Is goat’s milk good for you?

We asked nutritionist Amanda Hamilton why she believes more people should give goat’s milk a try.

While cow’s milk is the dairy drink of choice for many of us, around 65 per cent of the world’s population drinks goat’s milk. Chances are you might never have tried adding goat’s milk to your cereal or afternoon brew, but there are good reasons to give it a try if you’re looking for something new.

Easier to digest

If you find dairy can give you a sore tum, you may find that goat’s milk goes down a little easier. This is because goat’s milk is naturally lower in casein and lactose than cow’s milk. The fat globules in the milk are also smaller, making it easier to digest.

Skin-deep benefits

Goat’s milk may also help to reduce eczema flare-ups in children who are sensitive to cow’s milk.

After her daughter experienced an eczema flare-up, nutritionist Amanda Hamilton says she tried switching her from cow’s to goat’s milk – and her skin immediately cleared up.

“One of the benefits of goat’s milk is that the nutrients are naturally occurring,” Amanda says.

“They’re not added, as they are in plant ‘milks’.

“You’ve got B12, B6, vitamin A and zinc and there are also oligosaccharides – fibres that work as a prebiotic, nourishing beneficial bacteria in the gut.”

Amanda believes that the main reason people are put off goat’s milk is that they think it will have the same sour flavour as goat’s cheese.

“It doesn’t,” she says.”‘It actually has quite a sweet flavour.”

Calcium

Calcium is important for bone strength and, like cow’s milk, goat’s milk is an excellent source of this essential mineral. Adults need around 1000mg of calcium per day, increasing to 1300mg for women over 50 and men over 70.