Sheep milk has gotten more popular in the past few years. It is considered to be more nutritious than the milk of cow, goat and buffalo. It is light on the human digestive system. It is believed that regular consumption of sheep milk increases the lifespan of a person. Sheep milk is safe for people who develop lactose intolerances.
The high calcium content of the milk gives you stronger bones and helps ward off osteoporosis. It has Vitamin B or folate that is vital for female reproductive health. Studies have shown that milk helps people with skin allergies, eczema etc. There are several more incredible benefits of sheep milk. Read on to find more about them.
Why Should You Drink Sheep Milk? – Watch Video!
Facts About Sheep Milk
Here are some of the interesting facts about sheep milk:
- Mediterranean nations are the biggest producer of this milk.
- It is the creamiest milk of all the other available varieties of milk.
- It is needed to feed grass to the milk to yield rick milk.
- It is naturally homogenized milk that contains smaller fat globules and more medium-chain fatty acids. It also aids in digestion.
- The fat and protein content in this milk is greater than cow’s milk.
- The milk as well as the products made from it are expensive.
- You can easily preserve this milk for a few days.
- Compared to cow’s milk, sheep milk packs double the number of healthy fats, vitamins, and protein.
About Sheep Milk
There are only a few animals on which the human population relies to meet milk requirements. These are cows, buffaloes, goats, and sheep. Sheep milk may not be as commonly consumed as cow milk but its nutritional value makes it very popular.
The milk is obtained from the mammary glands of female sheep. The sheep don’t constantly yield milk. It produces it for 80 to 100 days after the weaning the lamb. Humans have been raising sheep for generations primarily for the production of milk. It is also used for the preparation of dairy items.
The milk of sheep provides enormous amounts of carbs, essential vitamins, minerals, protein, and fats. As the sheep doesn’t yield milk throughout the year, it is not available in abundance. This makes the milk comparatively expensive. This milk is high in fat, lactose content and conjugated linoleic acid compared to other milk options.
The high amount of solid content in the milk makes it ideal for making cheese, and yogurt. This implies that you can make a large number of dairy items using it. Many of the popular cheeses are made from sheep milk. These include Roquefort, Pecorino, Romano, and feta.
Nutritional Value Of Sheep Milk
Sheep milk is considered to be superior to other milk due to its impressive nutritional composition. The milk has different critical nutritional substances such as the medium-chain amino acids, essential amino acids, calcium, protein, magnesium, zinc, iron, riboflavin, thiamin, Vitamin. B6 and B12, Vit. D. Drinking two cups of the sheep milk per day can fulfill your daily needs of riboflavin, calcium, etc.
1. Vitamins and Minerals
Calcium, lactose and large amounts of Vitamin D help prevent bone-related health disorders. Zinc helps maintain healthy skin. Sheep milk contains B-complex vitamins, vitamins A, vitamin D and vitamin E in high amounts. It also has Vit. B12 and folic acid. These are all essential for good health.
2. Fats
Sheep milk has double the amount of butterfat when comparison to cow’s milk and goat’s milk. The fat levels present in the milk is lesser than either goat or cow milk. The size of the fat globules is smaller. The milk is more homogeneous.
Sheep milk contains a large amount of medium and short-chain saturated fatty acids. This leads to a high rate of lactose absorption that is beneficial for lactose-intolerant people. Sheep milk has less saturated fatty acids than other kinds of milk. 45 percent of the fatty acids present in this milk is either mono or poly-unsaturated fats.
It has medium-chain fatty acids that are popularly known for its remarkable health ailments. MCT has a distinctive ability to supply energy. It inhibits deposits of cholesterol, gall stones and normal development of babies.
3. Protein
Sheep milk has casein that is a special type of protein linked to the cheese. This whey protein is easily digestible. Sheep milk has thrice more of this kind of protein than cow’s and goat’s milk. This leads to better digestibility. Due to high protein content, Sheep milk is a natural protein drink for sportsmen.
4. Lactose:
Sheep milk is safe for people who have high lactose intolerance. When yogurt is prepared from sheep milk, it gets converted to lactic acid at the time of producing hard cheese.
Sheep Milk Nutritional Information
Here is a comparison between the sheep milk, cow milk and goat milk.
µ / 100 g Sheep Goat Cow
Vitamin A 83 44 52
B Carotene 0.2 <0.1 <0.21
Vitamin D 0.18 – 0.88 0.12 0.03
Vitamin E 120 30 90
Vitamin C 4700 1100 1500
Thiamin 85 41 40
Riboflavin 330 138 180
Vitamin B6 83 63 50
Vitamin B12 0.6 0.08 0.4
Nicotinic acid 428 328 80
Pantothenic acid 464 415 50
Biotin 2.6 3.1 3.0
Folic acid 5.6 0.6 0.5
Health Benefits Of Drinking Sheep Milk
1. Easy To Digest
Grass-fed sheep milk is calmer on your digestive system. There are ample pieces of evidence that show that both milk and yogurt are easily digestible. It is proper for old people and infants. This is because the fat globules are smaller in size that helps digest it easily. Another reason is that the proteins are hydrolyzed. They are decomposed faster than other types of milk proteins.
2. High Nutritional Composition
The milk obtained from pasture-raised sheep is loaded in vitamins A, vitamin B, and vitamin E, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. It also has a high proportion of short-chain fatty acids and medium-chain fatty acids.
3. Helps Prevent Cancer
It also has a Conjugated Linoleic Acid that exhibits remarkable cancer-fighting properties.
4. Lowers Cholesterol
The body requires healthy fats to perform several bodily functions, such as the efficient absorption of vitamins. The sheep milk has twice the ‘healthy’ fats monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including Omega 3 & 6. They reduce low-density cholesterol, and total cholesterol while increasing high -density cholesterol.
MCTs promote ‘fullness’, reduce fat deposits, increase energy expenditure and gives a feeling of fullness. It becomes easy to metabolize in the body. The smaller fat globules in sheep milk help in digestion. It is less likely to increase cholesterol levels in the body.
This prevents the onset of specific cardiovascular conditions, that includes atherosclerosis, strokes, heart attacks and coronary heart ailments. These medium-chain triglycerides make up 25% of the fat content that reduces fat deposits in the body. It improves the conversion of protein into a form of energy.
5. Gives an Energy Boost
Sheep milk helps serve as an energy drink. It has twice the protein and Vitamin C compared to goat or cow milk. It also has 1/3rd more energy than other milk. This makes it an ideal drink for high-performance athletes/sportsmen. It also has the right types of fats, minerals, vitamins, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and phosphorus.
6. Lactose Intolerance
People who are intolerant to lactose should not worry about drinking sheep milk. Scientific research has shown that the lactose and casein in sheep milk are more acceptable to people. Sheep milk has high amounts of zinc, and high levels of nucleosides and peptides. Due to which it is recommended for people who suffer from asthma, eczema, and allergic illnesses.
7. Stronger Bones and Teeth
Our bone density reduces as we age. Sheep milk contains a remarkable range of essential minerals that boosts bone mineral density in your body. It has large levels of zinc, magnesium and calcium. Sheep milk contains approx. twice as much calcium as present in cow milk and goat milk. This gives you stronger and healthier teeth and bones naturally.
8. Lowers Blood Pressure
As per the studies, sheep milk contains high amounts of a few amino acids that can be used as a substitute for blood pressure-reducing drugs.
9. Improve Heart Health
Sheep milk has a high concentration of amino acids than cow milk and goat milk. It helps protect cardiovascular health. Regular consumption of the milk safeguards heart health by lowering the pressure on arteries and blood vessels.
10. Boosts Absorption of Calcium
For the calcium to work properly in the body, it has to be properly absorbed. Vitamin D is a critical vitamin that aids in calcium absorption. It is helpful in various body functions, that includes maintaining bone density, preventing age-related osteoporosis, and fractures.
11. Fights Cancer and Repairs Damaged Cells
Sheep milk has plenty of nucleotides and nucleosides that helps fight cancer and promote the healthy growth of cells in the body. The amount of these compounds is higher than cow milk or human milk. This also helps treat various types of gut conditions.
12. Boost Immunity System
The rich combination of nutrients and minerals in sheep milk gives a solid boost to the immune system. Sheep milk is rich in vitamin E, and vitamin A that serves as powerful antioxidants. It helps eliminate free radicals from the system. In this way, it prevents the beginning of oxidative stress and acute ailments. This milk is beneficial for enhancing skin texture and overall health.
13. Improves Skin Health
Milk is used as a beauty treatment for a thousand years. It improves a wide range of skin issues including wrinkles, acne, redness, and inflamed pores. Here are a few of the other advantages of sheep milk.
- Sheep milk works as an effective conditioner. It makes your skin soft and supple. The natural fats in the milk moisturize the skin. It also helps lessen the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on the skin.
- Regular consumption of the milk provides antioxidants that bring a youthful glow to it. The presence of lactic acid exfoliates the skin in a gentle way. It is perfect for a brightened skin.
- Sheep milk has inflammatory properties that exhibit anti-microbial properties. It reduces breakouts and redness on the skin.
- Sheep milk has a high concentration of minerals and awesome antioxidants like vitamin E. It protects as well as repairs the skin to enhance and preserve the texture of the skin.
- The milk works as a cleanser, exfoliator, toner, moisturizer, and soothing agent. Its topical application helps reduce sun tan too.
14. Overall Growth and Development
Protein is an easily accessible and usable form of energy that keeps you active. Sheep milk has a high protein content that makes it important for the development of the body. The complete proteins present in the milk helps in the production of cells, bone matter and tissues in the body.
Sheep milk offers a maximum amount of protein when compared to other kinds of milk. 100 grams of this milk provides 5.4 grams of protein. This is higher than 3.2 grams of protein in cow milk, 3.1 grams in goat milk and 4.5 grams in buffalo milk.
15. Prevents Birth Defects
Sheep milk has various B vitamins that include high levels of folate. This nutrient is a very crucial nutrient for better reproductive health in a woman. Its deficiency is related to neural tube defects of the infant. It also balances the level of hormones and stimulates healthy delivery.
Folate also helps improve metabolism in the body. Sheep milk is a wonderful way to maintain the right levels of hormones in the body. Regular consumption of the milk ensures a healthy delivery!
Precautions When Drinking Sheep Milk
- Sheep milk is high in fat and calories. It may not be appropriate for people who suffer from obesity. Despite its massive nutritional benefits, sheep milk may not be the wisest decision in this case. It will make it difficult for you to lose weight and accomplish your fitness goals.
- Sheep milk can cause hiccups and dyspnea.
- As the protein content is high in the milk, it is not ideal for babies up to twelve months old.
How To Use Sheep Milk?
Now that we have known about the nutritional composition and health benefits of sheep milk, let us learn how you can reap its benefits. Consume it in the form of milk, or prepare yogurts, and cheese from it. You can also consume it by adding it to your desserts and baking procedures. Another way to benefit from the milk is in the form of ghee.
Conclusion
Sheep milk is a delicious way to substitute your usual cow/buffalo milk. There is numerous evidence that shows that this milk has extraordinary health potential. The above benefits clearly explain that sheep’s milk is amazingly high in nutrition to other types of commercially available milk. It is easily digestible in those who have an intolerance to other lactose-rich dairy items. The rich nutritional composition promotes overall health and wellness in a person.
If you liked this post, then do share it with your friends on social media. Also, you can write to us with any of your suggestions, comments, and queries. We will be happy to address them soon.
This post was last modified on September 14, 2022 4:33 pm
Leave a Comment