Goat Milk – Health benefits, uses, and side-effects
Milk is an essential part of the diet of people all over the world. Due to its high range of nutrients, milk plays an important role in the overall development of the body. In addition to meeting our system’s daily requirements of calcium and fat, a glass of milk increases metabolism and improves the immune system, therefore preventing certain diseases. Goat milk is the most commonly consumed dairy product in the world. In fact, goat milk accounts for 65% to 72% of all dairy foods consumed worldwide. This is partly due to the ease of keeping goats as opposed to cows in developing countries, where goat milk is an important source of calories, protein, and fat. In many countries, people prefer goat’s milk to cow’s milk.
Goat’s milk is thicker and creamier than cow’s milk, and goat’s milk contains more nutrients that can provide health benefits1. It is the most consumed milk drink in the world due to its taste and health benefits. It is an ideal food and is rich in nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. This is worldwide better than cow’s milk. This article discusses the health benefits of goat milk.
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Benefits and uses of Goat Milk
1. For the digestive system
Goat’s milk and cow’s milk have the same fat content, but the fat globules in goat’s milk are smaller than the cow’s milk and therefore, easier to digest.
2. Good for skin
Goat milk is excellent for your skin. Goat’s milk and human skin have the same PH, which means that when you use goat’s milk to cleanse your skin, it doesn’t disrupt the skin’s natural microbiota or acid mantle. Therefore, if you have sensitive skin problems such as psoriasis or eczema, goat milk will be helpful.
Goat’s milk contains lactic acid and fatty acids, which repair the skin’s barrier. According to research, the low alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) concentration in goat milk helps to hydrate, gently exfoliate and treat sun-damaged skin. Plus, it contributes to noticeably softer skin. Goat milk contains probiotics to stimulate normal skin development.
3. Promotes a healthy weight gain
A healthy weight reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure. In addition, it prevents the risk of cancer. Compared to other milk types, goat milk contains more calories per serving. However, it has the same nutritional profile as cow’s milk. Therefore, excess calories lead to healthy weight gain.
One study suggests that you can use goat’s milk as an alternative to cow’s milk to rehabilitate malnourished children. Hence, if you are underweight and aim to gain weight in a healthy way, you should drink goat’s milk.
4. Increases Platelet Count
Important complications of dengue fever are selenium deficiency and low blood platelet count. However, research suggests that goat milk can help treat dengue patients by increasing blood platelets. This is because selenium is its main ingredient. In addition, it helps in the digestion and metabolism of various minerals in the body.
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5. Prevent Milk Allergies in Kids
Goat milk contains a good amount of A2 casein. For example, 100 ml of goat milk contains about 3.6 grams of A2 casein. A2 casein contains high protein levels, just like human breast milk. Therefore, it prevents the inflammatory diseases of colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. Usually, goat’s milk is given to babies as their first source of protein after breastfeeding. This makes them less likely to develop milk allergies than cow’s milk.
6. Prevents Arteriosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis is a condition in which the arteries that carry oxygen and nutrients to the heart and body become thick and stiff. Consequently, it limits blood flow to your organs and tissues.
According to one study, goat milk contains a limited amount of xanthine oxidase, an enzyme needed to produce uric acid. Xanthine oxidase reaching the bloodstream can cause cardiovascular problems. Therefore, low levels of this enzyme are essential to avoid the risk of arteriosclerosis.
7. Prevents Insulin Resistance
Adequate insulin helps to balance your blood sugar levels. When you have excess glucose in your bloodstream, your liver restores residual glucose. According to research, goat milk prevents insulin resistance. Insulin resistance causes an increase in blood sugar in the body. As a result, it can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes. This is more problematic because it usually has no symptoms.
8. Prevent anemia
Goat milk contains calcium, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. Our body digests and absorbs these minerals easily. Consequently, goat’s milk helps treat nutritional deficiencies such as bone mineralization. It also corrects iron and magnesium deficiencies. It further increases the body’s ability to use iron. Goat milk also increases RBC formation. Therefore, patients suffering from anemia, malabsorption problems, or osteoporosis should drink goat’s milk.
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9. Reduces bad cholesterol levels
Goat milk reduces bad cholesterol and increases the level of good cholesterol in the human body. It has healing properties and like olive oil, is effective in keeping high cholesterol under control.
10. Act as a metabolic agent
Goat milk is a good metabolic agent. It can also metabolize copper and iron. For people with digestive and constipation problems, you can benefit greatly from eating goat’s milk. It helps to relieve the swollen sensation that people usually experience.
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Side effects of Goat milk
Everything in the world has good and bad effects. There are also some disadvantages for goat milk. These side effects are —
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Abdominal redness of the stomach
- Food poisoning
- Tuberculosis
- Sweating at night
- Paralysis
- Kidney failure
- Stroke
- You should also avoid giving goat milk to babies. Similarly, if you are lactose intolerant and allergic to milk, consult your doctor before consuming goat’s milk.
- It is rich in fat and cholesterol. Therefore, excessive use increases weight and cholesterol levels.
Therefore, goat milk should be used in the right amount considering the benefits and harms as excessive use of any product can harm our health. The above is information provided for general information purposes only. It is recommended to consult a doctor before using goat milk for treatment.
Conclusion
The information discussed in this article has introduced you to the health benefits of goat milk. In this article, you will learn about the advantages and disadvantages, uses and other information mentioned in this article. I hope this will be useful to you. Thank you!
FAQ
1. Is goat milk good for skin whitening?
Ans: Due to its ideal acid concentration and mineral content, goat’s milk can also lighten your skin. The lactic acid found in goat’s milk reduces the brown pigment (melanin) in your skin and gradually brightens your complexion.
2. What are the advantages of goat milk?
Ans: Goat milk is a powerhouse of protein, healthy fats, vitamins, iron and other essential nutrients. It keeps your bones and teeth strong, due to its high calcium content it helps to provide enough energy to the growing baby.
3. Can we use goat’s milk on our face?
Ans: Goat milk can be used directly on the skin as a thin mask. It is an addition to one’s skin care through moisturizing face creams and nourishing soaps for the body.
4. Is goat milk good for the immune system?
Ans: Goat milk is rich in selenium, a rare mineral that plays a major role in boosting the immune system. It boosts an immune system in your body that keeps infections away, preventing the onset of harmful diseases.
5. Is goat milk good for the liver?
Ans: This milk improves iron and copper metabolism in those people who have difficulty absorbing minerals in the digestive tract. Due to the natural homogenization of the small fat molecules in goat milk, it helps to digest for people with liver problems.