Would You Drink Camel’s Milk?

When I first ran across a tweet about a company promoting their camel's milk, I was interested and taken aback at the same time. This was the first I had heard about milking a camel for people to drink.

After doing a little more research on the topic, I found they weren't the only company milking camels for drinking purposes. I suppose it wouldn't be any different from milking a goat or cow, but yet it seemed odd.

What can be done with camel's milk?

Camel Milk Soap - At Oasis Camel Dairy, they decided to make soap out of the milk they were getting from their camels. They substitute the camel's milk for goat's milk in a recipe they use and sell it world wide.

Raw Camel's Milk - While the same company above can't legally sell raw camel's milk, they are able to drink it themselves. If camel's produced enough milk a day, it could be pasteurized and sold on the market. It is possible that camel milk producers have to follow the same guidelines cow and goat milk producers have to follow when selling their products.

Camel Cheese - A dairy in Mauritania makes camel milk cheese some filmmakers discover while doing a documentary on camel's milk. While this dairy product may not sound as delicious as other cheeses made around the world, those in Arab and other countries that use camels as a source of transportation may think otherwise.

Is there healing properties to camel's milk?

First, while I haven't found any medical journals stating the following, I would suggest not going out to buy camel's milk to help control any of the illnesses found in the articles I read on the Internet. We all know things can be put out on the Internet and be spread as the gospel. Always follow your doctor's advice when treating your health and illnesses.

New Agriculturist's website starts off their information on camel's milk listing it as anti-infection, anticancer, and anti-diabetic source. While they do say these are bold claims about camel's milk, they are the second, see the website listed in the camel milk soap section above, to mention these healing abilities of this product. They aren't claiming this to be fact, but just mentioned it from what they have read and heard about it.

Even with scientists trying to prove or debunk the myths of camel's milk, those who live in countries that drink this liquid as a source of nutrition may have more knowledge about it than those in the U.S. However, taking the word of someone no matter where they live shouldn't be taken at their word.

Would camel's milk catch on any where else besides United Arab Emirates?

The answer would have to be yes, since the Oasis Camel Dairy in the U.S. and is the only dairy of its kind in the states. While others in the documentary mentioned above tasted the camel's milk, it was mentioned in the article Sweden was trying to import it.