| The advertisement asks,
"Got milk?" But what kind of milk? Twenty years ago, most
people who routinely had milk with their morning cereal used whole milk.
Today, with the concern for fat in the diet, many people have switched
to low-fat milk or skim milk. And a significant number of people are
opting for lactose reduced or lactose free milk. |
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| There are other
alternatives: take goat's milk, for example. Patients with diarrhea,
asthma, bloating and irritability may be suffering from the most common
food allergy: cow's milk. Goat milk is a natural alternative to cow milk
and can comfortably be consumed by many patients who suffer from cow
milk allergies or sensitivity. |
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Although goat milk, like
cow's milk and human milk, contains lactose, many people with lactose
intolerance can drink goat milk. Why? It has been hypothesized that the
reason lies in goat milk's superior digestibility. |
| Goat milk is more
completely and easily absorbed than cow's milk, leaving less undigested
residue behind in the colon to quite literally ferment and cause the
uncomfortable symptoms of lactose intolerance. |
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It may also be that the
patient is not lactose intolerant at all, but instead is one of the
1-in-10 people who are allergic to the major protein of cow's milk ...
alpha S1 casein protein. The symptoms are almost identical to those of
lactose intolerance. Both goat milk and human milk lack this offending
protein. |
| The digestibility of goat
milk can be attributed to its casein curd, which is both softer and
smaller than that produced by cow*s milk. The smaller and softer the
curd, the more easily accepted by the human digestive system. |
| Another significant
difference between cow's milk and goat milk is found in the composition
and structure of fat. The average size of goat milk fat globules is
about two micrometers, as compared to 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 micrometers for
cow's milk. These smaller sized fat globules provide a better dispersion
and a more homogenous mixture of fat in the milk, another factor in
making goat milk easier to digest. |
|
| Goat milk contains more of
the essential fatty acids (linoleic and arachidonic acids) and a higher
proportion of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids than cow's milk.
The fat in goat milk may be more readily digested and absorbed than cow
milk because lipases attack ester linkages of such fatty acids more
readily than those of longer chains. And, unlike cow's milk, goat milk
does not contain agglutinin; as a result, the fat globules in goat milk
do not cluster, which helps facilitate digestion and absorption. |
|
Goat milk is a nutritious
dairy option for many patients of different age groups and lifestyle
needs. Young children and seniors can be especially sensitive to cow's
milk and so can certain ethnic groups, including Asians, Hispanics,
African Americans and Native Americans. |
| Goat milk is an excellent
option for any patient who is cow milk or soy milk sensitive and is
necessarily concerned with obtaining adequate calcium from a natural
dietary source. Goat milk is also an excellent source of dietary calcium
important in the prevention of high blood pressure, osteoporosis and
other bone-related problems. For menopausal women, goat milk provides
13% more calcium than cow's milk and can be consumed comfortably even by
those women with milk sensitivity. |
| While it is often
recommended that children who have problems digesting cow's milk change
to vegetable protein soy-based formula, that is not always the answer.
An estimated 20%-50% of children with cow milk protein intolerance will
react adversely to soy proteins. Goat milk is a natural milk that
children like and can consume comfortably, even if they are sensitive to
cow's milk and/or soy formula. |
|
The nutrient composition
of goat milk is very different than that of cow's milk. In addition to
containing 13% more calcium than cow's milk, goat milk also has 25% more
vitamin B-6, 47% more vitamin A, 134% more potassium and 350% more
niacin. Goat milk is also higher in chloride, copper and manganese and
contains 27% more of the essential nutrient selenium. Goat milk contains
none of the controversial Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH).
References:
- Luke B, Keith LG. "Calcium requirements
and the diets of women and children." Journal of Reproductive
Medicine.
- Haenlein GFW. "Role of goat milk in human
nutrition." International Conference on Goats, University of
Delaware.
- Haenlein GFW, Ace D. Extension Goat Handbook.
United States Department of Agriculture/USDA.
This article was taken from: http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/15/25/09.html
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