When my Saaraketha box comes, it is filled with the colors of the rainbow – red tomatoes, orange carrots, yellow lemons, green cucumbers, purple brinjals, and many more. I feel good knowing that this provides a wide variety of nutrients every week.

Right now, though, I’m most excited about the addition of a new color. White. Rich, creamy white. Of course, it’s not really the color that excites me, but the products themselves. Cheese, milk and yogurt - yum!

A couple of months ago I was advised to eat only raw dairy products due to health concerns. I enjoy my milk and cheese and was bummed to be resigned to a life of only buffalo curd. I decided that I would have to attempt to make my own cheese, but the task seemed daunting and was quickly put on the back burner. Soon afterwards, I visited the Good Market for the first time. I started to walk sadly by the booth selling artisan cheese and yoghurt when I noticed that the sign read “Eyrie by Ripe & Raw!”. Could it really be that this cheese was raw? I turned back abruptly and asked if it was true. Yes! Raw cheese!! I was ecstatic. Gooey, cheesy omelets, pizzas, and pastas were back in my diet! And to add to the goodness, the producer has an ethical and organic focus. The goats, cows and buffalo used are grass-fed and there are no preservatives, colors, or flavours added to the products. And best of all, the products taste great. 

Raw milk is beneficial because it does not go through the processes of regular, ultra-high-temperature (UHT) pasteurization and homogenization. According to the Weston A. Price Foundation, a nonprofit nutrition education group, UHT pasteurization destroys enzymes and vitamins, kills beneficial bacteria and promotes pathogens and is associated with allergies, increased tooth decay, colic, growth problems, osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer. The further process of homogenizing milk has also been linked to heart disease. Raw milk also contains greater butterfat content which helps to stimulate the immune system, prevent intestinal problems, and has strong anticancer properties. (The Weston A. Price Foundation, 2013)

Additionally, raw goat’s milk specifically is considered to relieve asthma, brain, nerve and kidney disorders, protect against liver disease, ulcers, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and moisturize and revitalize skin (Reita, 2012) Since my switch to raw dairy, I have had to miss out on these delicious items if I happened to be busy on a Thursday afternoon. But now I just have to tick a box on my weekly order and raw artisan cheese, milk, and goat’s milk yoghurt will be at my doorstep. The trick now will be to keep it in moderation!