Does Food Aversion Equal Bad for Your Health? (or How a Raw Milk Lover Now Thinks Milk is Disgusting!)

I used to REALLY, REALLY LIKE milk. My whole life. Until the Whole 30, which I started about 80 days ago. I drank pasteurized junk milk, raw milk and a few years with no milk (once I learned that pasteurized milk was just plain sick). I was always a milk fan. But not anymore!

Today, after not having any raw milk since August 12, 2011, I tried a few sips because Ryan did. I was especially curious what I would think after Colson had some plain old raw, non-kefired milk last week for the first time since August 12. That milk was revolting to him and he was a bit angry at the Whole 30 because the milk that he once enjoyed was no longer palatable.

What did I think of our milk, which I really enjoyed and believed in for three years? Disgusting. It felt strange and grainy on my tongue and tasted terrible. I WON’T be drinking milk again.

This experience raises an interesting question. If something tastes terrible does that automatically mean it is bad for you? What about acquired tastes, like kefir or sauerkraut? Both of them are loaded with probiotics, but they didn’t initially taste good to me. I am not craving kefir, but I can eat loads of sauerkraut since being on the Whole 30.

It would seem to make sense that this is the case when considering non-processed foods. Take Brussels sprouts for instance. I never liked them until I almost bled out from a miscarriage. After the miscarriage I couldn’t eat enough of them. My body DEMANDED them. I asked my Oriental medicine doc why this was the case and he said it made perfect sense – Brussels sprouts build blood and I definitely needed to build blood. I have been in love with Brussels sprouts ever since.

If my body demands something that strongly, then it would make sense that something that tasted bad and didn’t feel good would be bad, right? Any thoughts are appreciated, as an Internet search didn’t get me anywhere.

Comments

[Maria Droujkova]

Maybe you are just more of a connoisseur now? You know how people who quit smoking develop a better sense of smell?

I always though frozen and thawed milk tasted wrong (isn't it how you drink your raw milk?) because of texture changes - "grainy" is a good way to describe it. For the same reason, homogenized milk tastes wrong to me. Pasteurized non-homogenized milk is better, and fresh from the cow is better still. My preferred milk is when it's still warm from the cow, but you can smell the cow on it (or goat, etc.) so YMMV.

[Laura Combs]

You crack me up. Have you slept yet?

Maybe I am a better connoisseur, as is Colson. I will probably order some fresh and see, just for the sake of experiment.

[Amy Enochs]

Are you still eating fermented dairy or does it have the same aversion? Amy

[Laura Combs]

Fermented seems to work for Colson and me. Ryan hasn't tried. I am still generally staying away from dairy, as I think having it out makes me quicker physically and mentally.