Moo-ove Over Cow’s Milk, Goat’s Milk is the Next Big Thing!
A Bite-Size Read for Your Health and Your Waistline
On the regular, there’s a new latest and greatest milk alternative. Bye bye cow’s milk. We have almond, soy, oat and now GOAT! With that being said, let me break down why people are reaching for this one.
While it seems strange or new to most of us in the United States, 65% of the world population drinks goat’s milk. Goat’s milk is closer to human breast milk than cow’s milk which means it’s easier on digestion, absorption and offers potentially superior nutrition, protecting against gastrointestinal infections. Goat’s milk contains the hypoallergenic properties β-casein followed by αs-casein (αs1- and αs2-casein), which has about a 70/30 ratio in goat’s milk, similar to the ratio in breast milk. It’s one of the many factors that play into the improved digestibility of goat’s milk compared to cow’s milk.
For another piece of this comparison, we look at the oligosaccharides found in goat’s milk. The oligosaccharides are the same carbohydrate type found in human breast milk. Studies show that the lipids of goat’s milk provide better digestibility with their small fat globule size and short and medium-chain fatty acid content. The oligosaccharides in goat’s milk act as a protective barrier to the intestinal flora against pathogens in the brain and nervous system. Some research suggests that goat’s milk may enhance our ability to absorb nutrients from other foods, vital nutrients like copper and iron and increase the production of vitamin A, acting like a probiotic.
And that’s on top of what we find in the goat’s milk itself. One cup of goat’s milk has 168 calories, 9g of protein, 10g of fat, 11g of carbohydrates, 0g of fiber and 11g of sugar. Goat’s milk also offers a variety of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin A. Young children often have a vitamin A deficiency. This is a problem since vitamin A is significant for eye health as well as reducing the risk of cataracts and potentially some forms of cancer.
Maybe you’re still partial to cow’s milk. Let’s remember dairy allergies (from cow’s milk) are the most common food allergy and goat’s milk has a healing effect on the gut compared to cow’s milk which creates said allergy. You might want to try this alternative and see how you feel. Sure, it may taste a little grassier and “goatier” but the benefits might outweigh the flavor adjustment period.
Going back to the list of “alternative milks,” is goat milk recommended over the coveted almond milk, or soy or oat options? The key here is to compare food labels and nutritional information. There’s plenty of variety between all plant-based kinds of milk, but remember, any plant milk is processed. There are hidden additives in alternative milks like thickeners and gums, and to be frank, your plant-based milks are not particularly nutritionally dense. You may decide for yourself that lactose, a naturally occurring sugar, is your choice over the added sugars in many alternative milks. And while many are sensitive to lactose, your response to it may be different when it’s in goat’s milk as opposed to cow’s milk or whey.
All in all, why not give it a shot? Check with your local farmers and farmers markets to see if you can find it. I’m a fan of picking our battles and determining what works for our personal systems, lives, and plans. In the name of figuring that out, goat’s milk just might be worth a taste test!
