Raw Dairy Focus: Yogurt

Previously, I wrote about the importance of including raw dairy into your diet, noting that pasteurization is nothing but a cover for poor quality milk that destroys nearly all the beneficial ingredients of real milk. Many Americans unfortunately avoid all dairy products because of bad experiences with allergic reactions and GI upset caused by poor quality, pasteurized milk. Virtually anyone can not only tolerate but thrive on fresh milk products, whether they be from cows, sheep, goats, buffalo, or camels. A good starting point is yogurt.

Yogurt provides so many health benefits, it's shocking that not every American has made it a dietary staple.

Not all yogurt is equal, though. Supermarkets do not sell yogurt made from unpasteurized milk, so all commercially sold yogurt must be made by adding back the bacterial cultures that were killed off during the pasteurization process. You can make yogurt from raw milk quite easily at home, using a few spoonfuls of high quality store-bought yogurt and a pint of raw milk, heated to between 100 and 110 degrees for 24 hours. This does require a constant heating source like a sous-vide water bath or a lamp. Avoid using an oven, however, as once the temperature exceeds 110F, the cultures begin to die off, and fermentation stops.

For the less adventurous, healthy yogurt can be found in the store. Most yogurt, though, is not worth eating. Filled with colorings and flavorings, "natural" and artificial sugars, gums and fillers, these products are no better than any other junk food sold in the snack section. The best yogurt will have only a few ingredients, contain active live cultures, and lack all additives (including sugar). If unsweetened yogurt is not appealing to you, considering adding fruit or a natural sweetener like honey to your yogurt. Honey, in particular, has been shown to increase the health benefits of yogurt, as it provides protection to the live cultures that often die off in the heavily acidic environment of the human stomach, allowing the "good bacteria" to pass further along into the intestines, where they go to work building an intestinal lining that prevents leaky gut syndrome.

In my hometown of Los Angeles, there are several good options at supermarkets like Sprouts, which stocks more healthy foods than the larger, more well-known national chains. At most stores, you can find natural Greek or European-style yogurt made by Strauss, a family-run dairy that makes simple, high-quality, additive-free dairy products like yogurt and kefir. Strauss yogurt is also sold at Vons, Ralphs, Albertsons, Pavilions, and Safeway. While they cost more, these yogurts provide so many health benefits that, in my view, the added expense is worth it.

With rare exceptions, there is simply no reason all Americans not include healthy dairy products like yogurt in their diet. They are widely available, affordable, packed with nutrients, and can be incorporated into any meal without cooking. "Dairy alternatives" like soy, almonds, oats, and peas have become popular and trendy, but none provide the breadth and concentration of essential nutrients, fats, and proteins that real milk offers. They also frequently contain large amounts of added sugar, no different than drinking a Coke. A return to healthy dairy would improve the health of all Americans, reduce disease, and improve our quality of life.

Healthy dairy cannot be replaced with supplements. Probiotics in capsule form are not nearly as effective as live bacterial cultures found in real food. I have no "dairy substitute plan" available in Fullscript; however, I encourage everyone to review my other plans that target specific deficiencies and disorders. To access them, you must first create a free patient account at Fullscript by entering your name and email address: Dr. Mark McDonald’s Fullscript dispensary.Watch a one-minute video on how to create an account below.