Is goat milk good for gut health? 5 reasons to add it to your diet

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

People who struggle to digest cow’s milk may tolerate goat’s milk better.

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

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

As another digestive benefit, goat’s milk can be a carrier for probiotics that promotes a healthy gut microbiome. It also contains oligosaccharides that have prebiotic effects, helping to feed healthy gut bacteria.

Having high cholesterol increases the risk of developing heart disease and stroke, and goat’s milk appears to be more beneficial for your cholesterol than cow’s milk.

Studies have found that drinking goat’s milk, rather than cow’s milk, leads to increased cholesterol excretion, as opposed to remaining in the blood. This means that goat’s milk can help lower cholesterol compared to drinking cow’s milk.

High blood pressure also increases the risk of heart disease, and goat’s milk can help lower blood pressure. The type of casein in goat’s milk it can generate peptides that act as angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors – a drug that helps relax veins and arteries to lower blood pressure.

In addition, the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids in goat’s milk is close to the recommended ratio for preventing heart disease.

Also goat’s milk contains antioxidants which can prevent oxidative damage to cells from free radicals, which can further protect your heart.

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

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

Phosphorus is another essential component of your bones and teeth. One cup of goat’s milk contains 22% of the DV for this nutrient. Phosphorus is closely related to calcium, as both give your bones and teeth their structure and are regulated by the same hormones.

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

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

Goat’s milk is also a good source of potassium, phosphorus and vitamin A. Getting enough vitamin A is important for eye health, and goat’s milk has a higher amount than cow’s milk.

The calcium, vitamin D and phosphorus content of goat’s milk also make it a good food source for supporting bone health.

When you go to the milk section of a large grocery store, you’ll find many options: almond, oat, cow, goat, cashew, soy, pea, and more. Each has a different nutrient composition and different health implications.

Goat’s milk has a similar protein and lactose content to cow’s milk. There are slight differences in their unsaturated and saturated fat content and their sodium and potassium concentrations. However, these minimal differences shouldn’t have a big impact on your health.

Compared to non-dairy options like oat milk or almond milk, goat milk is much higher in protein. If you’re looking for a dairy-free milk that’s high in protein, you can try soy or pea protein milks, which are also lactose free.

When buying 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 have an allergy to cow’s milk, you will also need to be careful with goat’s milk; over 90% of people allergic to cow’s milk proteins 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 that found in cow’s milk, may not lead to the same allergic response as cow’s milk. However, it is still important to proceed with caution if you have a milk allergy.

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

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

• Drink a glass of it plain
• Have it with cereal or granola
• Add it to your coffee
• Have goat milk yogurt with fruit and granola as a snack
• Add goat milk to smoothies
• Use it to make savory dishes like mashed potatoes, curry or mac and cheese
• Make cajeta – a caramel sauce made with goat’s milk

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