Benefits of Goat's Milk Yogurt
With its smooth, creamy consistency, it is not surprising goat milk yogurt is consumed more often worldwide than dairy cow milk based yogurts, according to the American Dairy Goat Association. Due to its low levels of lactose, goat's milk yogurt is easier to digest than yogurt made from dairy cow milk. The nutrient and protein rich product is a healthy dairy option often used as a base for dips or eaten with fruit as a sweet treat.
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Easy to Digest
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Goat's milk yogurt does not contain agglutinin, which prevents the fat in goat's milk from clumping. This factor, in addition to high levels of essential fatty acids, linoleic and arachnodonic acids, makes goat's milk yogurt easier for enzymes in the human stomach to digest than cow's milk based yogurts.
People with sensitivities to dairy cow milk based products can also benefit from the lower lactose levels in goat's milk yogurt. Dairy cow milk based products contain on average 4.7 percent lactose, while dairy goat milk products, such as yogurt, contain 4.1 percent lactose.
Acidophilus and bifidus are often added to goat milk yogurt blends to aid in healthy digestion. The naturally occurring lactobacillus acidophilus in goat milk makes the dairy treat easier to process after the digestive system has been disrupted with antibiotics.
High Nutrient Levels
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Vitamins and essential nutrients abound in goat's milk yogurt. When compared to dairy cow milk based yogurt, goat's milk yogurt contains 134 percent more calcium, 47 percent more vitamin A and 25 percent more vitamin B-6. Goat's milk yogurt is a good source of calcium, potassium, the amino acid tryptophan and phosphorus.
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Source of Protein
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Yogurt made from goat's milk is a low-cost source of protein suitable for meat-eating and vegetarian (not vegan) diets. Yogurt made from 1 cup of goat's milk can supply up to 17.4 percent of the recommended daily protein intake as advised by the United States Department of Agriculture. The animal based protein supplies our bodies with much needed amino acids.
Since only trace amounts of the allergy-causing casein protein alpha-S1 is found in goat's milk, natural yogurt made from the milk is easily digested by toddlers that are otherwise sensitive to cow's milk based dairy products. The casein found in goat-based dairy products more closely resembles the contents of human milk.
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