Goat Milk Nutritional Breakdown
NUTRITIONAL BREAKDOWN OF GOAT MILK IN COMPARISON WITH COW AND HUMAN MILK
The nutritional breakdown of goat milk given in the following table which shows that goat milk is quite similar in nutritional breakdown to cow and human milk but there are some obvious exceptions.
| Nutrients | Goat Milk | Cow Milk, whole 3.25% | Human Milk |
| Weight (edible portion) | 244 g | 244 g | 246 g |
| Water | 212.35 g | 215.50 g | 215.25 g |
| Calories | 168 kcal | 146 kcal | 172 kcal |
| Protein | 8.69 g | 7.86 g | 2.53 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 10.10 g | 7.93 g | 10.77 g |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 6.507 g | 4.551 g | 4.942 g |
| Fatty acids, monounsaturated | 2.706 g | 1.981 g | 4.079 g |
| Fatty acids, polyunsaturated | 0.364 g | 0.476 g | 1.223 g |
| Cholesterol | 27 mg | 24 mg | 34 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 10.89 g | 11.03 g | 16.95 g |
| Sugars | 10.86 g | 12.83 g | 16.95 g |
| Calcium | 327 mg | 276 mg | 79 mg |
| Iron | 0.12 mg | 0.07 mg | 0.07 mg |
| Magnesium | 34 mg | 24 mg | 7 mg |
| Phosphorus | 271 mg | 222 mg | 34 mg |
| Potassium | 498 mg | 349 mg | 125 mg |
| Sodium | 122 mg | 98 mg | 42 mg |
| Zinc | 0.73 mg | 0.98 mg | 0.42 mg |
| Copper | 0.112 mg | 0.027 mg | 0.128 mg |
| Manganese | 0.044 mg | 0.007 mg | 0.064 mg |
| Selenium | 3.4 mcg | 9.0 mcg | 4.4 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 3.2 mg | 0.0 mg | 12.3 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.117 mg | 0.107 mg | 0.034 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.337 mg | 0.447 mg | 0.089 mg |
| Niacin | 0.676 mg | 0.261 mg | 0.435 mg |
| Pantothenic Acid | 0.756 mg | 0.883 mg | 0.549 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.112 mg | 0.088 mg | 0.027 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.17 mcg | 1.07 mcg | 0.12 mcg |
| Folate, total | 2 mg | 12 mcg | 12 mg |
| Folic acid | 0 mcg | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin A, IU | 483 IU | 249 IU | 522IU |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 139 mcg RAE | 68 mcg RAE | 150 mcg RAE |
| Retinol | 137 mcg | 68 mcg | 148 mcg |
| Vitamin E | 0.17 mg | 0.15 mg | 0.20 mg |
| Vitamin D | 29.28 IU | 98.652 IU | 9.84 IU |
| Vitamin K | 0.7 mcg | 0.5 mcg | 0.7 mcg |
*This breakdown is in per cup (8 oz.) of milk.
Reference: USDA National Nutrient Database For Standard Reference.
Importance of Minerals Nutrition in Goat Milk
Having familiar with Goat Milk Nutritional Breakdown, and it’s comparison to Cow Milk and Human Milk. Let us learn the importance of each mineral and its content in goat milk. Now, for the details!
Firstly, calcium. Everyone knows that calcium is important for the healthy growth and is widely recognized for its role in maintaining the strength and density of bones and teeth.
However, calcium also has equal or lesser known roles in other health issues. When it comes to minerals nutrition, calcium is without doubt a real powerhouse.
Below is a list of some of the other proven benefits of calcium:
- helps protect against colon cancer
- improves blood clotting ability
- helps prevent anemia
- helps prevent muscle contraction
- helps maintain healthy blood pressure
Calcium stored in our bones will be utilized by our bodies if our calcium intake is insufficient. This is obviously not desirable, having the effect of weakening the skeletal structure.
Goat milk is a good source of calcium, containing approximately 13% more calcium per serving than cow’s milk, and making it one of the predominant natural minerals in milk.
Phosphorus works in conjunction with calcium and vitamin D to help build and maintain strong bones, but also plays a role in activities of the brain, kidney, heart and blood. Goat milk has a higher phosphorous content, provides 27.0% of the daily value for phosphorus per serving, whereas, cow milk provides 23.2% of the daily value.
Zinc functions as an antioxidant and is also important for a strong immune system and for healthy skin and production of hormones. Zinc levels in goat and cow’s milk are comparable.
Sodium in the body is important for maintaining fluid balances, but too much sodium has been implicated in high blood pressure for some people. One cup of both goat milk and cow milk provides about 1/5 of the recommended daily intake for adults, with reports varying of which product actually contains more.
Goat milk has a substantial advantage in potassium content over cow’s milk, containing about 134% more. Potassium is important in maintaining a healthy blood pressure and in muscle contraction.
All milk is notably low in levels of iron, a mineral used in the production of red blood cells, and copper, which is important for healthy skin and hair. However, in comparison, goat milk does contain more of these minerals than cow’s milk.
Magnesium is particularly beneficial to the heart, helping to maintain a regular heartbeat, preventing the formation of blood clots and raising good cholesterol levels. It also works with calcium and vitamin D to maintain healthy bones. Goat milk has a higher content of magnesium than cow’s milk.
Manganese is probably the least known of the minerals, but it too has important functions in the human body. Along with some of the other nutrients, it is an antioxidant, and it also complements digestion by helping the body convert protein and fat to energy. Manganese also helps the body absorb thiamin, one of the B vitamins. Goat milk is significantly higher in manganese than cow’s milk.
Lastly, selenium. Selenium is generally accepted as a powerful cancer prevention nutrient. In addition to its inclusion in antioxidant enzymes, it also is essential to helping the body produce its own antioxidant, Glutathione peroxidase.
Selenium also strengthens the immune system and plays a role in keeping the heart and blood vessels healthy. In a comparative study of human, cow and goat milk, researchers found that, although the amounts of selenium in each were comparable, selenium from goat milk resulted in more than twice the peroxidase activity of that from human and cow milk.
Conclusion, Goat milk is a good source for minerals nutrition, especially in calcium, potassium and selenium.