What are The Benefits of Goats Milk & How Does It Compare to Cows Milk?

Nutritional Content of Goat Milk vs Cow Milk

There are numerous health benefits of goat milk, especially compared to cow milk. The nutritional content of goat milk is much healthier than that of cow milk, which is traditionally consumed in the United States. Goat’s milk has less fat than cow milk while containing every essential amino acid. Goat’s milk also has more vitamin A than cow milk, important nutrients that can be hard to get in a normal diet. Goat’s milk has slightly less riboflavin than cow’s milk; riboflavin is important in energy production. There’s also about 3% more calcium in goat’s milk when compared to cow’s milk. The amount of protein in goat’s milk is also slightly higher than the level in cow’s milk: about 8.7 grams per cup vs 8.1 grams in cow milk.

Benefits for Adults and Children with Allergies to Cow Milk

Almost 50% of the people that are unable to drink cow’s milk can safely drink goat’s milk, in part due to its amount of fatty acids. Although both contain lactose, goat milk is much more easily absorbed and digested, leaving less material behind that ferments and causes the symptoms of lactose intolerance. About 10% of people are not simply lactose intolerant but allergic to a major protein in cow milk: alpha S1 casein protein. Goat milk, like human milk, lacks this protein. Small children that are allergic or intolerant of cow’s milk are usually advised by doctors to switch to a soy-based formula. The problem is up to 50% of the children that are intolerant to cow milk will also have trouble consuming soy. Young children that have an intolerance or allergy to cow’s milk could do very well switching to goat milk in their daily diet.

Preventative Benefits of Goat Milk

The health benefits of goat milk also grant preventative qualities. Goat milk has been found to help prevent many illnesses and disease, such as bone demineralization, or bone softening, and anemia, also known as iron deficiency. This is due to its ability to utilize minerals like magnesium, calcium and iron very effectively with great benefits for the digestive and metabolic systems. The Department of Physiology of the University of Granada has recently completed a long study comparing the nutritional properties of goat milk and cow milk and concluded that goat milk has a much higher bioavailability of magnesium, calcium, iron and phosphorus. It was also found to include higher levels of PTH, a hormone that regulates calcium balance.

Benefits of Milk in General

The benefits of drinking all sorts of milk are well known. Milk is a great source of calcium, which is necessary for growing children and teens to develop strength and density in their bones. Calcium has also been shown to protect from certain cancer-causing minerals, prevent bone loss, prevent migraines, and reduce PMS symptoms. Calcium is important in many vital bodily functions and systems like enzyme regulation and muscle contraction.

Resources

1. “Goats’ Milk Is More Beneficial to Health Than Cows’ Milk, Study Suggests” ScienceDaily.com

2. “Compare the Health Benefits of Goat Milk Versus Cow Milk” Harris, Angela, AssociatedContent.com

3. “Goat’s Milk: A Natural Alternative for Milk Sensitive People” Drake Family Farms

4. “Milk, goat” WHFoods.com