Goat and Sheep Milk: Alternative to Cow Milk

This little guy is from one of the local goat farms!

Goat Milk is AMAZING!

It’s no surprise that I have a dairy allergy. I’ve always had a slight issue with dairy, but after finding out I was allergic, I noticed that my chronic ear infections cleared up. With my allergies to almonds and soy, most vegan cheeses just wouldn’t work.

I’m so thankful that goat milk has gained more popularity over the years. It has been a lifesaver for my favourite dishes that require dairy. At first, I could only get my hands on some from a few local farmers. Now, you can even find it at Wal-Mart! It doesn’t trigger my allergy symptoms, and with the selection of yoghurts, cheeses, and sour creams that are now on the market, I don’t always have to go without!

Dairy Intolerance vs Allergy

Most of us suffer from mild to severe lactose intolerance. Some people even have a dairy allergy, which symptoms can mimic lactose intolerance, but these two things are not the same.

Lactose intolerance is caused by the inability to break down the lactose sugar in milk. The symptoms of lactose intolerance can be gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Besides discomfort, there is minimal long term damage or consequences to repeatedly eating or drinking cow dairy. The “cure” is to take a pill of lactase about 30 minutes to an hour before eating.

Contrary to what you may have heard, goat milk still contains lactose, it just contains less lactose than milk from a cow. Goat milk is also easier to digest than cow milk. So if you have a lactose intolerance, goat milk might be worth a try.

A cow milk allergy is a reaction to the specific protein found in the milk from cows. In addition to the symptoms above, an allergic reaction can look like hives, rash, flushing, or more severe reactions like difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat and/or tongue, or loss of consciousness.

Milk from goats or sheep isn’t just a good alternative because it won’t make you sick; it also has plenty of health benefits. It contains more calcium, vitamin b5, and prebiotics than cow milk, as well as less cholesterol.

A1 Beta-Casein or The European Cow Problem

A1 Beta-Casein only appeared on the scenes about 1,000 years ago from a mutation in cows brought to Europe. Most cow milk in Northern Europe and North America come from A-1 cows. A-2 Beta-Casein cows are rare in these places, but their milk has been shown to cause less digestion issues than A-1 cows. Goat and sheep milk is more likely to contain the A2 Beta-Casein instead of the A1 Beta-Casein, making it easier to digest.

Cow milk may be cheaper, easier to find, and be closer to the “taste” of milk that most people are used to - but goat or sheep milk is worth a try!