In today's world, food and dietary trends come and go, but that doesn't mean all of them are good for you. 

Caitlin Mellendorf, Nutrition Educator for the University of Illinois Extension, explains that the trend of having raw, or unpasteurized, milk can seem appealing; however, it can leave the door open for harmful bacteria to enter your body. 

Mellendorf says there are a lot of different levels to pasteurization when it comes to temperature and the length of the process. She adds that raw milk can be especially dangerous for those with weaker immune systems, like children, pregnant mothers, and the elderly. 

One concern some may have is that the pasteurization process removes beneficial nutrients from the product. Mellendorf says most of the good parts of milk are highly resistant to heat, meaning most of what is removed is only those harmful pathogens. 

Mellendorf says that if you must consume raw milk, make sure it comes from a trusted farm that has worked with the Illinois Department of Ag and the local health department. Learn more at extension.illinois.edu.