Is sheep's milk like goats milk?

There is a shortage of Irish goat’s milk yogurt on the market at the moment, we are seeing more searches for, goats milk near me, or where can I buy goats milk?

Our Velvet Cloud sheep’s milk yogurt is a natural alternative to goat’s milk yogurt. But for those of you who have been regular fans for goats milk products, we thought it might be useful to address some of the common questions you ask us.

What’s the difference between goat’s milk and sheep’s milk?

Sheep's milk is significantly higher in milk solids (fat and protein) and contains roughly double the amount of fat of with cow or goat milk. Therefore, sheep’s milk is creamier, this is one of the reasons it is favoured by Irelands well known chefs, because it “tastes amazing” (their words not ours).

Both sheep’s milk and goats milk contain A2 protein, unlike most of the cows milk produced in Europe which contains A1 protein see here for a more detail as to the benefits of sheep’s milk click here https://velvetcloud.ie/pages/why-sheeps-milk

What does sheep’s milk taste like, compared to goat?

Often people think that sheep’s milk is going to taste a bit like goats milk, with that familiar “goaty tang” or they are afraid that sheep’s milk might taste “sheepy” or taste like the smell of sheep. When people taste our Velvet Cloud sheep’s milk yogurt or our sheep’s milk, they are always pleasantly surprised. They say things like “oh it’s a lot creamier than I thought” or “Oh I thought it would have a stronger taste”. The reason sheep’s milk tastes creamy and naturally sweet is because the fat globules in the sheep’s milk are so small that they float around naturally in the milk giving it that creamy taste – it’s called naturally homogenised.

 Sheep's Milk

Why can I take goats milk or sheep’s milk but not cows milk?

 

In some parts of the world, like China, a majority of people are lactose intolerant. In Ireland this is estimated to be less than 5%, yet one in five of us report struggling with digestive issues after drinking cow milk.

A lactose intolerance is not the same as a milk or dairy allergy. Food allergies are caused by the immune system reacting to a certain type of food and symptoms include swelling, vomiting, and, if very bad anaphylaxis. If you have an allergy, even a tiny particle could trigger a reaction, whereas most people with lactose intolerance can still consume small amounts of lactose without difficulty – although this does vary from person to person.

 

Goat and sheep’s milk (along with human breast milk) largely contain the A2 protein that many claim is more easily digested. Whereas most of the cows in Europe produce milk containing A1 protein, considered by many as harder to digest.

 

Is sheep’s milk better for you than cows milk or goats milk?

Because cows milk has been the dominant dairy product consumed on a commercial scale in Europe and the US for decades, a lot more scientific studies have been funded and published on this type of milk. However, this is beginning to change and more scientists are beginning to study sheep’s milk and other alternative milks. The results of these studies are very positive, pointing to the healthier fats in sheep’s milk, the ease of digestion, the fact that sheep’s milk contains A2 protein and over all higher levels of nutrients in sheep’s milk compared to cow or goats milk. For some of the more recent studies have a look here.

https://velvetcloud.ie/blogs/news/the-science-behind-the-benefits-of-sheeps-milk

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