Facts About Goat's Milk
Goats have long produced the "milk of choice" for humankind, and are easy to pasture, breed and milk. Many products are made from goat's milk, including cheeses like traditional feta and some hard cheeses. Goat's milk is white in color, and so products made from goat's milk are also white, with a tendency to be more smooth and cream-like than cow's milk products.
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History
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Goat milk has a long association with human history, especially in Asia and Africa where approximately 80 percent of the world's goat population resides. Goats are considered to be the oldest of domesticated farm animals, and their milk products have been used by man for up to 10,000 years, according to the Dairy Goat Co-operative. Goats were often taken aboard ships to give sailors the benefit of fresh milk, and it is reported that Captain Cook had aboard the Endeavor a goat that wore a collar saying "The globe twice encircled, this the Goat, the second to the nurse of Jove, is thus rewarded for her never-failing milk."
Usage
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Goat's milk is consumed by more people worldwide than the milk of any other animal, according to the American Dairy Goat Association. Goat's milk is used in much the same manners as cow's or buffalo's milk, as a drink, to make creams, cheeses, ice creams and even to make soaps and beauty products. Goat's milk is also popular for use in baby formula, as goat's milk is considered closer to human milk than cow milk.
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Nutrition
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According to Ontario Goats Milk, whole goat's milk has comparable levels of calcium, sodium and magnesium to whole cow's milk, with higher levels of potassium, manganese, zinc, copper, iron and phosphorous. Whole goat's milk also contains higher levels of B group vitamins, vitamin A and vitamin E. The caloric and lipid (fat) content of goat's milk is less than that of cow's milk.
Advantages
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Goat's milk contains much smaller fat particles than cow's milk, making it easier on the human digestive system. Many people who are allergic to cow's milk or have trouble digesting it find that a goat's milk replacement is successful. Because the fat particles are so small, goat's milk is naturally homogenized, which avoids the health problems associated with the mechanical homogenization of cow's milk and the formation of xanthine oxidase. Goat's milk is also more alkaline in the system, and is used to help treat ulcers.
Misconceptions
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One of the major misconceptions surrounding goat's milk is that it is "stinky" like a goat. In actuality, it is only the male goat, the buck, which has the pungent "goaty" smell. There may be cases where females (does) being kept in a herd with a buck may produce slightly smelly milk, but does in a female-only herd produce milk that barely has any smell at all.
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References
- Photo Credit goat says huh? image by Christopher Hill from Fotolia.com
