RE: Goat Milk, Part 1

Since kid season is upon us, I promised a post regarding goat milk. Now, Cousin K is the true expert, since she is the one raising and milking the animals. But I know enough to get you interested, if this sort of thing is your bag.

Ounce for ounce, goat's milk has more protein, magnesium, calcium and potassium than cow's milk. It also has more Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B-6 and niacin. Cow's milk is much higher in Vitamin D. Cow's milk also registers lower in fat, cholesterol and calories. However, and I believe this is important, cow's milk that you buy in the store has been mechanically homogenized. That means it has gone through a process that breaks down the butterfat globules (yummy!) so they stay mixed into the milk and do not rise to the top. The intake of homogenized cow's milk has been directly linked to the rate of heart disease in developed countries (according to my completely non-scientific research of numerous medical web resources).

Goat's milk is naturally homogenized. The cream does not easily rise to the top. Some of you may have older relatives (or you may be that relative) who remember the milkman leaving bottles in the outdoor milk box in the winter. The cream would rise in a column and push the cardboard lid right off the bottle. Goat's milk will not do that because the fat globules are so similar in size to the other solids suspended in the milky liquid. That's what makes goat cheeses, soaps and lotions so fabulously smooth and creamy.

Tomorrow - and I use the term loosely to mean sometime this week - we'll talk about the superior digestibility of goat's milk, what is lactose intolerance and the benefits of raw milk vs. pasteurized milk.

The Blessed Event

Great news! Cousin K just emailed that baby goats are due in about a week! Which means all the goat milk we can handle in a month or so. Which further means a summer full of handmade cheese, ice cream, soap, lotion, and other fun stuff. It also bodes a more comfortable tummy for the lactose-intolerant but dairy-loving Tall Guy. I love spring! And I'm hoping to convince the local community (ie: the folks I live with) that I need my very own baby goat next year.

Watch for a Re: Goat Milk post in the next few days.