Cow vs goat vs sheep dairy products page

[AutumnP]

The issue of dairy being paleo/primal aside (I know there are some purists out there), does anyone know much about the nutritional differences among these different types of dairy? Aside from the obvious points of organic, pastured, raw (for those who are lucky enough to have access), fermented, etc. Google didn't give me enough info to satisfy my curiosity.

Thanks!

[cerebelumsdayoff]

I love goat and sheep dairy. They are much easier to digest for people with lower lactose. In fact, I heard somewhere (can't remember where) that goat milk is fairly identical in structure to human breast milk (at least when compared to cow milk)

Furthermore, goat and sheep milk have been historically (and still are to some extent) the most popular types of milk to use for dairy products across the world. Goat cheese, for example, is one of my favorite types of cheeses. Greek feta is also traditionally made with sheep's milk, and it is another great cheese!

Goat and sheep milk dairy is the healthier choice in my opinion.

[Gator]

Right after WWII, I was a wee lad. I remember that the stores sold about as much goat milk as cow milk. I also remember that mothers sometimes used goat milk for their babies. Then the official word was spread about that goat milk was just for low caste people who couldn't afford the upper class cow milk. Next thing---babies were having serious problems. Cow milk was too alien for them. The gov and big business came up with Pablum. A chemical that wasn't as bad as cow milk. Just make sure that they don't revert to goat milk again. Don't tell them what this mishmash might do. We don't know anyway.

[AutumnP]

Interesting about the lactose -- wonder where sheep's milk would fit in there. Tried some sheep's milk yogurt -- yummy, distinctive flavor, but it was pretty high in carbs and made me a little edgy. (And, yay for psych students!)

I wonder whose 'official' word that was. Couldn't tell from your post whether you were being facetious or not.

Thanks to both of you!

[hazyjane]

Here's a link with some good info on how goat's milk differs from cow's milk: http://www.gardenharvest.org/milkbenefits.htm

Goat and sheep's milk (and certain older breeds of cows) contain the a2 beta casein protein which is much less problematic than the a1 beta casein found in the majority of commercial cow's dairy. A1 beta casein seems to be the culprit for many people's dairy issues (not lactose intolerance, though, which is a totallly different issue).

[AutumnP]

Great link -- thanks, hazyjane!