Everything About Goat Milk Goats have a centuries-old relationship with humans, going at least back to 4000 BC. In biblical times, the wealth of pastoral Jews was based on herds of sheep and goats. Goats were capital goods to ancient societies, providing a supply of meat, milk and cheese. They have been carried on board sailing ships as a sure source of fresh milk. Even Columbus toted goats in 1492. Throughout history, the goat has been nicknamed the poor mans cow. Goats are hardy, low-maintenance and maneuverable in difficult terrain where cows would find survival impossible. Goats eat less and take up less space than cattle. They can make the best of scarcity, aridity and even poverty but still transform often scarce food into fresh milk. One goat will produce enough milk to feed most families, about a gallon a day. Goats raised commercially in the United States today live a comparable life of luxury, usually gamboling in pastures and noshing on grass. For all their utility, they are easygoing and pet-like. Goats like to be engaged, they seek attention, and they bond with their caretakers. Walk up to a goat, and she will nuzzle you and want to have her ears scratched or her back patted. Try that with a cow. Goat: The other white milk. Yes, cows produce humongous amounts of milk, and that earns them the right to be called the primary dairy animal. In America, they are backed by an industry that supports production, research, marketing and sales, backed by government subsidies, incessant lobbying and public relations campaigns. Cows are raised on huge breeding farms where they are force-fed and engorged, along with sizable doses of hormones and antibiotics. For us consumers is hard to digest and creates GAS and bloating. It also poses the proven risk of antibiotics resistance and food poisoning, not to mention its loaded with calories, artery clogging fat and cholesterol, and then there is that little problem with MAD COW DISEASE. Cows create health and environmental problems, and are the 800-pound gorillas of dairy products. Goat milk is finally getting some respect in America. Goat milk is different from cow milk in the concentration and forms of its nutrients. Compared to cow milk, goat milk contains 13% more calcium and 47% more vitamin A. It is higher in B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin). Goat milk, like human milk, does not contain the major protein of cow milk to which many people, including babies, are allergic. Also, doses of hormones and antibiotics are not given to goats. Goat milk is naturally homogenized. Goat milk has the reputation of being highly digestible, unlike cow milk, because it has softer curds and smaller, more easily assimilated fat globules. As a result, goat milk often agrees with sensitive or weak digestive systems. Many lactose-intolerant people are able to tolerate goat milk well. Cow milk-sensitive seniors in need of calcium often turn to goat milk because of its digestibility. As one grows older, sensitivity to cow milk tends to increase. Worldwide, people drink the milk of goats more than that of any other species. In Europe, cow and goat products are consumed almost equally. And in developing countries, the milk supply from non-bovine domesticated species is immense. The milk of species such as buffalo, sheep and camel - and especially goat - is critical to people who do not have cows and who eat very little meat. Americans are increasingly open to sampling goat products, partly because a large number of people cannot drink cow milk without indigestion or allergy and partly because they are becoming more familiar with goat products. Artisans are producing handmade, glorious goat cheeses, and in upscale restaurants chefs feature these goat cheeses on their menus, often billed using the French name chevre. Trendy cookbooks showcase goat-cheese recipes. In the kitchen, goat milk can be substituted for cow milk in any recipe. Use it in waffles, pancakes, sauces, cakes, cookies and custards. It is delicious straight from the carton. Goat Yogurt: Voluptuous on the palate, creamy with a distinctive tang. The GOOD bacteria in yogurt, known as probiotics, make an essential contribution to a healthy immune system. The stomach and intestinal track contain more than 500 different varieties of bacteria, and probiotics help maintain a balance between the good and bad bacteria by crowding out pathogens and preventing them from attaching to the gut walls. Probiotics also feed on non-digestible fiber called prebiotics, producing short-chain fatty acids that decrease acidity in the colon. The decreased acidity makes the colon uninhabitable for most infection-causing pathogens, which, in turn, allows for increased mineral absorption. Research suggests that probiotics can also enhance the bodys immune response by increasing levels of key players, including natural killer cells. Studies from the University of California have shown that yogurt specifically helps the body build a protein called gamma interferon, which aids the body in developing white blood cells. Goat Butter: With a flavor and texture that is most like European butter, is smooth, subtle and rich. It is almost white due to the absence of the added carotene often found in cow butter. It has a lower melting point than cow butter and makes a soft, smooth spread. It can be used in sautes, baking and sauces. Goat Milk Ice Cream and Gelato: They are hard to find and expensive, but they are easy to make at home if you have an ice cream maker. They have a superb tang and creaminess. Goat Cheeses: Soft or hard, fresh or aged - are tangy and flavorful. Include them on a cheese tray, spread them on crackers or a breakfast bagel, bake them as a garnish for salad, crumble onto salads, tuck slices into a sandwich. Even though there are some 350 goat farms nationwide, the goat industry in America today is a very small one. Superior cheeses are made by Coach Farm in Pine Plains, N.Y.; Via Lactea Farm in Brookfield, N.H.; Juniper Grove Farm in Redmond, Ore.; and Firefly Farms, about a two-hour drive outside Pittsburgh in Bittinger, Md. There is a goat cheese for every taste.
Posted on: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 00:29:37 +0000
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