Is Goat Milk Good for Intestinal Health? 5 Reasons to Add It to Your Diet

Goat milk is not as common in the United States, but other countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Türkiye produce and drink plenty of goat milk. It can be used like any other milk and its nutritional composition is most similar to cow’s milk; Both are rich in protein, fat, calcium and vitamin D. However, research shows that goat’s milk may be better than cow’s milk for heart health and digestion.

People who have difficulty digesting cow’s milk may tolerate goat’s milk better.

Goat milk contains lactose and is not suitable for people with lactose intolerance. However, it contains a higher amount of short and medium chain fatty acids than cow’s milk. These types of fatty acids are digested faster and easier than long-chain fatty acids. Goat milk also contains smaller fat globules than cow milk, further increasing its digestibility.

Due to these properties, goat milk can help people with malabsorptive diseases such as gallstones, cystic fibrosis, steatorrhea, or intestinal resection better absorb fats and prevent malnutrition.

As another digestive benefit, goat milk can be a carrier for probiotics. Promote a healthy gut microbiome. It also contains oligosaccharides that have a prebiotic effect, helping to nourish healthy intestinal bacteria.

having high cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease and goat’s milk appears to be more beneficial for your cholesterol than cow’s milk.

Studies have found that consuming goat’s milk instead of cow’s milk leads to increased excretion of cholesterol, as opposed to it remaining in the blood. This means goat’s milk may help lower cholesterol compared to drinking cow’s milk.

Having high blood pressure also increases your risk of heart disease, and goat milk may also help lower your blood pressure. type casein in goat milk It can produce peptides that act as inhibitors of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE), a medication that helps relax veins and arteries to lower blood pressure.

In addition, the ratio of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids in goat milk is around the recommended level to prevent heart disease.

Goat milk too Contains antioxidants It can prevent oxidative damage to cells caused by free radicals, which can further protect your heart.

You may know that cow’s milk is an important source of calcium for bone health, but goat’s milk is also a great option to support your bones. It contains several important nutrients for bone health: calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus.

One glass of goat milk contains 25% of the daily value (DV) of calcium. This mineral helps increase bone density and strength to prevent injury and osteoporosis (a bone disease in which bones become weak and brittle). Additionally, vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption, and one glass of fortified goat milk contains 15% of your DV for vitamin D.

Phosphorus is another important component of your bones and teeth. One glass of goat milk contains 22% of the daily requirement for this nutrient. Phosphorus is closely related to calcium because they give both your bones and teeth their structure and are regulated by the same hormones.

Goat milk has a protein and lactose content comparable to cow milk. Just like cow’s milk, you can get a good amount of calcium and vitamin D from goat’s milk (when choosing a dairy product fortified with vitamin D). Each 8-ounce glass of goat milk contains:

• Calorie: 168
• Oil: 10 grams (g)
• Sodium: 122 milligrams (mg)
• Carbohydrates: 11g
• Protein: 9g
• Potassium: 498 g or 11% of the DV
• Phosphorus: 271 mg or 22% of the daily value
• Calcium: 327 mg or 25% of the daily value
• Vitamin A: 139 micrograms (mcg) RAE or 15% of DV
• vitamin D: 3.2 mcg or 15% of the DV

Goat milk is also a good source of potassium, phosphorus and vitamin A. Getting enough vitamin A is important for eye health and is found in higher amounts in goat milk than cow milk.

The calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus content in goat milk also makes it a good source of nutrients that support bone health.

Go to the dairy section of a large grocery store and you’ll find many options: almond, oat, cow, goat, cashew, soy, pea, and more. Each has a different nutritional composition and different health effects.

Goat milk has protein and lactose content similar to cow milk. There are small differences between unsaturated and saturated fat contents and sodium and potassium concentrations. However, these minimal differences should not have a major impact on your health.

Goat milk compared to non-dairy options like oat milk or almond milk much higher in protein. If you’re looking for a high-protein, non-dairy milk, you can try soy or pea protein milk. lactose free.

When shopping for goat milk, you can often find raw or pasteurized options. pasteurized milk It has been heat treated to get rid of bacteria. Raw goat milk poses food safety risks because it has not been treated to kill harmful pathogens. For this reason, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends drinking only pasteurized milk.

If you are allergic to cow’s milk, you should also be careful with goat’s milk; More than 90% of people who are allergic to cow’s milk protein also react to the protein found in goat’s milk. A recent study found that the casein in goat’s milk, which is different from cow’s milk, may not cause the same allergic response as cow’s milk. However, if you have a milk allergy, it is still important to be careful.

Consuming goat milk also contains lactose, which can cause digestive problems in those with lactose intolerance.

Goat milk can be used similarly to other milk. Here are some ideas for incorporating goat milk into your diet:

• Drink a glass plain
• Eat with cereal or granola
• Add it to your coffee
• Eat goat milk yogurt as a snack with fruit and granola
• Add goat milk to smoothies
• Use to make delicious meals like mashed potatoes, curry or macaroni and cheese
• Make cajeta, a caramel sauce made with goat’s milk

Goat milk is a good source of nutrients for bone health and may be better for your cholesterol and blood pressure than cow’s milk. Additionally, the types of fats it contains tend to be more easily digested, especially for those with diseases that cause absorption problems. You can enjoy goat milk like any other milk, so try adding it to your morning coffee or using it for cooking.