
Why Goat’s Milk Is Our Milk Of Choice For Our Son
Over the last year and a half, I have been bombarded with questions from readers and friends regarding why I choose to give our son goats milk instead of cows. I get it, it is a little strange. Especially when we have grown up in a society that depends so much on cows milk products for calcium and bone health. The thing is that I have seen the benefits of cutting out cows milk first hand on numerous occasions. I wrote a post on why cows milk was not an option which you can read here. So I thought I would write a post on why i chose goats milk over other milks to answer some of your questions.
Easier to Digest
Both my husband and I have digestive issues. I, like most women, suffer from bloating and a sluggish system whereas my husband has a sensitive stomach with family history of inflammatory bowel disease. So it only made sense to me to choose an option for my son that benefited his digestive track but also gave him all the nutrients he needs to grow. Cows milk is notorious for being quite difficult for humans to digest in general. However if you are prone to a sensitive gut it can be even worse.
Trust me you do not want to be standing behind someone who has consumed cows milk dairy AND has a sensitive stomach! A close friend of mine seemed to react every time he consumed cheese or milk products. After years of embarrassing encounters and almost being thrown out of a taxi. He finally decided to eliminate cows milk and the results were incredible. Almost over night his rather gassy stomach was transformed and it was a relief for him, and for everyone else around him!
Goats milk is very similar nutritionally to cows milk however it is a lot easier to digest. That is because it has a lower percentage of lactose and other milk sugars that generally cause irritation in the bowel. Its proteins also form a softer curd making the digestive process less strenuous on the body.
Less allergenic
I will never forget our trips up to the local goat farm as a kid to get fresh goats milk for my brother. Both of my brothers unfortunately suffer from severe eczema. To the point where even the act of sitting down on the couch causes their skin to split open and weep. So on the advice of doctors my mother was told to eliminate cows milk and buy fresh goats milk for them to drink instead. Â Eliminating cows milk as well as gluten has worked wonders for them and to this day both of my brothers avoid cows milk dairy as much as possible.
A lot of people nowadays experience allergic symptoms after consuming cows milk dairy. This is because of the protein casein which is highly inflammatory. I remember as a singer (back in the day) we were told to avoid any dairy before a performance because it was mucus forming in the body and throat making it difficult to sing clearly. Mucus is usually a sign of inflammation.
What about cheese and yogurt?
This is probably the biggest question I get asked and one that is valid. Though I believe we do not need to eat cheese and yogurts. In todays society they are big staple foods and easy options to give to children. So what do we do? We buy dairy free plain coconut yogurt and my son loves it. You can buy flavoured dairy free yogurt however the sugar content for me is too high for a 2 year old. So we buy plain yogurt and add a drizzle of honey or jam for flavour. It is Gabriel’s favourite treat and keeps me at ease knowing he isn’t consuming too much sugar and dairy. There are also goats milk options available though I have found that Gabriel prefers the coconut flavour.
What about Nut Milks?
My husband and I are huge fans of nut milks especially almond and hazelnut. However i did not feel that they gave the essential nutrients a baby or toddler needs to grow and develop. Store bought nut milks are tasty and handy but look at the ingredients and it can get a bit confusing. A lot of them only have 2% almonds in them which baffles me to be honest. Basically the remaining 98% is water and additives which doesn’t give a lot nutritionally. It is ok for me and my husband to use occasionally. However for a growing toddler we prefer the nutritional benefits of goats milk.
I hope this answers all of your questions. Please note that I am not a medical professional. These are my own personal preferences which I feel is best for me and my family. You are entitled to do what you think is best for you. We buy Delamere Goats Milk which is available from Asda at an affordable price.
Rhona
I like this segment I wish there were alternatives like this when I was growing up. I have terrible hayfever alergies and asthma which makes me wonder if I had a cows milk alternative would I have developed these ailments
Charlie | The Barefoot Angel
This is really food for thought – I had friends with dairy allergies at school who always had goat’s milk, but I hadn’t explored the possibility of giving children goat’s milk as a first option, only ever as an alternative. Thank you for your insight as to how it works for you and your son. Charlie xo
The Crumby Vegan
Hi Kylie. Like you I am allergic to cow’s milk. I used to love things such as cheese but I gave it all up because my body did not agree with it! I switched to nut milk. Since you have done your research on this, can you please tell me what kind of nutrients goat’s milk provides that nut milks dont?
Kylie Abreu
It depends on the brand. In general goats milk has more protein and calcium as well as the presence of B vitamins. You can buy some brands that fortify the milk by adding calcium and protein etc to nut milks. I have read that if you were to make your own almond milk you would get a better nutritional punch than store bought because you could use a higher percentage of nuts. But i do not have the time to make this for my son as he can drink a lot. From what I have read Soy milk is the best plant based milk for nutrition but they warn against this for people with possible auto immune disease or hormone problems. I personally don’t drink goats milk as the taste is too rich but my son loves it. The fact that goats milk provides my son with calcium while also being gentler on his digestive tract was what sold me. Have a google and see what is best for you.
Sandra Negron
Wow this is so interesting to read up on the benefits of goat milk. I don’t drink milk of any kind but I will be passing this to my friends with young children!
Rachel Kennedy
When I lived in Germany I started drinking goats milk, but switched to Almond when I moved back to the States because I just couldn’t find anything that compared to how pure the Euro goats milk is!
Emily Smith
I haven’t tried goat’s milk again in years – I really wasn’t a fan of it, nor goat’s milk yogurt, the few times I gave it a try. I would definitely try it again, just to see if my taste buds have changed! My kids love coconut milk and almond milk 🙂
nadaliebardo
Great post on the benefits of choosing goats milk over other milks. I really think I should give it a try! As I have issues with lactose and apparently goats milk is better for me.