Goat Milk?
Discover the Healing Power of Goat Milk
By Daniel Madock, DC, American Chiropractic
Association Magazine
Doctors of chiropractic have long been advocates of
transforming health from the inside out. As we seek to better our
patients’ health, there is one particular healing food that has been
revered for centuries: goat milk and goat-milk-derived products.
Goat milk has extensive healing properties. Research
shows that goat milk has better digestibility, buffering capacity and
alkalinity than cow milk.1,12 Several properties testify to
the superiority of goat milk. First, goat milk biologically resembles
human milk. Second, goat milk contains a low level of allergy-producing
substances. Third, it digests quickly and absorbs completely. Last, goat
milk is an alkaline powerhouse.
Biological Resemblance to Human Milk:
Goat milk has a similarity to human milk that is
unmatched in bovine (cow) milk, which may be at the root of goat milk’s
healing properties. A study by the International Journal of Food
Science Nutrition found that "goat milk has a very different profile of
the non-protein nitrogen fraction to cow milk, with several constituents
such as nucleotides (DNA structure) having concentrations approaching
those in human breast milk".2 So at the very base of the DNA
structure of goat milk are similarities to the DNA structure of human
milk. Another study concluded, "The oligosaccharide (prebiotic) profile
of goat milk is most similar to that of human milk."3 The
same study went on to state, "Goat milk oligosaccharides could be
included in infant formulas to improve the nutrition of infants."3
These prebiotics are on the cutting edge of digestive health.
Goat milk also resembles human milk in the protein
structure. Beta casein, the major casein protein found in both goat
and human milk, is different from the casein found in cow milk.4
Also, the peptide mappings of these alpha-lacto albumins and beta-lacto
globulins in goat and human milk are completely different from those of
cow milk.4 Another publication found that the micelle
structures of the casein between human and goat milk had a prevalence of
beta casein unmatched in cow milk.13 Furthermore, "...milk
samples from women and goats were found to contain significantly higher
concentrations of selenium than samples from cows."5
Low Level of Allergy-Producing Substances:
Perhaps one of goat milk’s most famous attributes,
low allergenicity, is vital to keeping each patient in optimum health.
Cow milk allergy is the No. 1 allergy of children, affecting
roughly 500,000 to 1.5 million children every year.6 Cow milk
contains more than 20 allergen proteins,4 which are not
recognized by the immune system and are targeted in ways that cause a
variety of symptoms. Hives, wheezing, vomiting, abdominal cramping,
diarrhea, skin rash (commonly near and around the mouth), runny nose,
watery eyes, colic in infants and even anaphylactic shock can all be
signs and symptoms of a cow milk allergy.
Evidence points, however, to the lower allergic
potential of goat milk when compared with cow milk.4, 6, 9
One study found that nearly 93 percent of infants suffering from cow
milk allergies were able to tolerate and thrive on goat milk.7
Another animal model study concluded that "goat milk, when used as the
first source of protein after a breastfeeding period, is less allergenic
than cow milk."8 Alphas1 casein is one of the main allergens
in cow milk. Goat milk, like human milk, contains low levels of
allergy-causingalphas1 casein and high levels of alphas2
casein, which is non-allergy-causing.
Allergies to foods such as cow milk also affect
adults. Often these allergies do not manifest themselves immediately in
adults. It is common for adult allergies to cause latent discomfort,
pain, damage and overall lack of wellness. Cow milk should always be
lined up as one of the usual suspects when investigating food
intolerances in patients. While soy milk has been touted as a safe
alternative to cow milk, some studies show that those with a cow milk
allergy have a 47-percent chance of also being allergic to soy milk.10
Rapid Digestion and Complete Absorption:
Digestion is defined as catabolism (break-down) of
food into elemental food particles (fats, proteins, carbohydrates) in
the stomach, while absorption is the uptake of the food particles in the
small intestine. Goat milk has better digestibility and absorption
than cow milk for several reasons.1 When the
physicochemical make-up of these two milks are compared, a stark
difference in the amount of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and
medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) arises. Goat milk is much higher in SCFA
and MCFA than cow milk. This means that those SCFA and MCFA have a
larger surface-to-volume ratio and are better digested and absorbed than
the long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) prevalent in cow milk.11 In
fact, a recent study found that “levels of the metabolically valuable
short- and medium-chain fatty acids—caproic, caprylic, capric and
lauric—are significantly higher in...goat (milk) than in cow milk.”12
These higher levels of easy-to-digest SCFA and MCFA are broken down
quicker and more completely than the LCFA abundant in cow milk.
Goat milk also contains proteins that digest in a
superior manner. A study investigating the effect of pepsin and
trypsin (two protein-digesting enzymes found in the stomach) revealed
that while these enzymes completely digested over 96 percent of
available goat milk protein, less than 73 percent of available cow milk
protein was able to be digested completely.13 In addition
to highly digestible protein, goat milk contains far more
digestion-friendly oligosaccharides (prebiotics).14 Goat
milk also has an abundance of the energy substrate adenosine
triphosphate(ATP) that far exceeds bovine milk.15 ATP is the
energy “currency” that our metabolism is constantly manufacturing, used
for every cellular reaction in the body.
Alkaline Powerhouse:
Many foods cause the body to become acidic, which can
lead to a host of health issues.16 An accurate way to
indicate if a food is acid-forming, is to examine its buffering
capacity, or rather its ability to reduce acid load. A study from the
Journal of Dairy Science examined the buffering capacity of goat
milk, cow milk, soy milk and antacid drugs. Now, in theory, the antacid
drugs should have proven to have the best buffering capacity since their
function is to reduce acid. However, the study found that goat milk
overwhelmingly exceeded the buffering capabilities of the other three
samples tested.1 Another study in the Journal of
Nutrition found that oligosaccharides (prebiotics) from goat milk
very likely play a major role in intestinal protection and repair.17
This is important because acidic diets often cause damage to the
gastrointestinal lining. Practitioners would be wise to use alkalizing
goat milk products to help patients with acidic GI tracts.
As chiropractors, we must keep ourselves on the
cutting edge of nutritional supplementation. Isn’t it time you started
healing with goat milk?
ACA News Extra... Health Implications: Now What?
For the past 30 years, I have been using and
recommending a goat-milk-based mineral/electrolyte supplement known as
Capra
Mineral Whey. This supplement is produced by
Mt. Capra Wholefood Nutritionals, a unique company that has its own
farm (complete with free-range goats) and a separate FDA-approved
processing facility).
Goat milk is a very fragile and time-sensitive
product, so Mt. Capra has developed a proprietary system for gently
drying the goat milk to preserve its bioavailability. It has an entire
product line devoted to wellness-enhancing products sourced from goat
milk.
In addition to the mineral whey, Mt. Capra offers a
whole protein supplement known as
CaProtein, which combines natural ratios of goat milk whey and
casein protein to stimulate lean body (muscle) growth. Mt. Capra also
supplies goat milk colostrum (CapraColostrum)
and probiotics (CaproBiotics)
for enhanced immune and digestive support, as well as CapraFlex, which
targets bone and joint health.
For more information on Mt. Capra’s products, click here.
References:
1. Park YW. Relative Buffering Capacity of
Goat Milk, Cow Milk, Soy-Based Infant Formulas, and Commercial
Nonprescription Antacid Drugs. J Dairy Sci 74: 3326-3333.
2. Prosser CG, Mclaren RD, Frost D, Agnew M, Lowry DJ. Composition of
the non-protein nitrogen fraction of goat whole milk powder and goat
milk-based infant and follow-on formulae. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2008
Mar;59(2):123-33.
3. Daddaoua A, Puerta V, Requena P, Martinez-Ferez A, Guadix E, Sanchez
de Medina F, Zarzuelo A, Suarez MD, Boza JJ, Martinez-Augustin O. Goat
Milk Oligosaccharides Are Anti-Inflammatory in Rats with Hapten-Induced
Colitis. J Nutr. 2006; 136: 672-676.
4. El-Agamy EI. The challenge of cow milk protein allergy. Small
Ruminant Research. March 2007;68(1):64-72.
5. Debski B, Picciano MF, Milner JA. Selenium Content and Distribution
of Human, Cow and Goat Milk. J Nutr. 1987; 117: 1091-1097.
6. Lara-Villoslada F, Olivares M, Jiménez J, Boza J, Xaus J. Goat Milk
Is Less Immunogenic than Cow Milk in a Murine Model of Atopy. J Ped
Gastroenterol Nutrition: October 2004; 39 (4):354-360.
7. Freund G. Use of goat milk for infant feeding: experimental work at
Créteil (France). Proceeding of the meeting Intérêts nutritionnel et
diététique du lait de chèvre. Niort, France: INRA, 1996:119–21.
8. Lara-Villoslada F, Olivares M, Jiménez J, Boza J, Xaus J. Goat Milk
Is Less Immunogenic than Cow Milk in a Murine Model of Atopy. Department
of Immunology and Animal Sciences, Puleva Biotech SA, Granada, Spain.
9. Restani P. Goat Milk Allerginicity. Department of Pharmacological
Sciences, State University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
10. Hill DJ, Heine RG, Cameron DJS, Francis DE, Bines JE. The natural
history of intolerance to soy and extensively hydrolyzed formula in
infants with multiple food protein intolerance (MFPI). J Pediatr.
135:118–121.
11. Razafindrakoto O, Ravelomanana N, Rasolofo A, Rakotoarimanana RD,
Gourgue P, Coquin P, Briend A. Goat's milk as a substitute for cow's
milk in undernourished children: a randomized double-blind clinical
trial. Pediatrics. 1994 Jul;94(1):65-9.
12. Park YW, Juárez M, Ramos M, Haenlein GFW. Physico-chemical
characteristics of goat and sheep milk. Small Ruminant Research. March
2007;68(1):88-113.
13. Jasin´ska B. The comparison of pepsin and trypsin action on goat,
cow, mare and human caseins. Rocz Akad Med Bialymst 1995;40(3):486-93.
14. Martinez-Ferez A, Rudolff S, Guadix A, et al. Goat’s milk as a
natural source of lactose-derived oligosaccharides: isolation by
membrane technology. Int Dairy J 2005;16(2):173–81.
15. Zulak IM, Patton S, Hammerstedt RH. Adenosine Triphosphate in Milk.
J. Dairy Sci. 1976; 59:1388-1391.
16. Welch AA, Mulligan A, Bingham SA, Khaw KT. Urine pH is an indicator
of dietary acid-base load, fruit and vegetables and meat intakes:
results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and
Nutrition (EPIC)-Norfolk population study. Br J Nutr. 2008
Jun;99(6):1335-43.
17. Lara-Villoslada F, Debras E, Nieto A, Concha A, Gálvez J,
López-Huertas E, Boza J, Obled C, Xaus J. Oligosaccharides isolated from
goat milk reduce intestinal inflammation in a rat model of dextran
sodium sulfate-induced colitis. Clin Nutr. 2006 Jun;25(3):477-88.
Used with permission by Mt. Capra & American
Chiropractic Association
Copyright © American Chiropractic Association
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