Is Goats’ Milk Healthy?

If you’ve seen one of our recent posts about goats, you might be wondering whether their milk is as healthy as some claim. In this article, we’ll go into detail on the properties of goat milk, and you will most probably be very happy to hear that it is, indeed, a healthy alternative that you can successfully include into your everyday diet for excellent nutritional results.

For many people, cow milk is not an option, since it can be difficult to digest and it contains significant levels of allergens and lactose. These elements can lead to digestive problems that usually occur in the gastrointestinal tract.

It’s not a fun experience to go through, and unfortunately, this means that some people stay clear of related dairy products, also missing out on their nutritional benefits in the process. However, the good news is that there are ways to go around such issues, and goat milk can definitely be one of them.

A few words about goat milk

This product is a highly nutritive alternative that offers both taste and easy digestion, which makes it an alternative to be considered if cow’s milk has not been your friend. Many popular diets that go around, such as the low-carb or the Paleo one, allow goat milk consumption.

But even if you are not a fan of a particular diet and you think that simply having balanced meals is the way to go (which is a very good approach), then you can still start consuming goat milk without any issues but with plenty of benefits.

This type of milk is filled with vitamins and minerals that work for a healthier body, but the really great thing about it is that it is highly versatile. If you decide to give it a try, you’ll see that you can easily use it for a lot of homemade food, including cheese, smoothies, desserts, as well as for skin care products such as soap.

This means that you can enjoy its benefits both inside and outside of your body, for your health and for that of your loved ones.

But what is it actually?

Some of you might wonder whether goat milk is a dairy product or not. The answer to this question is yes, it is a dairy product, just like cow milk. However, its properties are quite different, which makes it a suitable alternative for those who cannot consume milk produced by cows.

Goat’s milk contains high levels of essential nutrients, at the same time being an excellent source of various vitamins and minerals, including phosphorus, calcium, riboflavin, and many others. If you are familiar with more technical terms, you’ll be pleased to know that this milk contains high levels of medium-chain fatty acids.

These are associated with heart-healthy fat and offer multiple benefits that you can definitely use for an improved quality of life and nutritional balance. Compared to cow’s milk, this product is less inflammatory, easier to digest, and contains lower levels of allergens compared to the former one.

Some of its benefits

As we’ve already mentioned, there are multiple benefits this type of milk has to offer, so let’s take a closer look at what some of the main ones are. The first one to be mentioned is the fact that goat’s milk is easier to digest. While the fat content is similar to that of cow’s milk, the actual fat globules are smaller, which means your body can digest it easier.

Moreover, only around 2% of goat’s milk is curd, compared to the about 10% of the cow’s one. Of course, this means less irritation for your stomach during the digestion process and an easier time for you.

Since we’re covering this subject, it’s a good moment to mention that goat milk contains lower levels of lactose, which means that lactose-intolerant people might find a suitable alternative in this product.

After all, dairy products do have plenty of benefits to offer, so you should be able to enjoy them. However, do make sure that you check this with a doctor that knows your particular needs. This is very important since many people that cannot tolerate cow’s milk are sensitive to the A1 casein protein it contains, and cannot digest it.

Cow’s milk contains over 20 allergens and many times people confuse an allergy caused by one of these elements with seasonal reactions since the symptoms can sometimes be similar, such as runny noses, cramps, and others.

As for casein, you might wonder what the big deal is with this protein, but actually it’s not something to be trifled with, especially since it can contribute to digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, but it can also have other less obvious effects, including acne, skin issues, or even autoimmune diseases.

On the other hand, goat milk contains what is known as A2 casein, which is another substance that doesn’t include the inflammatory effects of its A1 counterpart. What this means is that, from a protein perspective, this milk is the closest to the human one.

According to some researchers, if goat’s milk is used as the first protein source after breastfeeding, it’s less allergenic for babies.

High calcium levels

You might have heard that cow’s milk is one of the main sources of calcium, but you shouldn’t worry that by switching over to goat’s milk you are giving up such an important benefit. In fact, the latter alternative is even richer when it comes to this mineral, since one cup contains around 33% of the daily recommended intake, compared to the 28% offered by cow’s milk.

Since calcium is an essential element for healthy bones and teeth (about 99% of it is found in them), this is actually a long-term investment you are making into your health. The future you is certainly going to be very grateful for choosing to include goat’s milk into your diet.

Another issue that elderly people deal with is the level of cholesterol which is strongly correlated to a healthy heart. Since this product contains high levels of those medium-chain fatty acids we’ve already mentioned, they provide an energy boost that lowers cholesterol, instead of being stored as body fat.

Some might say that eating goat’s milk products means a higher intake of fat, but it’s important to consider the quality of this fat. For those of you concerned about weight gain, as long as you keep things balanced, you might even notice a decrease on the scale.

A few words about skin

Goat’s milk is a powerful ally for looking great on the outside as well. The moisturizing quality that the fatty acids and triglycerides it contains help maintain your skin healthy and soft. Since this product also offers significant levels of vitamin A, it can help you fight acne, while improving your overall complexion and skin health.

Moreover, given that its pH levels are similar to those of humans, it’s easily absorbed by the skin, without irritation in the process, but keeping bacteria at bay, which means you might start seeing those pimples go away. Therefore, if you notice someone adding goat milk into soap or skin care routines, you’ll know what benefits they are after.