In folk medicine, goat’s milk is said to have great healing properties. As a particularly salutary food it was already praised by Paracelsus and in ancient times the healing effects were equally already known. Hippocrates recommended it for promoting concentration, strengthening the nerves and the body’s immune defenses. Paracelsus used it against lung diseases and for better blood circulation of the skin. So, as a special elixir of life, goat’s milk has been known since ancient times.
This is what you should know about goat milk
Goat milk has a high occurrence of minerals, vitamins and trace elements. In its composition and structure, it is very similar to breast milk, so it is popularly taken as a substitute for baby as well as animal baby food. The first milk that was used for human nutrition is probably goat’s milk. The season for the high-quality and very digestible food begins in Europe and countries with seasons in spring, because of the biologically established winter rest of the mother goats. Until the lambs are born, the pregnant animals are not milked. Even when the lambs are born and the mother goats give milk again, it is first exclusively available to the lambs. After the biological winter break, producers can then start processing the goat’s milk again in the spring for the various products. The taste of goat’s milk is quite different from cow’s milk – exactly how it tastes is a matter of debate. For some, the taste can’t be intense enough, while another refuses a test sip just at the smell. The fact is that it has a sweetly aromatic, yet somewhat harsh taste, which it gets from a high content of capric and caprylic acids. These are formed when fatty acids are released, resulting from fat cleavage. Female goats don’t have an intense smell anyway, that’s just the strong buck stench in the rutting season that can be transferred to anything. When goats have plenty of fresh air, are milked cleanly and briskly, their milk has an aromatic nutty flavor. Goat milk has a worldwide occurrence, because the animals are very frugal and find a “little grass” to pluck everywhere. Thus, for centuries, this milk has served as a valuable food even in particularly poor and arid regions. Worldwide, their production accounts for about 3.5% of cow’s milk production. Dairy goats produce about 15.2 million tons of milk per year worldwide. India is the top producer with 4 million tons, followed by Bangladesh with 2 million tons of milk, then Sudan with 1.5 million tons, then Spain and France with 0.6 million tons each, last is Greece with 0.5 million tons of goat milk. In the European countries of Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece, goat’s milk has a particularly long and strong tradition. In Germany, Switzerland and Austria, the keeping of goats and the processing and utilization of their milk, has gained increasing importance since the 1980s and 1990s. On average, a goat yields about 600 liters per year, but there are also goats with a milk yield of 900-1200 liters per year. Many goats are still milked manually, but if the herd is very large, milking machines are used today. The origin of the goat’s milk in the shopping centers is mostly the local area. Short transport distances are important for fresh milk.
Importance for health
Nutritionally goat milk has a very good value. In the case of elevated cholesterol, its high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids has a very positive effect. Since most goats are grazing animals, they eat particularly much fresh grass with which they take up much linoleic acid. Thus, their milk then has antioxidant effects, can prevent arteriosclerosis, normalizes disturbed sugar metabolism. The valuable substances orotic acid, CLA and Q10 provide the body with valuable protection. Cell growth is promoted by orotic acid, damaged nerve cells can regenerate, liver cells can be newly created and attacked ones repaired. In asthmatics the airways are relieved and protected and in neurodermatitis it provides relief. Other contents relieve stomach and intestinal disorders. Who has not heard that Cleopatra bathed in goat’s milk to keep her skin beautiful.Today it is known that the ingredients of goat’s milk correspond to the protective acid mantle of human skin, it promotes its blood circulation and moisturizes it.
Ingredients and nutritional values
Goat milk has a high content of minerals, vitamins and trace elements. In its composition and structure, it is very similar to breast milk, so it is often taken as a substitute for baby as well as animal baby food. Its valuable contents show zinc, copper, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sodium and magnesium. The healthy liquid is also equipped with vitamins D, C, B2, B1, E and A. Especially the high content of vitamin D is very important for the preparation of baby food. Goat milk is easier to digest than cow milk because its fatty acid composition is different. Goat’s milk is characterized by more medium-chain fatty acids and fewer long-chain fatty acids than cow’s milk, and its fat globules are considerably smaller, which makes it easier and faster to digest because digestive enzymes break it down better and more easily. Problems such as flatulence or diarrhea are therefore highly rare when consuming goat’s milk.
Intolerances and allergies
Goat’s milk is particularly recommended for people who suffer from allergies or fructose or histamine intolerance, it is usually tolerated without problems. Also for people who suffer from lactose intolerance, goat’s milk can be a way out, because the lactose in goat’s milk has a different composition than lactose in cow’s milk and is usually well tolerated. And also who suffers from a whey protein allergy has the fallback option to goat’s milk, because a whey protein allergy is specific to cow’s milk.
Purchasing and kitchen tips
If goat’s milk is homogenized and then heated to ultra-high temperatures, it can be kept at room temperature for weeks, but causes small sacrifices in milk quality. When dried, goat’s milk stores best and longest, up to 12 months. These are mostly natural qualities with all the good nutrients preserved by gentle spray drying. Due to its ingredients, goat’s milk has a limited shelf life when fresh. Therefore, proper storage is all the more important to preserve and maximize quality. Goat’s milk is sensitive to light and heat and should be placed in the refrigerator as soon as possible after purchase. Well sealed, it can remain there for up to a week. Once opened, its enjoyment is guaranteed for up to 2 days.
Preparation tips
It is impossible to imagine gourmet restaurants in Europe alone without the many different goat cheese delicacies. Cheesemakers and celebrity chefs are always coming up with new creations, offering delightful taste experiences to their customers and guests. In Norway, “Ekte Geitost,” real goat cheese, is almost a national dish. It has got a very special brown color by caramelization of milk sugar and also has a sweet caramel taste. Goat milk products and goat milk are widely used in the Middle East. Very popular and well known is the yogurt-like laban made from goat milk, which is often used in lamb dishes and served with appetizer platters. But also in this country there are many recipes, because the slightly tart note of goat’s milk harmonizes perfectly with sweet or salty. Whether a cream cheese dip or a goat milk mousse with walnut brittle and honey, is up to the individual taste.