More and more people decide to switch to vegetable drinks, but there are still those who prefer the versions of animal origin, among which are those made from cows, sheep or goats. These options differ not only in taste, but also in their nutritional composition. The Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) has published a comparison that indicates the strengths of each one, which can be useful to choose the one that is best for us.
“If we take its nutrients into account, it is clear that sheep’s milk is the richest, with more than twice the fat than cow’s, almost twice the protein and 50% more calcium,” says this body. This makes it the most suitable alternative for making cheese. On the other hand, goat’s is richer in short-chain fatty acids, such as capric and caprylic.
But which is the healthiest? All the options present a wide range of nutrients, explains this organism, but those of goat and sheep in more quantity. As for iron, goat’s and cow’s milk are poorer, while sheep’s milk doubles the latter in this mineral. “It may be a good idea to take it in specific stages of iron deficiency anemia,” they point out.
Those people who have an intolerance to cow’s milk protein (caseins), on the other hand, may be more interested in consuming goat milk, “because its composition is the most similar to human milk”, but it will depend on the type and degree of allergy you have.
After conducting this analysis, however, the organization does not recommend a particular option. “Beyond the taste, in healthy people, there is no greater advantage in consuming one type of milk or another,” he concludes.
When asked if adults need to drink milk, the OCU answers that there are few foods as nutritionally complete as dairy products. “Detractors of milk consumption defend the position that no mammal drinks it after the lactation period. Once weaned, the animal tends to lose the enzymatic activity that allows its digestion,” they point out.
However, remember that man is the only mammal capable of obtaining milk from another mammal, and therefore he is also the only one who continues to drink milk throughout his life.
This means that in countries where milk consumption is very common, the ability to digest it is not lost. A good example is the Nordic countries, where the incidence of lactose intolerance is very low due to the high consumption of the population. In the Mediterranean area, on the other hand, lactose intolerant people are between 15% and 20%.
