Goat milk is a nutritious food that humans have consumed for thousands of years. However, about 75% of the world's population is lactose intolerant. As a result, many people wonder whether goat milk contains lactose and whether it can be used as an alternative to cow's milk and other types of milk.
1. Lactose Intolerance
Lactose is the main carb in all mammalian milk, including human, cow, goat, sheep, and buffalo. These milks contain a disaccharide sugar made up of glucose and galactose. The human body needs an enzyme called lactase to digest the disaccharide.
However, in most cases, the human body stops producing this enzyme after weaning, which occurs around the age of 2 years. As a result, lactose intolerance can cause symptoms such as bloating, gas, diarrhea, and abdominal pain when people consume milk.
People with lactose intolerance can control their symptoms by limiting the amount of foods containing lactose they eat or following a lactose-free diet. People can also take lactose supplements before consuming dairy products.
2. Goat Milk Contains Lactose
As mentioned above, lactose is the main carb in mammalian milk and therefore, goat milk also contains lactose. However, the content is lower than that of cow milk. Goat milk contains about 4.20% lactose, while cow milk contains closer to 5%. Although it still contains some lactose, evidence suggests that people with mild lactose intolerance can consume goat milk.
Although there is no scientific research to support this, scientists believe that there is another reason why some people tolerate goat milk better. This is because the fat molecules in goat milk are smaller than those in cow milk, which makes goat milk easier to digest for people with weak digestive systems, such as lactose intolerance.
However, for those with a casein allergy, goat milk may not be the best alternative to cow's milk, as research has shown that a large number of people with a casein allergy to cow's milk often react to goat's milk. This is because cows and goats are both ruminants, which have similar protein structures.
3. Should People with Lactose Intolerance Drink Goat Milk?
People with severe lactose intolerance should avoid goat milk, as it still contains lactose. However, people with mild symptoms can enjoy small amounts of goat milk and by-products such as yogurt and cheese, as these products contain significantly less lactose.
Researchers believe that most people with lactose intolerance are still capable of consuming one cup (8 ounces or 250 mL) of milk per day.
Additionally, drinking small amounts of goat milk, along with lactose-free products, may help reduce the symptoms of lactose intolerance.
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