Goat's Milk Benefits Infants

Baby's best food is Mother Nature's naturally, nutritious breast milk from its mother. Breast milk nourishes, comforts, boosts the baby's immune system and bounds mother and baby. Next to breast milk is goat's milk. According to Dr. Elizabeth J. Palumbo, of Merck.com, infants often suffer with fussiness, excessive crying and irritability due to colic during the second week and third month of life from unknown causes. Goat's milk benefits infants with its natural flavor, lactose tolerance, nutrients, and digestibility,

Lactose Tolerance
Goat's milk contains less lactose than cow's milk and would be better tolerated by infants. Lactose intolerance or lactase deficiency is the inability to digest lactose, the sugar in milk and other dairy products, according to Mayo Clinic. Lactose intolerance is due to a deficiency of lactase enzyme in the intestines that's needed to digest lactose. Some people are born with low lactose levels; yet they have no symptoms. Other individuals with low lactase levels and symptoms of abdominal discomfort, bloating, gas and diarrhea are considered lactose intolerant.

Nutritional Value
Goat's milk contains the same bioactive components as mother's milk, according to Health Mania website. It is naturally homogenized unlike cow's milk that's mechanically homogenized. Goat's milk has no growth hormones since they do not increase the production of goat's milk. Goat's milk is rich in calcium and proteins and contains less lactose than cow's milk. According to Dynamic Chiropractic website, goat's milk contains13 percent more calcium, 25 percent more vitamin B-6 and 47 percent more vitamin A than cow's milk and is a richer source of chloride, manganese and copper.

Digestibility
Goat's milk is easy to digest which helps the digestive systems in infants and reduces the effects of colic, abdominal discomfort or diarrhea, according to Dynamic Chiropractic website. Goat's milk casein curds are smaller and softer and much easier on the digestive system than the curds in cow's milk. This allows goat's milk to be properly absorbed through the digestive tract and lowers the risk of undigested portions staying in the colon and developing into intestinal problems. Goat's milk fat globules are smaller and dispersed better as well as a more homogenous mix of fat in the milk; which makes goat's milk easier to digest.

http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec23/ch267/ch267b.html

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lactose-intolerance/DS00530

http://www.health-mania.com/diet/benefits-of-using-goats-milk-for-infants/

http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=38646