THE AMAZING BENEFITS
of GOAT MILK PRODUCTS
Goat milk is as close to a perfect food as possible in nature. Its chemical structure is amazingly similar to mother's milk. It is a complete protein containing all the essential amino acids without the heavy fat content and catarrh producing materials of cow's milk.
If you have been around farms, you would notice goats are much more flexible and limber than cows. They can climb and do things that are beautiful to watch. I have seen goats get on the roofs of barns and houses and wondered how it was possible. the reason for this is that goats are a bioorganic sodium animal, while cows are a calcium animal.
Bioorganic sodium in known in Naturopathic Medicine as the youth element. Arthritis does not come with old age. It is a lack of this essential mineral that brings on the symptoms of old age.The highest sources of bioorganic sodium is found in goat milk and sweet goat whey. Abunda Life Goat Milk products contain both quick dried goat milk and the whey. It is the sodium that keeps the goats young, active, flexible, and limber all of their lives. There are no old goats in the human sense. They can climb, jump, leap, and walk all of their lives because bioorganic sodium is the joining mobilizing material that makes this possible.
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Each organ of the body has a reserve of one chemical element more than others. It holds certain chemical elements so that it is a unique active organ. This principle, known as "The Chemical Story," is one of the essential principles of Naturopathic Medicine.
Dr. Koenig of Germany, in autopsy after autopsy, discovered that there is more sodium stored in the stomach than any other organ of the body. The stomach is known as a bioorganic sodium organ in naturopathic medicine. When the body becomes deficient in bioorganic sodium foods do not digest properly. The stomach's ability to produce enzymes and hydrochloric acid is slowed down and we experience belching, bloating, and ulcers become possible along with many other digestive problems. Coffee, tea, sugar, white flour products, chocolate, alcohol, and especially soda drinking produces a high stomach acid imbalance that sucks the bioorganic sodium right off the walls of the stomach and colon. This condition sometimes takes many years to manifest itself and is not noticed until it becomes a named disease. It is for this reason that we do not permit soda in the house at Abunda Life.
The endless array of mindless over-the-counter drugs like Tums, Pepto Bismal, and bicarbonite of soda, as you may well know, is the wrong type of sodium. Like all drugs, without exception, cause more long term problems than short term solutions. In naturopathic medicine we believe that God provided the answer in Food Medicine. Goat milk and goat whey are natural food medicines designed to both nourish and heal, prevent and treat the stomach, colon, intestines, and arthritic like conditions.
I've seen goat milk perform wonders at Abunda Life Clinic with both children and adults. I have seen people who could not digest a single food come back to health with goat milk. Many mothers have thrown out the plastic mixes called baby formulas to have their children grow strong and healthy without drugging them and without heavy mucus that cows milk often produces. Some people have resurrected from the dead with goat milk.
Dr. Jensen told me that Ghandi was always able to rapidly come back to excellent health after his very prolonged fasts because of goat milk. Goat milk is one of the best food medicines for rebuilding the brain, nervous sytem, and mental faculties. Goat milk is one of the finest foods for regenerating the cells of the body and bringing a person back to health.
After mother's milk, goat milk is the ideal food for weaning a child. It is the nearest to mother's milk in composition, nutrients, and natural chemical properties. It is easy to digest and is a magnificent bodybuilding food. Its fat globules are one ninth the size as cow's milk, making it easier to digest. If you don't homogenize cow's milk you must remove some of the cream. With goats milk this is not neccessary as it is naturally homogenized.
One common denominator that Dr. Jensen discovered in his 70 year study of people over the age of 100, in visiting 90 countries, was goat milk. Margaret Patton of London died at 137 years old. Jonathan Hartop walks 9 miles a day at the age of 136 and lived to be 138. Thomas Parr lived 152 years and Peter Czartin from Austria live to be 184. All lived on goat milk. This is not surprising to some who realize that the only milk referred to in the Bible, as food, is goat milk (Proverbs 27:27). - Abunda Life Goat Milk is not only highly nutritious, but is so delicious that children love it. One 12 ounce container makes 2 gallons or 8 quarts or 32 eight ounce glasses of reconstituted goat milk.
- Abunda Life's Goat Milk is so highly nutritous that it can often serve as a meal substitute or healthy snack in itself. It is so delicious that children and adults love it. Goat milk is the number one substitute for cow milk made by most Naturopathic Doctors for the following reasons:
- Goat milk is a highly comabtible nourishing natural food for people who are allergic to cow milk.
- Cow milk is mucus forming to many people. Goat milk is not only non-mucus forming, but actually helps to neutralize mucus.
- The fat content in goat milk is very low compared to cow milk. The fat globules are 1/9 the size of cow milk making it a very easy natural food to break down.
- Certain ethnic groups, especially Jews and Blacks and some Hispanics are lactate intolerant, which means that their bodies can react adversly to cow milk and cow milk products. For these people goat milk can be the perfect substitute
- The chemical structure of goat milk is very close to that of mother's milk.
- The elements of goat milk are similar to those found in the stomach, colon, intestines, and joints. Thereby making goat milk the perfect food for these symptoms.
- Goat milk digests easily making it the perfect food for children, the elderly, those with digestive difficulties, those recuperating from a disease or health conditions, and your pets that have been weaned from their mother.
- Goat milk neutralizes acids and toxins.
- Goat milk is high in healing enzymes and has a superior form of calcium than cow milk.
- Goat milk is compatible with most Abunda Life powder formulas.
QUESTION 1: What are the health benefits of
goat milk over cow milk?
QUESTION 2: Can we use goat milk if we are sensitive to cow milk? |
A. One of the more significant differences from cow milk is found in the composition and structure of fat in goat milk. The average size of goat milk fat globules is about 2 micrometers, as compared to 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 micrometers for cow milk fat. These smaller sized fat globules provide a better dispersion, and a more homogeneous mixture of fat in the milk. Research indicates that there is more involved to the creaming ability of milk than merely physical size of the fat globules.
It appears that their clustering is favored by the presence of an agglutinin in milk which is lacking in goat milk, therefore creating a poor creaming ability, especially at lower temperatures. The natural homogenization of goat milk is, from a human health standpoint, much better than the mechanically homogenized cow milk product. It appears that when fat globules are forcibly broken up by mechanical means, it allows an enzyme associated with milk fat, known as xanthine oxidase to become free and penetrate the intestinal wall.
Once xanthine oxidase gets through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream, it is capable of creating scar damage to the heart and arteries, which in turn may stimulate the body to release cholesterol into the blood in an attempt to lay a protective fatty material on the scarred areas. This can lead to arteriosclerosis.
It should be noted that this effect is not a problem with natural (unhomogenized) cow milk. In unhomogenized milk this enzyme is normally excreted from the body without much absorption. (I.E. milk that comes as God naturally made it is best for you and not the man handled and distorted version of milk.. .this is my opinion).
Another significant difference from cow milk is the higher amount of shorter-chain fatty acids in the milk fat of goats. Furthermore, glycerol ethers are much higher in goat then in cow milk which appears to be important for the nutrition of the nursing newborn.
Goat milk also has lower contents of orotic acid which can be significant in the prevention of fatty liver syndrome. However, the membranes around fat globules in goat milk are more fragile which may be related to their greater susceptibility to develop off flavors than cow milk
| | goat | cow | human |
| fat % | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.0 |
| solids-not-fat % | 8.9 | 9.0 | 8.9 |
| lactose % | 4.1 | 4.7 | 6.9 |
| nitrogen x 6.38% | 3.4 | 3.2 | 1.2 |
| protein % | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.1 |
| casein % | 2.4 | 2.6 | 0.4 |
| calcium % CaO | 0.19 | 0.18 | 0.04 |
| phosphorus P2O5 % | .27 | .23 | .06 |
| chloride % | .15 | .10 | .06 |
| iron (P/100,000) | .07 | .08 | .2 |
| vitamin A (i.u./g fat) | 39.0 | 21.0 | 32.0 |
| vitamin B (ug/100 m) | 68.0 | 45.0 | 17.0 |
| riboflavin (ug/100ml) | 210.0 | 159.0 | 26.0 |
| vitamin C (mg asc. a/100ml) | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 |
| vitamin D (i.u./g fat) | .07 | 0.7 | 0.3 |
| Calories /100ml | 70.0 | 69.0 | 68.0 |
Goat's milk is a very good source of calcium and the amino acid tryptophan. It is also a good source of protein, phosphorous, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and potassium. Perhaps the greatest benefit of goat's milk, however, is that some people who cannot tolerate cow's milk are able to drink goat's milk without any problems.
It is not clear from scientific research studies exactly why some people can better tolerate goat's milk. Some initial studies suggested that specific proteins known to cause allergic reactions may have been present in cow's milk in significant quantities yet largely absent in goat's milk. The alpha-casein proteins, including alpha s1-casein, and the beta-casein proteins were both considered in this regard. However, more recent studies suggest that the genetic wiring for these casein proteins is highly variable in both cows and goats and that more study is needed to determine the exact role these proteins might play in the tolerability of goat's milk versus cow's milk. Other research has found some anti-inflammatory compounds (short-chain sugar molecules called oligosaccharides) to be present in goat's milk.
These oligosaccharides may make goat's milk easier to digest, especially in the case of compromised intestinal function. In animal studies, goat's milk has also been shown to enhance the metabolism of both iron and copper, especially when there are problems with absorption of minerals in the digestive tract. These factors and others are likely to play an important role in the tolerability of goat's milk versus cow's milk. Allergy to cow's milk has been found in many people with conditions such as recurrent ear infections, asthma, eczema, and even rheumatoid arthr
itis. Replacing cow's milk with goat's milk may help to reduce some of the symptoms of these conditions.
Goat's milk can sometimes even be used as a replacement for cow's milk-based infant formulas for infants who have difficulties with dairy products. Unfortunately, goat's milk is lacking in several nutrients that are necessary for growing infants, so parents interested in trying goat's milk instead of cow's milk-based formula for their infants should ask their pediatricians or other qualified healthcare practitioners for recipes and ways to add these important and vital nutrients. For older children and adults, however, goat's milk can be an excellent calcium-rich alternative to cow's milk as, in addition to calcium, it contains many of the same nutrients found in cow's milk.
CALCIUM
A Mineral for a lot More than Strong Bones
Goat's milk is a very good source of calcium. Calcium is widely recognized for its role in maintaining the strength and density of bones. In a process known as bone mineralization, calcium and phosphorous join to form calcium phosphate. Calcium phosphate is a major component of the mineral complex (called hydroxyapatite) that gives structure and strength to bones. A cup of goat's milk supplies 32.6% of the daily value for calcium along with 27.0% of the DV for phosphorus. In comparison, a cup of cow's milk provides 29.7% of the DV for calcium and 23.2% of the DV for phosphorus.
Building bone is, however, far from all that calcium does for us. In recent studies, this important mineral has been shown to:
- Help protect colon cells from cancer-causing chemicals
- Help prevent the bone loss that can occur as a result of menopause or certain conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis
- Help prevent migraine headaches in those who suffer from them
- Reduce PMS symptoms during the luteal phase (the second half) of the menstrual cycle
Calcium also plays a role in many other vital physiological activities, including blood clotting, nerve conduction, muscle contraction, regulation of enzyme activity, cell membrane function and blood pressure regulation. Because these activities are essential to life, the body utilizes complex regulatory systems to tightly control the amount of calcium in the blood, so that sufficient calcium is always available.
As a result, when dietary intake of calcium is too low to maintain adequate blood levels of calcium, calcium stores are drawn out of the bones to maintain normal blood concentrations.
Dairy Foods Better than Calcium
Supplements for Growing Girls' Bones
For young girls going through the rapid growth spurts of puberty, getting calcium from dairy products, such as goat's milk, may be better for building bone than taking a calcium supplement, suggests a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Finnish researchers enrolled 195 healthy girls aged 10-12 years and divided them into 4 groups. One group was given supplemental calcium (1000 mg) + vitamin D3 (200 IU) each day. The second group received only supplemental calcium (1000 mg/day). The third group ate cheese supplying 1,000 mg of calcium each day, and the fourth group was given a placebo supplement.
At the beginning and end of the study, DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) scans were run to check bone indexes of the hip, spine, and whole body, and the radius and tibia were checked by peripheral quantitative computed tomography.
At the conclusion of the study, girls getting their calcium from cheese had higher whole-body bone mineral density and cortical thickness of the tibia than girls given supplemental calcium + vitamin D, supplemental calcium alone, or placebo. While the researchers noted that differences in the rate at which different children naturally grow might account for some of the differences seen in bone mineral density, they concluded: "Increasing calcium intake by consuming cheese appears to be more beneficial for cortical bone mass accrual than the consumption of tablets containing a similar amount of calcium."
CALCIUM RICH DAIRY FOODS
Boost the Body's Burning of Fat After a Meal
Those ads linking a daily cup of yogurt to a slimmer silhouette may have a real basis in scientific fact. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition not only shows a calcium-rich diet is associated with fat loss but may help explain why.
Normal-weight women ranging in age from 18-30 years were randomly assigned to a low (less than 800 mg per day) or high (1000-1400 mg per day) calcium diet for 1 year, and the rate at which their bodies burned fat after a meal was assessed at the beginning and end of the study.
After 1 year, fat oxidation (burning) was 20 times higher in women eating the high calcium diet compared to those in the low-calcium control group (0.10 vs. 0.06 gram per minute).
The women's blood levels of parathyroid hormone were also checked and were found to correlate with their rate of fat oxidation. (The primary function of parathyroid hormone is to maintain normal levels of calcium in the body. When calcium levels drop too low, parathyroid hormone is secreted to instruct bone cells to release calcium into the bloodstream.)
Higher blood levels of parathyroid hormone were associated with a lower rate of fat oxidation and lower dietary calcium intake, while lower blood levels of parathyroid hormone levels were seen in the women consuming a diet high in calcium, who were burning fat more rapidly after a meal. So, it appears that a high-calcium diet increases fat oxidation, at least in part, by lessening the need for parathyroid hormone secretion, thus keeping blood levels of the hormone low.
Dairy Foods Protective AGAINST Metabolic Syndrome
Including goat's milk and other dairy products in your healthy way of eating may reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome by up to 62%, shows the 20-year Caerphilly prospective study involving 2,375 Welsh men ranging in age from 45-59. Researchers have proposed that conjugated linolenic acid (a healthy fat found in greatest amounts in dairy foods from grass fed cows and goats) may improve insulin action and reduce blood glucose levels.
J Epidemiol Community Health. 2007 Aug;61(8):695-8.
Practical Tip: Enjoy a pint of milk and/or a serving of yogurt, cottage cheese or cheese daily. Men who drank a daily pint of milk in the Caerphilly study reduced their risk of metabolic syndrome by 62%. Regular consumption of other dairy products, such as yogurt and cheese, reduced metabolic syndrome risk by 56%.
Dairy Foods' Calcium Protective against Breast Cancer
When French researchers analyzed the dietary intakes of 3,627 women using five 24-hour records completed over the course of 18 months, those with the highest average dairy intake had a 45% lower risk of developing breast cancer than women with the lowest average intake. When only pre-menopausal women were considered, benefits were even greater; those with the highest average dairy intake had a 65% reduction in breast cancer risk.
Analysis indicates the calcium provided by dairy foods is the reason why. Increasing calcium intake was associated with a 50% reduction in breast cancer risk for the whole population, and a 74% reduction for pre-menopausal women. Ann Nutr Metab. 2007;51(2):139-45. Epub 2007 May 29.
Energy Producing Riboflavin
Goat's milk is a very good source of riboflavin, a B vitamin important for energy production. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) plays at least two important roles in the body's energy production. When active in energy production pathways, riboflavin takes the form of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) or flavin mononucleotide (FMN). In these forms, riboflavin attaches to protein enzymes called flavoproteins that allow oxygen-based energy production to occur. Flavoproteins are found throughout the body, particularly in locations where oxygen-based energy production is constantly needed, such as the heart and other muscles.
Riboflavin's other role in energy production is protective. The oxygen-containing molecules the body uses to produce energy can be highly reactive and can inadvertently cause damage to the mitochondria (the energy production factories in every cell) and even the cells themselves. In the mitochondria, such damage is largely prevented by a small, protein-like molecule called glutathione. Like many "antioxidant" molecules, glutathione must be constantly recycled, and it is vitamin B2 that allows this recycling to take place. (Technically, vitamin B2 is a cofactor for the enzyme glutathione reductase that reduces the oxidized form of glutathione back to its reduced version.) Riboflavin been shown to be able to reduce the frequency of migraine headaches in people who suffer from them.
One cup of goat's milk supplies 20.0% of the daily value for riboflavin, comparable to the 23.5% of the DV for riboflavin provided in a cup of cow's milk.
A Good Source of Protein
Goat's milk is a good source of low-cost high-quality protein, providing 8.7 grams of protein (17.4% of the daily value for protein) in one cup versus cow's milk, which provides 8.1 grams or 16.3% of the DV for protein. The structure of humans and animals is built on protein. We rely on animal and vegetable protein for our supply of amino acids, and then our bodies rearrange the nitrogen to create the pattern of amino acids we require.
Cardiovascular Protection from Potassium
Goat's milk is a good source of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Since a cup of goat's milk contains 498.7 mg of potassium and only 121.5 mg of sodium, goat's milk may help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis.
The effectiveness of potassium-rich foods in lowering blood pressure has been demonstrated by a number of studies. For example, researchers tracked over 40,000 American male health professionals over four years to determine the effects of diet on blood pressure. Men who ate diets higher in potassium-rich foods had a substantially reduced risk of stroke. A cup of goat's milk provides 14.2% of the daily value for potassium.
While in the United States, we may think of goat's milk as a beverage alternative to cow's milk, in most areas of the world, the opposite is true. Worldwide, more people drink goat's milk than cow's milk.
Most people assume goat's milk will have the same strong musky taste for which goat cheese is famous. Yet, in fact, good quality goat's milk has a delicious slightly sweet, and sometimes also slightly salty, taste.
The scientific name for goat is Capra hircus.
Goats have played a role in food culture since time immemorial with ancient cave paintings showing the hunting of goats. They are also one of the oldest domesticated animals since the herding of goats is thought to have evolved about 10,000 years ago in the mountains of Iran.
Goat milk and the cheese made from it were revered in ancient Egypt with some pharaohs supposedly having these foods placed among the other treasures in their burial chambers. Goat milk was also widely consumed by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Goat milk has remained popular throughout history and still is consumed on a more extensive basis worldwide than cow's milk.
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