment, it just rots.

Enzymes: Built-In Digestive Support

Raw milk comes with its own toolkit of enzymes — nature’s digestive helpers. Lactase assists with lactose digestion, lipase breaks down fats into fatty acids (improving absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K), and proteases cut proteins into easier-to-digest amino acids. Perhaps most fascinating is phosphatase, an enzyme that helps your body actually absorb and use calcium and phosphorus. All of these enzymes are destroyed by pasteurization, which is why raw milk often feels different in the body: it’s working with your digestion, not against it.

While raw milk and pasteurized milk both contain about the same amount of natural sugar (roughly 12 grams of lactose per cup), the big difference is in how your body processes that sugar. Lactase and beneficial probiotics help break down lactose, which is why some people who can’t tolerate pasteurized milk find raw milk much easier on digestion. Pasteurization destroys those natural helpers, leaving your body to handle all the lactose on its own — often leading to bloating or discomfort. In other words, the sugar is the same, but raw milk gives you the built-in tools to digest it more smoothly. 

Immune Nutrition: More Than Just Milk

Here’s the part that blows my mind: raw milk isn’t just a nutrient source, it’s an immune ally. It contains antibodies (immunoglobulins) that line your gut and act like little sentinels, defending against pathogens. It also provides lactoferrin, an iron-binding protein that stops bad bacteria from thriving, while feeding the good ones. And then there’s lysozyme, an enzyme that literally punctures the walls of harmful microbes. Add in prebiotic sugars that feed your friendly bacteria, and you start to see raw milk for what it really is: a living food designed to support gut health and, by extension, immunity.

Nutrient Density, Intact

On top of this, raw milk brings a complete nutritional profile: protein, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, healthy fats, fat-soluble vitamins, and a fatty acid called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) that’s linked to reduced inflammation and improved body composition. Pasteurization keeps the “big nutrients” like calcium, fat, and protein, but heat knocks out the delicate vitamins (C, B6, folate), CLA, and those irreplaceable enzymes and probiotics.

The Counterpoint: What Critics Say About Raw Milk

Now, I know what some of you are already thinking: “But isn’t raw milk unsafe?” This is the most common criticism, and it’s worth addressing head-on.

Public health agencies will tell you raw milk can carry bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria — and they’re right, it can. That’s why pasteurization was created: to protect consumers in the era of factory farming. Critics will also say that raw milk’s nutritional edge is overstated, pointing out that pasteurized milk still delivers protein, calcium, and fat. And they’ll remind us that much of the research in favor of raw milk is observational, not clinical trial-level.

All fair points. But here’s the bigger picture: any fresh food can carry pathogens. Spinach, lettuce, carrots, cantaloupe, strawberries, even peanut butter — all have been recalled for contamination. Yet no one is suggesting we give up vegetables. Instead, the focus is on sourcing, cleanliness, and transparency. The same goes for raw milk: when it comes from healthy, grass-fed cows on clean farms, handled properly, the risks are far lower.

So no, raw milk isn’t for everyone. Pregnant women, children, or those with weakened immune systems may want to skip it. But for healthy adults, the potential benefits may outweigh the risks.

Why Raw Milk Can Be Especially Supportive for Women 45+

As we transition through perimenopause and menopause, our bodies change — bones weaken, muscle mass declines, and digestion can feel more sensitive. Raw milk provides a package of nutrients that can be particularly helpful at this stage.

It’s rich in bioavailable calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus that support bone density. The enzymes and probiotics make it easier to digest, which is a relief if you’ve struggled with dairy in the past. The healthy fats and CLA help reduce inflammation and support steady metabolism and hormone balance. And immune compounds like lactoferrin and immunoglobulins add extra defense when our immune system needs more support.

Put simply: for women 45+, raw milk can be more than just a nostalgic comfort food. It can be a nutrient-dense ally in keeping bones strong, digestion smooth, and immunity resilient.

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, raw milk isn’t for everyone. There are risks, just as there are with other fresh, unprocessed foods. That’s why sourcing is everything: know your farmer, make sure cows are grass-fed and healthy, and that the milk is handled with care.

What I’ve learned is this: milk in its raw state is so much more than calcium. It’s a living food — with probiotics, enzymes, vitamins, and immune factors that pasteurized milk simply doesn’t deliver. If you’re a woman in midlife, it may be worth exploring whether raw milk has a place in your kitchen.

Aging well is about curiosity, self-awareness, and giving your body the tools it needs to thrive. For me, raw milk has been one of those tools — and maybe, just maybe, it could be for you too.

Let's age well naturally, lovelies-

x
Juliana

PS - if you enjoyed this blog post, 👇 sign up for our monthly newsletter! 👇 We drop all kinds of strategies on how to age well: nutrition, exercise, sleep, HRT, clean beauty, facial exercise & more.