Many of us do not understand why certain individuals react negatively to cow milk. Some people just lack the enzyme, lactase, to digest lactose (milk sugar), allowing bacteria to cause cramps, gas, bloating, diarrhea and, sometimes, nausea. Lactose intolerance narrows down their allowance of dairy products to fermented ones like yogurt and hard cheese, which are more digestible due to their lower lactose content.

Others are unable to break down the milk’s long chains of fatty acids (shorter chains of fat are more absorbable by the blood). The third kind of rejection is allergy to cow milk protein, casein, which provokes similar symptoms to lactose intolerance. Luckily for all three types, there are alternatives to cow milk.

Lactose, fatty acid chains, and casein in sheep, goat and camel differ in content, quantity and quality. Immunities, which consider cow casein hostile, may not react to casein in other milks.

Different milks offer different levels of lactose, different lengths of fatty acid chains and different types of casein. If you are one of those who react to one of these compounds in cow milk, don’t be discouraged, there are other delicious and healthy choices.

Goat milk is probably the most health-friendly and acceptable to babies after mother’s milk.

Goat milk has shorter-chained fatty acids and less lactose than cow milk. According to nutritionist Shereen Jegtvig of Wisconsin, USA, “Many people with cow milk allergies can tolerate goat milk.” One cup of goat milk contains as much as 327 mg calcium and 498 grams of potassium, whereas cow milk’s calcium content is 276 mg and potassium is 349 grams.

Another bonus to goat milk is its alkalizing effect on the body when it becomes highly acidic with processed and fried foods and red meat consumption.

Jegtvig adds that goat milk can help correct “chronic metabolic acidosis [that] has been associated with mineral loss in bones, kidney stones and muscle protein breakdown.”

Goat milk’s sharp taste may not be appealing at first, but it is a matter of getting used to it. Goat cheese makes good additions to salads. Find more about it on the Internet: www.meyenberg.com.

Sheep milk is another good substitute. Patients with allergy symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache, sinus congestion, migraines and skin reactions tolerate sheep milk better than soy, goat or rice milks.

The taste is preferred as it is comparable to cow milk. Its protein content is twice as high as cow milk. Its milk, yogurt and cheese give a nice flavor to cooking. Look for more details: www.blacksheepcheese.com.

Camel milk is very much appreciated by the Bedouins of the Arabian Peninsula, but it is also making its way to the West (it can be found in some specialty food stores in the US). The advantage of camel milk is that it contains 40 percent less fat than cow milk, less lactose, thrice the amount of vitamin C, and 10 folds iron. Because of its low lactose content, it tastes saltier. The milk changes flavor according to seasons and to the plants camels feed on. For the body to adapt to it, it should be taken in very small quantities at first. Go to www.cameldairy.com to know more about it.

There are other health-promoting substitutes like water buffalo and yak (jamoos in Arabic) milks, whose protein, lactose and fatty acid structures vary from cow milk; hence they do not produce the same allergic responses. They are superior to cow milk as they offer more calcium and more protein per cup. Their yogurt is richer in texture and creamier due to their high content of non-fat milk solids, requiring no thickeners like gelatin and pectin.

Our markets are abounding with healthy sheep (ganum or dha’an), goat (maa’iz), and camel (laban annoug) milks and their products. Goat and sheep cheese have a sharp flavor that mix well with salads.

Though some health-conscious people believe that pasteurization wipes out milk’s valuable enzymes and nutrients, the process is important to destroy bacteria in raw milk. To protect your health and your family’s from contamination, check the source of milk and how it is treated. Enjoy your new choices and keep healthy.

(Mariam Alireza is a holistic science specialist. Send comments to [email protected]. Log on to arabnews.com for previous articles.)