Why does Man City star Erling Haaland drink raw milk & is it safe to drink?

The Norwegian striker revealed on his YouTube channel that he drinks raw milk daily.

More than five million people have watched the first video on Erling Haaland’s new YouTube channel, which has also sparked debate regarding his raw milk intake.

The 25-year-old striker for Manchester City and Norway, Erling Haaland, talks about his daily routine and love of preparing and consuming tomahawk steaks in an episode called “Day in the life of a pro footballer.”

Though its sale is permitted in England, he also discusses his preference for drinking raw, unpasteurized milk, which is not available in stores or supermarkets.

Is it safe to drink raw milk?

According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), it “may contain harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning” and should not be ingested by immune-compromised individuals, pregnant women, small children, or those 65 years of age or older.

However, why does Erling Haaland consume it, and what are the broader ramifications, including for those who might consider doing the same?

The YouTube video shows Erling Haaland going to a Cheshire farm to pick up his raw milk supply.

“That is why I drink it,” he says, referring to it as a “superfood” that is “good for the stomach, good for the skin, the bones, and the muscles.”

“Raw milk may contain food poisoning bacteria, so there are extra checks and hygiene standards for raw drinking milk producers,” says FSA deputy director of policy Natasha Smith.

“While these stricter controls aim to help make sure it’s safer and support consumer choice, it’s important to remember vulnerable people should avoid it.”

How many times does Erling Haaland drink in a day & what are its implications?

According to people close to the striker, he has been drinking one glass in the morning and another after training for as far as he can recall. This routine has been reported by BBC Sport.

Simply said, Erling Haaland believes it improves his health, which is a critical perspective for a top-level athlete. For him, it’s essentially a life decision rather than one made with athletic nutrition in mind.

Although it is unknown how many or how much they consume, it is believed that several of Erling Haaland’s City teammates also drank raw milk before his arrival.

Most milk consumed in the UK is pasteurised, or heated, to eradicate dangerous bacteria. A different process is used to make raw drinking milk, which is untreated and goes directly from the animal to the bottle.

“Raw milk may contain food poisoning bacteria, so there are extra checks and hygiene standards for raw drinking milk producers,” says FSA deputy director of policy Natasha Smith.

“While these stricter controls aim to help make sure it’s safer and support consumer choice, it’s important to remember vulnerable people should avoid it.”

What does the expert say?

Raw drinking milk is made differently, travelling directly from the cow to the bottle without any processing.

Although raw milk is classified as a “risky” product, the FSA claims that its popularity has grown because “people believe it has health benefits” despite the lack of reliable scientific data to back this claim.

Facebook posts from the farm where Erling Haaland was seen purchasing milk stated that workers had been “frazzled” and that their product had been “rather in demand” since the program was released. They also expressed their desire to “buy a new dairy cow very soon” to meet requests more swiftly.

In order “not to compromise on the safety of food,” former City school nutritionist Dan Richardson told BBC Sport that he would always seek the “safest approach possible.”

He said: “The challenge with raw milk is that you can get some companies who do a good job in reducing the risk factor to bacteria, and I am sure Haaland will be using the premium quality available out there.”

Richardson added: “Young athletes need to remember that getting the right amount of carbohydrates, hitting the protein intake and eating three regular meals with snacks is a better approach than jumping towards trends.

“Some athletes will try to find a quick fix by replicating a role model rather than doing the mundane stuff really well.

“We just want to use safe food where possible.”

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