Do you experience gas, bloating, diarrhea or mucus after drinking milk? Has your doctor told you that you are lactose intolerant?
Maybe it is the type of milk you are consuming. Turns out that many folks who have issues with cow milk might do much better with goat.
What is wrong with cow milk?
Many folks head toward the office door when I advise them to remove cow dairy from their diets. It is a highly inflammatory food and for many, initiates an immune response that could last for weeks. Part of the issue comes from the fact that it is introduced at such a young age while our digestive systems are still developing. Since our gut couldn’t process the food, it leaked into the bloodstream partially digested. This created a “memory” in our immune system, which may explain today’s symptoms of inflammation, mucus or phlegm. What makes it worse is that we were told or should I say, forced, to “drink our milk” several times a day. No wonder why the body fought back!
In addition, cow milk proteins have been shown to mimic gluten and may wreak havoc to those with sensitivity issues (which sadly is becoming the norm).
What about lactose intolerance?
We have enzymes that help us break down milk. Age we age, the genes for these gets turned off. If you have a mutation in this gene, you may still be able to drink milk with little issue.
How is goat milk different from cow milk?
Goat milk is pretty close in structure to our own human milk! In fact, it has been a part of the human diet for 1000’s of years and offers health benefits not found in cow. It is easily digested and utilized by the body, contains more nutrients, has 10% less sugar, and is much less acidic than cow milk.
Why is goat milk more absorbable?
Goat milk is naturally homogenized and can be digested within 20 minutes, whereas cow can take three or more hours.
Cow milk contains over 20 allergenic proteins, whereas goat milk has much lower levels. And since our milk’s DNA and casein proteins are similar to that of goat, our body handles it well.
Studies have verified that the body is able to digest over 96 percent of proteins in goat while only about 70% in cow. This undigested cow milk ferments in our gut desperately trying to be processed, causing the gas and bloating that we have come to expect.
Finally, goat milk higher amounts of short and medium chained fatty acids, which are broken down very easily by the body. Cow milk on the other hand, is harder to digest since it contains predominately long chained fatty acids.
Is goat milk healthy?
Consumed in moderation, goat milk may offer some darn good nutrition. Studies have shown that it contains more essential fatty acids than cow’s milk. Goat milk contains more Vitamin A (twice that from cows) and Vitamin B (50% more than cow and 4 times than human milk). It also contains more minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium than cow or human milk.
In addition, goat milk contains prebiotics which keeps our gut nice and healthy. It has less lactose than cow milk, making it a better option for those with mild lactose sensitivities.
Are there any issues with goat milk?
Yes, those with certain autoimmune conditions may still react to these proteins. They may fare better with sheep or mare milk.
Why can goat milk be used as an antacid?
Did your mom recommend a glass of milk for an upset tummy? A study from the Journal of Milk Science found that goat milk unlike cow (which is very acidic), has a better buffering capability than antacid drugs!
