Goat milk is not commonly consumed in the United States, but it is produced and drunk in large quantities in other countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Turkey.

It can be used in the same way as other types of milk, and its nutritional composition is very similar to that of cow's milk. Both are rich in protein, fat, calcium, and vitamin D.

However, research shows that goat milk may have more advantages over cow's milk in terms of heart health and digestion.

People who have difficulty digesting cow's milk may find goat milk more tolerable.

Goat milk does contain lactose and is not suitable for those with lactose intolerance. However, the proportion of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids in goat milk is higher than that in cow's milk. These fatty acids are digested faster and more easily than long-chain fatty acids. The fat globules in goat milk are also smaller than those in cow's milk, which further improves its digestibility.

Due to these characteristics, goat milk can help people with malabsorption diseases such as gallstones, cystic fibrosis, steatorrhea, or bowel resection to better absorb fat and prevent malnutrition.

Another digestive benefit is that goat milk can act as a carrier for probiotics that promote the health of the gut microbiota.

It also contains oligosaccharides with prebiotic effects, which help nourish healthy gut bacteria.

High cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, and goat milk seems to be more beneficial for cholesterol than cow's milk.

Research has found that drinking goat milk promotes the excretion of cholesterol more than drinking cow's milk, reducing its retention in the blood. This means that drinking goat milk may help lower cholesterol levels.

High blood pressure also increases the risk of heart disease, and goat milk may also help lower blood pressure. The casein in goat milk may produce peptides similar to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors - a type of drug that helps relax veins and arteries to lower blood pressure.

In addition, the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids in goat milk is exactly the recommended ratio for preventing heart disease.

Goat milk also contains antioxidants that can prevent oxidative damage to cells caused by free radicals, further protecting your heart.

You may know that cow's milk is the main source of calcium for bone health, but goat milk is also a good alternative for bone health. It contains several key nutrients for bone health: calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus.

One cup of goat milk contains 25% of the daily required amount of calcium. This mineral helps increase bone density and strength, preventing injuries and osteoporosis (a bone disease that causes bones to become weak and brittle). In addition, vitamin D is crucial for the absorption of calcium, and one cup of fortified goat milk contains 15% of the daily required amount of vitamin D.

Phosphorus is another important component of bones and teeth. One cup of goat milk contains 22% of the daily intake of this nutrient.

Phosphorus is closely related to calcium because they both form the structure of bones and teeth and are regulated by the same hormones.

The protein and lactose contents of goat milk are comparable to those of cow's milk. Like cow's milk, you can obtain a large amount of calcium and vitamin D from goat milk (when choosing dairy products fortified with vitamin D). One cup (8 ounces) of goat milk contains:

Calories: 168
Fat: 10 grams (g)
Sodium: 122 milligrams (mg)
Carbohydrates: 11 grams
Protein: 9 grams
Potassium: 498 grams, 11% of the daily intake
Phosphorus: 273 milligrams, 22% of the daily intake
Calcium: 327 milligrams, 25% of the daily intake
Vitamin A: 139 micrograms (mcg) RAE, or 15% of the Daily Value (DV)
Vitamin D: 3.2 micrograms, 15% of the daily required amount

Goat milk is also a good source of potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin A. Adequate intake of vitamin A is important for eye health, and the content of vitamin A in goat milk is higher than that in cow's milk.

The calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus contents in goat milk also make it a good food source for supporting bone health.

When you go to the milk section of a large grocery store, you will find many options: almond milk, oat milk, cow's milk, goat milk, cashew milk, soy milk, pea milk, and so on. Each type of milk has different nutritional compositions and different effects on health.

The protein and lactose contents of goat milk are similar to those of cow's milk. There are slight differences in their unsaturated fat and saturated fat contents as well as sodium and potassium concentrations. However, these minor differences do not have a significant impact on your health.

Compared with non-dairy products such as oat milk or almond milk, goat milk has a much higher protein content. If you are looking for a non-dairy product with a high protein content, you can try soy or pea protein milk, which are also lactose-free.

When purchasing goat milk, you can usually find raw goat milk or pasteurized goat milk. Pasteurized goat milk has been heat-treated to remove bacteria. Raw goat milk poses a food safety risk because it has not been treated to kill harmful pathogens. Therefore, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends only drinking pasteurized goat milk.

If you are allergic to cow's milk, you also need to be cautious with goat milk. More than 90% of people who are allergic to cow's milk proteins will also react to the proteins in goat milk.

A recent study did find that the casein in goat milk is different from that in cow's milk and may not cause the same allergic reactions as cow's milk.

However, if you are allergic to cow's milk, you still need to proceed with caution.

Drinking goat milk also contains lactose, which may cause digestive problems for those with lactose intolerance.

The usage of goat milk is similar to that of any other type of milk. Here are some suggestions for including goat milk in your diet:

Drink a cup of it plain.
Eat it with cereal or granola.
Add it to your coffee.
Enjoy goat milk yogurt with fruits and cereal as a snack.
Add it to smoothies.
Use it to make delicious dishes such as mashed potatoes, curries, or macaroni and cheese.
Make cajeta - a caramel sauce made from goat milk.

In conclusion, goat milk is a good nutritional source for bone health, and it may have more benefits for cholesterol and blood pressure than cow's milk. In addition, the fat in goat milk is more easily digestible, especially for those with diseases that cause absorption problems. Goat milk can be consumed in the same way as other types of milk, so you can try adding it to your morning coffee or using it in cooking.