Back to Goat
Goat milk is making a comeback in Europe as a
healthier nutrition for babies, find out why below.
B
reastfeeding is always the first
place and optimal nutrition for
infants and babies. Yet, when
breastfeeding is not available,
mothers usually feed their babies with a
breast milk substitute made from cow’s
milk formula. Even though cow’s milk
covers babies’ needs, various studies
have shown that goat’s milk is closer
to human milk and also offers added
benefits to babies.
Cows and Goats have very significant
and different nutritional needs for both
maintenance and growth requirements.
Cow’s milk is designed to take a 100
pound baby cow and transform it into a
1200 pound cow. Goat’s milk and human
milk were both designed and created
for transforming a 7-9 pound baby into
an average adult/goat of anywhere
between 100-200 pounds.
Goat’s milk has a greater amount of
essential fatty acids than cow’s milk as
well as significantly greater amounts of
vitamin B-6, vitamin A, and niacin. Goat’s
milk is also a far superior source of the
vitally important nutrient potassium. This
extensive amount of potassium causes
goat’s milk to react in an alkaline way
within the body whereas cow’s milk
is lacking in potassium and ends up
reacting in an acidic way.
With smaller fat globules, as well as
higher levels of medium-chain fatty
acids, goat’s milk contributes to an
easier digestion with each fat globule
and individual fatty acid having a larger
surface-to-volume ratio resulting in a
quicker and easier digestion process.
Also, when the proteins found in milk
clump up in the stomach, they form a
much softer curd than cow’s milk. This
allows the body to digest the protein
more smoothly and completely than
when digesting cow’s milk.
A common food allergy for children
under three is cow’s milk. The allergic
reaction can be blamed on a protein
allergen known as Alpha s1 Casein found
in high levels in cow’s milk. The levels of
Alpha s1 Casein in goat’s milk are about
89% less than cow’s milk providing a far
less allergenic food. In fact, a recent
study of infants allergic to cow’s milk
found that nearly 93% of them could
drink goat’s milk with virtually no side
effects (1).
Goat’s milk also contains less lactose
than cow’s milk and therefore is easier
to digest for those suffering from lactose
intolerance. An interesting aspect to
consider is that goat’s milk lactose
content isn’t much lower than cow’s
milk (about 10% less) and yet, countless
lactose intolerant babies are able to
thrive on goat’s milk. Although the
answer for this is unclear, it has been
hypothesized that since goat’s milk is
digested and absorbed in a superior
manner, there is no “leftover” lactose
that remains undigested which causes
the painful and uncomfortable effects of
lactose intolerance.
Prémichèvre from Prémibio, a leading
French organic baby food producer,
offers a complete range of organic
goat’s milk with a strong commitment
to quality organic ingredients, natural
vitamins and minerals and a balanced
formulation. Chèvre means Goat in
French, and following its success in
France, Prémichèvre is now available in
Hong Kong at Bumps to Babes, Organic
MaMa and selected stores.
sponsored feature
1) Freund G. - Use of goat milk for infant feeding:
experimental work at Creteil (France). Proceeding
of the meeting : Interets nutritionnel et dietetique
du lait de chevre. Niort, France: INRA, 1996:119–21)
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