Before bringing your little one into the world, you must have contemplated so many ways in which you can ensure his health and well-being. From designing a safe nursery, buying comfortable clothes to selecting the right baby formula – you will settle for nothing but the best for your baby. With a myriad of baby formula options available in the market, it can be quite confusing to make the right choice. Especially when you are new to the parenting game, you would be tempted to try every formula that you see on the market aisle. But when it comes to your baby’s nutrition needs, you don’t want to play by trial and error.
Something that has been creating a huge uproar among American parents is the organic formulas. These formulas are highly sought after by young parents. Organic formulas consist of 99% natural ingredients and they come in two variants: goat milk formula and cow milk formula. Now you would wonder which one of these variants is ideal for your baby?
Both milk formula have benefits their own benefits. But you still want to do your research before making a decision. To answer all your questions, we dug a little deeper and we have curated a little breakdown on goat milk v/s cow milk. In this article, we will compare the two variants of organic formula i.e. goat milk formulas and cow milk formulas so that by the time you’re done reading this, you can make a well-thought-out choice for your baby. Let us get started!
Goat milk and cow milk – A Comparison
Texture and flavor
Since goat’s milk and cow’s milk have similar properties, their texture and flavor are similar too. However, the taste of goat’s milk is slightly sweeter than cow’s milk. The ultimate taste and texture depend upon the processing and handling of the milk as well.
Consistency
The fat globules in goat milk are much smaller than those found in cow’s milk. Hence, goat milk is a bit creamier in consistency than cow milk. Goat milk has a similar consistency as cow milk but it is much easier to digest.
Nutritional benefits
Babies who cannot digest cow milk are advised to switch to goat milk. This is because goat milk is the closest to cow milk in terms of nutritive value. Despite being pretty similar in nutrition, goat milk has a higher content of calcium, potassium, and Vitamin A as compared to cow’s milk. Goat milk also has higher fat content than cow’s milk.
Ease of digestion
Although goat’s milk has higher fat content, the fat globules are much smaller as compared to cow’s milk. Hence, it is much easier for the baby’s delicate digestive system to break down the fat globules and speed up digestion. Goat milk has a short-medium chain of fatty acids. This makes it easy for the digestive enzymes to digest goat’s milk and produce quicker energy.
Fat and protein content
There isn’t a drastic difference between the fat and protein content of goat milk and cow milk. The overall composition varies depending upon the breed of the animal, diet, environment, and lactation.
Let us understand it in simpler terms.
1 cup serving of goat milk | 10gms of fat | 9gms of protein |
1 cup serving of cow milk | 9 gms of fat | 8gms of protein |
So, if we look at the nutrition values from a macro level, both kinds of milk have almost similar properties.
Less lactose
Since goat milk is easily digested, people assume that it is lactose-free. However, this is a misconception. As compared to cow milk, goat milk has less amount of lactose than cow milk. So, babies or even adults who are lactose intolerant can switch to goat milk.
Less allergenic
As mentioned above, goat milk has less lactose than cow’s milk. So, if your baby has trouble digesting lactose which results in tummy woes, goat milk can be your best friend. Consuming goat milk will reduce the chances of causing any allergies due to lactose intolerance. Since allergies in babies are usually protein-specific, it has been observed that babies that have trouble digesting cow’s milk are able to tolerate fresh goat milk.
Goat Milk vs Cow Milk: Which one is Better?
Now that you know the major advantages of goat milk, you would be able to tell why goat milk for babies has become so popular. Both have their unique properties that goat milk and observe the change. Both kinds of milk are healthy and contain wholesome properties, but if your baby is reacting badly to cow milk then it is time to switch to goat’s milk. You can also buy goat milk formula from various online portals and provide your baby with goat milk benefits.
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