A good post-workout recovery drink is going to help you handle the stress that comes with going to the gym. It helps repair muscle fibers, provide nutrients that nourish the body, and is a supplement to improve the body’s natural recovery processes. Malnourished individuals are going to be more prone to disease, autoimmune issues, and other health problems that depend on their overall health. The right recovery drink is going to give the body the minerals, nutrients, and vitamins it needs to handle the additional physical toll that comes with being an athlete or going to the gym. 

Out of all the recovery drinks that you can buy or are marketed online, why do we stick to raw milk? Raw milk is a great natural recovery drink that does not lose a lot of nutrients from too much processing and there is no need to add anything to it that you wouldn’t need naturally. Raw milk from grass fed cows are going to accumulate higher levels of conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs). CLAs are a type of fat that are going to be beneficial for the body. The reason that they are so important for recovery is because CLAs are an inflammation modulator that helps reduce inflammation throughout the body such as joints. It is also seen to help transition abdominal fat into lean mass overtime. 

Milk is also going to be a much cheaper option compared to a supplement like whey protein powder that comes from milk anyway. Of course there are specialty recovery drinks for people that cannot digest raw milk or milk-based proteins. But what is stopping people from just buying regular whole or skim milk? What is the difference between raw milk and other milks that are commercially processed? 

The main difference between raw and commercially processed milk is pretty simple…there is no processing done to it! Commercially sold milk will often go through a process of pasteurization or homogenization to make it more appealing to consumers. Pasteurization has a more tangible application compared to homogenization, but still can be skipped if a cow is prepared properly. 

The process of pasteurization is going to be when raw milk is taken to a treatment facility where it will be heated up. The goal of pasteurization is to remove and reduce the amount of bad bacteria, or coliform bacteria. Coliform bacteria is going to be the bad bacteria that comes from the colon and basically tells you how much manure is in the milk. 

When a cow is prepped properly and cleaned, that is actually when most bacteria can be removed when compared to the process of pasteurization. Sure, cows that produce commercially milk are prepped and cleaned, but some steps may be overlooked as the goal is to produce as usable milk as possible instead of just producing the highest quality milk. 

Homogenization is another process that raw milk does not use compared to most commercially sold milks. Homogenization is the process of emulsifying the fat droplets in milk so that the protein does not separate from the fat. This is honestly just a selling point so that everything in a carton or gallon of milk is consistent all throughout. Raw milk is not going to be homogenized because it is an unnecessary process that does not really affect the chemical composition of the drink. 

The final major difference between dairy farms that sell raw milk compared to being a supplier to a commercial company is going to be how the cows are fed. Since raw milk is going to be sold as is with no other processes or additives, it is imperative that the cows have the best possible diet for naturally producing the necessary nutrients. Cows that are meant to produce raw milk for sale should have a grass fed diet with no additional hormones. The cows that are on a natural diet and are able to graze freely are going to only be able to produce a limited amount of nutrients per batch. Cows that are used for producing raw milk will usually produce less milk than larger, commercially used cows to make sure that the milk is as nutrient dense as possible and retains its benefits. 

There is a controversy around milk and overall dairy products that people are scared to intake dairy products. But when you consume dairy, you will actually see far more benefits from including dairy products compared to completely removing it. 

Dairy products like raw milk, cheese, yogurt, and kiefer are actually going to provide those lactic acids that help improve the health of your gut biome. And then there’s the questions about lactose intolerance. Many will claim now that they are lactose intolerant and are unable to consume milk. Try using raw milk instead of commercially processed milk because there is a chance that you are not actually lactose intolerant and you are intolerant to an additive that was included in the pasteurization process. 

Dairy is good and safe for humans! Despite what some will say about dairy being a cause of inflammation and sickness, raw milk will actually promote the opposite. The CLAs that are consumed from raw milk will actually help reduce inflammation in the body and other fermented dairy products will actually promote a healthier gut biome. 

There is a new recovery drink or health trend every month. Supplement and food companies try to push health, wellness, and anatomical progress through nutrition. When you get down to it and start to look at all the additives, preservatives, and processing applications of the supplements that are being sold, it can get overwhelming. 

Raw milk is the best workout recovery drink you can use because of the natural benefits that are passed on. It’s high in protein, healthy fats, simple carbohydrates, and a variety of nutrients that are pulled from the ground through grass fed cows. If you want to learn more about how our athletes use different aspects of nutrition to improve their training, check out our High Performance Nutrition plans that will help keep you accountable and on track to meet your health goals.