Raw Milk, Carnivore Diet, Food Additives - The Dangers of Misinformation
Is your social media feed making you afraid of your food? In this episode, Rachel and Ilkay break down some of the most viral nutrition trends circulating on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube right now — including raw milk, the carnivore diet, and fear-mongering around everyday food additives like vegetable oils, natural flavors, and folic acid.
As registered dietitians, they cut through the noise with actual research so you can stop spiraling over your ingredient labels and start eating with a little more confidence and a lot less stress. You'll also walk away with four practical questions to ask yourself the next time a health claim stops you mid-scroll.
Time Stamps:
(00:00) Intro
(02:50) Claim 1: Raw Milk. Does pasteurization kill beneficial vitamins, minerals, and bacteria? What’s the safety of drinking raw milk? Lactase?
(24:55) Claim 2: Carnivore Diet. Is it better for GI health? Inflammation? Blood sugar? Risks of cutting entire food groups.
(44:05) Claim 3: Food additives. Is organic better? Are synthetic vitamins safe? What is in “natural flavors”? Mercury levels in fish.
(01:05:34) The harm of fear messaging and 4 questions to ask yourself
(01:15:13) Closing thoughts and dietitian word of wisdom.
Research:
A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of pasteurization on milk vitamins, and evidence for raw milk consumption and other health-related outcomes PMID: 22054181
Foodborne illness outbreaks linked to unpasteurised milk and relationship to changes in state laws - United States, 1998-2018 PMID: 36280604
Outbreak-Related Disease Burden Associated with Consumption of Unpasteurized Cow’s Milk and Cheese, United States, 2009–2014 PMID: 28518026
Outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium Infections Linked to Commercially Distributed Raw Milk — California and Four Other States, September 2023–March 2024 (Weinstein, 2025)
Effect of raw milk on lactose intolerance: a randomized controlled pilot study PMID: 24615309
Folic Acid and the Prevention of Birth Defects: 30 Years of Opportunity and Controversies. PMID: 35995050
Effect of dietary linoleic acid on markers of inflammation in healthy persons: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials PMID: 22889633
Omega-6 fatty acids and inflammation PMID: 29610056
Increasing dietary linoleic acid does not increase tissue arachidonic acid content in adults consuming Western-type diets: a systematic review PMID: 21663641
FDA Natural Flavor Definition: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-B/section-101.22
EPA Mercury levels in fish - charts
https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/fish-tech/epa-fda-fish-advice-technical-information_.html
https://www.epa.gov/choose-fish-and-shellfish-wisely/epa-fda-advice-about-eating-fish-and-shellfish
Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Listening does not establish a provider–patient relationship. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized guidance.
