Got Milk? Raw Goat Milk That Is

Here at Chosen Weeds Farm, we have eagerly anticipated the arrival of kids (goat kids that is).  Besides the fact that baby goats are just plain fun, we wanted to reap the  health benefits of raw goat milk.

Kidding day has come and gone with two sets of healthy, rambunctious twins.  Below is the first set of twins, a brother and sister.

                                    

Alisa                                                                                                    Micaiah

Now the time has come to milk and we are just as excited.  This past week we got our first jar of raw goat milk goodness, and I have to say, I am addicted.  I’ve tried goat’s milk in the past and it has always had…..well, a “goaty” taste.    I have talked to several people, including some family members, who have been turned off to goat’s milk because of the taste.  But this milk (we have Nubians) is smooth, creamy, and oh, so delicious (I’ll go into the specifics of what causes the “goaty” taste of goat milk in later posts).

While much of the world (about 65% [1]) consumes goat milk, with most of that occurring in third world countries, here in the US, cow milk still reigns king.  However, that trend is slowly changing with about 50,000 dairy goat farms across the US [1].

Besides the vitamins, minerals, trace elements, electrolytes, enzymes, proteins, and fatty acids that are contained in raw goat milk, there are numerous other reasons to consume it.

8 Reasons To Consume Raw Goat Milk

1. Raw goat milk is considered a “live” food. But what does that mean?  Basically, live foods are foods that haven’t been cooked to death….and I mean that literally.  “Cooking food chemically changes additives into acid-forming toxins, free radicals and poisons that make you lethargic, depressed, tired, inflamed, achy, weak, sick and in need of relief from a general numb feeling that keeps you performing at your best. Baking, boiling, broiling and frying, destroys essential nutrients [5].” In the case of goat milk (as well as cow milk), the process of pasteurization “alters milk’s amino acids lysine and tyrosine, making the whole complex of proteins less available; it promotes rancidity of unsaturated fatty acids and destruction of vitamins. Vitamin C loss in pasteurization usually exceeds 50%; loss of other water-soluble vitamins can run as high as 80%; the Wulzen or anti-stiffness factor is totally destroyed. Pasteurization alters milk’s mineral components such as calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulfur as well as many trace minerals, making them less available [6].”
2. Goat milk does not contain the complex protein found in cow milk that stimulates allergic reactions. “Most people who are intolerant of cow milk are actually sensitive to one of the proteins found in it, A1 casein, and lack the ability to digest A1. Additionally, cow milk is the number one allergy among children and can persist throughout adulthood. That’s because it contains more than 20 different allergens (including A1 casein) that can cause allergic reactions — often confused for seasonal allergy symptoms — which can range from hives and runny noses to abdominal cramping and colic in babies [3].”
3. Goat milk also contains less of the enzyme xanthise oxidase. When entering the blood stream, this enzyme can cause tissue on the heart to scar that results in the liver supplying more cholesterol in order to protect the heart. Arteriosclerosis can be the result of this mechanism [2].
4. It’s richer in calcium than cow milk. It has almost 35% of your daily needs for calcium in one cup[4].
5. Goat milk also has high levels of vitamin A, which can improve your complexion, fight acne and improve overall skin health [3].
6. Nutrients in goat milk, such as iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous, are more easily digested and used by the body than in cow milk.
7. While cow milk has about seventeen percent fatty acids, goat milk averages thirty five percent fatty acids, making it more nutritionally wholesome. In fact, up to 50% of people with lactose intolerance to cow’s milk find that they can easily digest goat’s milk, especially if it is raw [4].
8. Raw Milk contains beneficial bacteria as well as lactic acids that allow beneficial bacteria to implant in the intestines. These bacteria are critical for all aspects of health.  We are just now understanding the role the gut bacteria play not only in our digestive health but also in the developmental health of children, our mental health, and our overall physical well-being.

So why raw goat’s milk?  Why not?  Find a local dairy near you and give it a shot.  You won’t be sorry you did.

Sources:

1. http://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/news_home/Dairy_News/2014/07/Goat_The_Other_White_Milk.aspx?ID=%7B86A86D65-73E8-4E98-AC05-1AE71F8CEEA1%7D&cck=1
2. http://www.naturalnews.com/031586_raw_goats_milk_health.html#ixzz4Gxb3DhT4
3. https://draxe.com/goat-milk/
4. http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/goat-milk-benefits/
5. http://www.naturalnews.com/034770_dead_food_diet_nutrition.html
6. https://fiascofarm.com/dairy/rawmilk.htm