Let’s talk goat’s milk.
I never gave it much thought until I saw Dr. Oz talking about the “Blue Zones” – four global hot spots where many people don’t just live to be 100, they live to be 100 in good physical and mental health. They’re worki
ng, gardening, lifting cars with their bare hands, gambling, partying, hooking up and causing general geriatric mayhem.
In one of these hot spots, Sardinia, people drink a lot of goat’s milk, which researchers believe could protect against Alzheimer’s and heart disease. So, when Dana, the chef/recipe writer/blogger/cookbook author/food consultant behind Dana McCauley’s food blog, suggested that we try goat’s milk together, I was game. (Check out her blog to read about how she enjoyed our “mutual virgin goat milk experience.”) I grabbed a carton of Meyenberg® Fresh Whole Goat Milk and put it to the test, tasting it straight and using it to make a smoothie and ice cream.
Straight from the carton, goat’s milk doesn’t look much different from cow’s milk, but the flavor can differ from brand to brand. Some brands are sweeter, some saltier. The brand I tried, Meyenberg®, has a really fresh, bright flavor, and a slight aftertaste that reminds me of goat cheese. It’s not bad, just different. That’s why I don’t recommend haphazardly replacing cow’s milk with goat’s milk in any recipe. Would I use it to make a fruit smoothie? Yes. A not-too-sweet ice cream? Yes. But I’ve read several comments on other sites written by people who’ve had serious trouble using goat’s milk in puddings, so tread lightly there.
If you’re curious about the calories, cow’s milk and goat’s milk are very similar. An 8 oz. glass of whole cow’s milk has about 150 calories and 8 grams of fat. The same amount of goat’s milk has about 142 calories and 7 grams of fat.
OK, so why give goat’s milk a chance?
- Goat’s milk is the “milk of choice” for most of the world’s population. If you think cows are cleaner, you’ve never seen one clean its own nose. Hint: Cows don’t have Kleenex®. Don’t be a goat snob.
- Goat’s milk is easier to digest, especially for people who are lactose-intolerant and/or have ulcers. Also, goat’s milk doesn’t cause phlegm the way cow’s milk can, so it’s easier to drink when you have a cold or allergies.
- Goat’s milk has no preservatives, no antibiotics and, naturally, no Bovine Growth Hormones.
- Goat’s milk is higher in calcium, vitamin B6 and vitamin A.
- Researchers believe goat’s milk is better than cow’s milk at preventing iron deficiency and bone softening.
Goat’s milk is not going to replace cow’s milk in the U.S., but its health benefits should encourage more people to give it a try – especially those who are lactose-intolerant or interested in protecting themselves against Alzheimer’s and heart disease.
Have you tried goat’s milk? If so, what did you think? If not, what’s holding you back, you big, goat-hatin’ wuss?
Strawberry and Banana Smoothie
From Rebecca Crump (EzraPoundCake.com)
Serves 1
- 1 cup goat’s milk (or other milk)
- 1 banana, sliced
- 1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
- Ice (optional)
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
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Ah, such a milestone we’ve accomplished – I feel so much closer to you now!
Nice looking smoothie. If my ice cream experience holds true for other strawberry flavoured goat’s milk concoctions then I guess this drink tasted as good as it looked!
Thanks for sharing this experience with me. : )
Will you put the recipe for the smoothie on here?
I haven’t tried goats milk, I suppose because I had to watch my grandmother milk them and it freaked me out as a child. But I def. want to try Goats Milk for the health benefits….organic please. :D
Okay, I like goats. I’ve even written about the rise in restaurants that serve goat meat. But all of these nutrition claims about goat milk are news to me.
Will they get me to switch from moo milk? Unlikely. But your smoothie does look delicious.
Glad to have found your blog (via Dana’s).
You’ve convinced me, I’m going to try it! I love goat’s cheese, so why not?
I did the same thing! When my boyfriend and I were visiting his parents for Thanksgiving, we watched a DVR’d episode of Oprah with Dr. Oz talking about the blue zones. The next day we picked up a carton of goat’s milk from Whole Foods (not sure the brand we bought) and we all tried goat’s milk. We all thought it was fine, different than cow’s milk but not bad. I should pick up a carton again and try some smoothies!
“Big goat-hatin’ wuss?” Those are fightin’ words! Okay, I’ll try it. I want to cause geriatric mayhem someday! The smoothie looks great.
I love goat cheese and recently tried goat milk yogurt which was amazing. My next step is to try pure goat’s milk. You’ve inspired me.
I’m all about goat’s milk! Well, actually, goat’s cheese. I could eat it all day every day and hope to die with it smeared all over my smiling face. (I took that too far but I looove it.)
I’m pretty big into goat’s milk. Actually, in my speech class years ago, I did my persuasive speech on goat’s milk (and got one person to try it!). I love the stuff. I love goats. They’re so awesome. I’m happy to hear you liked it.
Hm! I wonder how it would taste in a macaroni and cheese…I bet it would be great…
My biggest fear in life is Alzheimer’s (having seen too many cases up close & personal) so you have inspired me! I’m buying some tonight.
I haven’t really tried it. Maybe once, but I should give it a go!
Does it not have lactose at all?
Al: Goat’s milk contains lactose. Some lactose intolerant people can tolerate goat’s milk, because it’s absorbed into the system more easily than cow’s milk, so there’s less residue left in the colon to ferment and cause the symptoms of lactose intolerance.
Goat’s milk is on my “list of foods I must try” – still haven’t gotten around to it. Maybe the next time I’m at the co-op I’ll buck up and buy a carton! Thanks for posting!
Cheers,
*Heather*
WOW! I love goat meat (it is much lower in fat and calories than cow meat), so I’ll have to try this!
It would take a little getting used to in terms of drinking straight, but a smoothie is totally feasible!
That’s quite a gnarly image you evoked of a cow’s nose! Gross!
As I said over on Dana’s blog, I’m going to ease in with the ice cream and see how it goes from there. I’m not a huge lamb fan and both you and Dana mentioned the goatie/lambie/barnyardie notes in the goat milk so I’m a little nervous.
I love goat milk. I am lucky enough to get it raw around here, too. I got a new carton of it yesterday–it isn’t always available, causing me to go back to raw cow’s milk from time to time-and I couldn’t help but think that it tasted how milk was meant to taste.
I’m not a big milk fan to begin with, but I have tried goat’s milk and it was ok. We have a stand at our local farmers market that sells goat items (love their spreadable cheese -mmmm) and we’ve tried their yogurt a few times – it’s VERY good, but VERY expensive! I love the idea of using the goats milk in a smoothie though!
Goat’s milk in mac & cheese, now THAT is a great idea. I’ve been buying goat milk butter for awhile now, you can find it at Whole Foods. Yum!!!
Being allergic to cow’s milk, I was pretty freakin’ stoked to find out I could drink goat milk without any problems. The only downside is the cost ($3.80 for a quart here in NYC) and the scarcity (whole goat milk is easy to find, but as far as I know, Whole Foods is the only place I can find the 1%). A definite improvement over that soy garbage ;)
I’ve never had straight goat’s milk, but I could absolutely live on goat cheese. Trader Joe’s had goat cheese with honey that I promptly made into ice cream. Lovely! I’ve had fudge made with goat’s milk, too. Very Very Tasty. Maybe I will be a big girl and drink from the carton–I’m feeling reckless today.
I’ve tried goat’s milk and cheese a number of times. (My brother-in-law used to keep goats.) Problem is, I just don’t like it. Every time I try it I decide all over again that it just tastes too “goat-y.” It’s one of those foods that I wish I DID like — even more now that I’ve read this post! Sorry folks…but if you like it, go for it!
[…] Learn all you ever wanted to know about goat’s milk but were afraid to ask in this post from Ezra Pound Cake which includes a recipe for a Spring Fever Strawberry-Banana Smoothie. […]
There is NOTHING like "fresh raw goat milk" … the cartoned and canned stuff (which may be the only way some can get it) is not nearly as clean and fresh tasting as the stuff right from the farm! (I'm NOT bashing the store-bought stuff, as Farmers do have to make a living and they are providing it to the processors), but if you have the opportunity, try the **real deal** … you won't be sorry (if your source is clean and promotes sanitation as their number one goal).
I Love Goats and their milk! It has a little bit of a “After Taste” but not much if your sourse is sanitary and the goats are monitered in what they eat.
Homemade goat's milk yogurt – easy, fresh, gelatin-free, powdered milk-free, and healthy. Cow's milk with rBGH is one reason for America's obesity. Frito Lay/GM/fast-food etc. is the other. Raw (unpasteurized) goat's milk if you can purchase locally, is the best option and tastes far better than the heated up version.