Is cow really the healthiest? The truth about animal milk

Culturally attuned as we are to drinking good old-fashioned cow’s milk, a nice cold glass of horse milk probably doesn’t appeal. However, a new study by Polish scientists has found that the equine version is not only lower in fat but also contains compounds that boost the immune system and help fight disease. 

The study comes as sales of whole milk in the UK are on the rise suggesting that, as a nation, we may be ready to rediscover the health benefits of animal milk.

Until recently, annual milk sales in the UK had been falling by around 2 per cent year on year. With restrictive diets on the rise, dairy products including animal milk were blamed for all manner of ills from bad skin health to cancer. 

Keen to discredit claims that put people off milk, Dairy UK – the trade association for the UK dairy industry – wants to highlight the lack of scientific evidence behind them. They point out that milk doesn’t contain added hormones as it is illegal in the EU and UK. There’s no added sugar, it only contains naturally occurring lactose. It does contain white blood cells from the host animal, but contrary to what some people think, it is not pus.

Meanwhile, scientifically proven benefits include maintaining healthy bones and blood pressure to support the immune system. In fact, the only people who need to avoid milk are the 8 per cent of the UK population who are lactose intolerant and the 2-3 per cent of babies and children who are allergic to the protein casein, abundant in cow’s milk. 

So while horse milk is gaining traction thanks to Polish scientists, deer, buffalo and even donkey milk offer a unique set of benefits. Can they offer a healthy alternative to cow’s milk? Let’s put them to the test.

Cow’s milk

It’s a staple product, purchased by 98 per cent of British households. Produced by mammals to nourish their young, it stands to reason that it’s highly nutritious.

Health benefits

• A readily available and cheap source of energy and protein, with around 130 calories and 7g of protein per 200ml glass of whole milk.
• The same quantity of semi-skimmed milk provides 31 per cent and 28 per cent of the daily RNI (recommended nutrient intake) of calcium and phosphorus for bone health, 41 per cent of iodine to support cognitive function 16 per cent of potassium for healthy blood pressure.

Drawbacks

• It’s not suitable for those with milk protein allergies or lactose intolerance, although lactose-free milks are now available.

Taste and tips

It’s the fresh, creamy taste we all know and love, and it’s versatile: it can be splashed into coffee and tea, poured over cereal, or just drunk by the glass. To avoid waste, consider buying filtered milk, which stays fresh for twice as long as unfiltered milk once opened.

Overall rating 

Still the best all-rounder – cheap and nutritious.

Goats’ milk

Goats’ milk is consumed by approximately 65 per cent of the world’s population but here in the UK it’s still a niche product, with the volume produced just 0.2 per cent  that of cow’s milk. 

Health benefits

• Contains around 12 per cent less lactose than cow’s milk so may be better for those with a mild intolerance.
• Slightly higher in potassium than cow’s milk.
• Rich in prebiotic carbohydrates called oligosaccharides which feed the good bacteria in the gut.

Drawbacks 

• Contains slightly less calcium and phosphorus than regular milk (30 per cent and 24 per cent of RNI respectively).
• More expensive than regular cow’s milk.

Taste and tips

Goats’ milk should taste very similar to cow’s milk, but often has a slight muskiness. You can use fresh goats’ milk as you would fresh cow’s milk, and it freezes well.

Overall rating

A readily available option for the mildly lactose intolerant.

Sheep’s milk

In this country, we’re more used to seeing sheep’s milk cheeses, like feta, manchego, and Pecorino, for sale than fresh sheep’s milk, but this may be set to change given its impressive nutritional CV.

Health benefits 

• Has almost double the protein content of regular milk with around 12g per 200ml serving.
• Contains 36 per cent more calcium than cow’s milk and 31 per cent more than goats’ milk, but this varies depending on factors such as breed, diet and farming practices.

Drawbacks

• It’s higher in calories and saturated fat (190 calories and 7.6g/200ml) than cow’s milk (122 calories and 4.8g/200ml), so may not be ideal for those watching their weight.
• Contains similar levels of lactose and higher levels of casein than cow’s milk, so not suitable for those with a lactose intolerance or a milk allergy.
• Currently only available to purchase online for home delivery and it’s expensive, at around £5 per litre.

Taste and tips

Sheep’s milk has a sweet, soft flavour, and with its high fat content is buttery and rich.

Overall rating

A fabulous source of protein but quite expensive.

Horse milk

Horse milk, or more accurately mare’s milk, is a traditional food of the peoples of the Central Asian Steppes. Closer to home, it’s popular in France and Germany and here in the UK Combe Hay Farm near Bath is the only farm that produces fresh milk from their herd of 15 mares, available to purchase online.

Health benefits  

• Contains a third the fat of cow’s milk and around half fewer calories. 
• Has a similar vitamin profile to cow’s milk, but is notably higher in vitamin C. 
• Contains an enzyme called lysozyme which has antimicrobial benefits for humans.

Drawbacks 

• Contains less protein overall than cow’s milk (2.1 per cent compared to 3.3 per cent) but is lower in casein, so less likely to cause allergies.
• Not suitable for the lactose intolerant as it has similar levels to cow’s milk.
• Overall, it contains fewer minerals, including calcium, but the calcium it does contain is ionised, which is easier for the body to digest and absorb.
• At £6.50 per 250ml bottle it’s around 40 times more than regular milk.

Taste and tips

Mare’s milk is clearer, whiter, and sweeter than cow’s milk. Combe Hay Farm recommends drinking 250ml of mare’s milk first thing in the morning, but this would be prohibitively expensive for most.

Overall rating

 It might catch on if more reasonably priced.

Deer milk

We might all be pouring deer milk on our cornflakes soon as its health benefits become more widely understood. In one clinical study (albeit funded by deer milk producer Pamu in New Zealand), regular consumption improved the nutritional status, muscle mass, and physical performance of women aged 65 and above.

Health benefits 

• It has the highest total fat and protein content of all the animal milks suitable for human consumption. 
• It has a higher calcium, phosphorus, and zinc content than those of cow’s milk.
• Contains a third less lactose than cow’s milk, so may be more suitable for those with an intolerance.

Drawbacks

• Has a high casein content, thus is not suitable for those with a milk allergy.
• It’s difficult to source. Pamu is the only global producer and does not currently ship internationally.
• Expensive. Dairy cows produce 100 times more milk than deer. Pamu’s powdered deer milk costs £70 for 420g.

Taste and tips

Thanks to its high fat content, deer milk is exceptionally smooth and creamy with a sweet aftertaste. The powdered milk needs to be made up and kept in the fridge for a few hours before consumption to allow the fats to properly emulsify.

Overall rating

Undeniably nutritious and tasty but expensive and hard to get hold of.

Buffalo milk

We’re used to seeing buffalo mozzarella in the supermarket, and it is very delicious too. But did you know the milk it’s made from is the second most popular animal milk globally after cow’s? The majority is produced in India and Pakistan.

Health benefits  

• High in calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.
• It’s slightly higher in protein than regular milk.

Drawbacks

• Higher in calories and fat than cow’s milk, so could be a disadvantage for those trying to lose weight, but of course, higher fat is more satiating.
• Slightly higher in lactose and casein so not suitable for intolerances or allergies.
• Raw buffalo milk is available in the UK from www.buffaliciousuk.com for £36.90 for 6 litres, so around 10 times more than cow’s milk.

Taste and tips

Buffalo milk has a slightly sour tang and is creamier than regular milk. 

Overall rating 

Nutritious but hard to justify spending this much over regular cow’s milk.

Donkey milk

Female donkeys have been kept for thousands of years for their milk, which has the closest nutritional profile to human breast milk of all dairy animal milks. As you would expect it’s very similar to horse milk as both belong to the equidae family of animals.

Health benefits

• Lower in calories and fat than cow’s milk, so may be helpful for weight control
• High in vitamin D with 2.23 µg/100 mL which is 25 per cent of the RNI.
• Contains much less casein than cow’s milk. An Italian study in 81 children with an allergy to cow’s milk found that all were able to drink donkey milk with no negative reaction. 

Drawbacks

• Lower in vitamin B12 and calcium than cow’s milk.
• Similar levels of lactose, so people with a lactose intolerance should avoid.
• Expensive (£50/250g powder) and only available online.

Taste and tips

Very mild and not especially creamy, more akin to skimmed cow’s milk.

Overall rating

 Doesn’t taste of much and is incredibly expensive.

Conclusion

So will I be switching my milk allegiance? All the animal milks varied, to some degree, in terms of their macronutrient (fat, protein, carbohydrate) and micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) content, but traditional cow’s milk still stacks up really well nutritionally. Given that it’s cheap and readily available I’ll be sticking with it – for now.

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