This post is all about uses for goat milk!
You may not have known that there are many uses for goat milk at home not only in your kitchen, but in your bathroom as well!
We would like to share with you all the helpful ways goat milk can be used. In skincare, haircare, cooking, and baking goat milk is a super food for the skin and the body! There are so many practical benefits contained in this whole and perfect food!
When we first got into keeping goats we did not realize the treasure trove of natural goodness that we had stumbled upon! Slowly over the last decade we have unpacked the uses of goat's milk so we hope to give you the quick cliff's notes on all that we have discovered.
In this post we explain what to do with raw goat milk, how to cook and bake with goat milk, what to do with old goat milk, and more!
I know you are going to love these interesting uses for goat milk!
23 Amazing Uses for Goat Milk
How to use goat milk for skin
There are numerous uses for goat milk soap that benefit your skin. The easiest way to incorporate goat milk into your skincare is by replacing water-based, store-bought soap with goat milk based soap!
When making soap, you have to have a base, whether it's water, oils or milk. Conventional soaps you see at stores are based with water which will strip your skin of its natural oils and moisture. (You can learn more about this in this post on goat milk soap vs. regular soap.)
There are so many goat milk benefits, including the fact that it naturally contains vitamins and minerals that help to moisturize and repair damaged skin. That is why goat milk soap is the best option if you struggle with skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, or chronic dry skin, and even acne!
It can even help to lighten the skin and dark spots. We use goat milk as the base to our Bar Soaps, Foaming Hand Soaps, and Laundry Soaps, and Milk Baths making it easy to incorporate goat milk into your day for your skin!
How to apply goat milk on face
If you are looking to clean your face with goat milk and you are not sure how, it is not too complicated. You can make your own DIY goat milk face mask, replace your usual face wash with goat milk soap, or you can even just soak a wash cloth in goat milk and apply it straight to your face!
These are all great options for incorporating all the benefits of goat milk to your face!
Goat milk uses for hair
Goat milk is high in protein which can help to strengthen hair follicles! This allows your hair to grow longer, shinier, and healthier because it will not break as easily. Just as goat milk helps with dry skin it can do the same for a dry scalp and dry strands.
If you suffer from dandruff goat milk can be useful in adding moisture back to your scalp! To use goat milk in your haircare you can let your hair soak directly in goat milk or use a bar of goat milk soap or shampoo bar!
Cooking with and Drinking Goat Milk
Is it safe to drink raw goats milk?
Raw goat milk is illegal to sell here in Tennessee for human consumption and in many other states in America. This is because without the milk going through the pasteurization process that kills bad bacteria it could make people sick.
Although this is very rare, it is still illegal, making it very hard to find raw goat milk in the United States. In fact, this article states "There were 37 outbreaks and 800 illnesses from unpasteurized milk during from 2000 − 2007, with an average of 100 illnesses per year. The estimated U.S. population as of today is approximately 313,500,000....This means you had a roughly 1 in 94,000 chance of becoming ill from drinking unpasteurized milk during that period."
That leads us to the question... Is it safe to drink raw goat's milk? The answer is, yes, it can be totally safe! It has been done since the beginning of time and millions of people drink raw goat milk daily for its amazing health benefits!
What can you do with raw goat milk?
If you can access raw goat milk from a local farm or from your own goat herd there are countless uses for raw goat milk!- You can drink it!
- You can make soft and hard cheeses.
- Your pets can drink it and benefit from it! (Read more about benefits of goat milk for dogs here!)
- You can make soaps!
- You can bake and cook with it!
What to do with old goat milk
Old raw goat milk and old pasteurized goat milk are two different things. Raw goat milk still has bacteria that can be used to ferment or "sour" to create clabber. Clabber is thickened, sour raw milk.
This is done by letting it sit at room temperature for 2-5 days until it begins to separate into curds and whey. The soured goat milk can then be used to create waffles, cakes, yeast rolls, buttermilk biscuits, and more! Pasteurized goat milk has gone through a process in which all the good and bad bacteria are killed off.
Therefore, with no good bacteria present any more bad bacteria and mold will begin to grow causing it to rot. Any old pasteurized goat milk will need to be thrown out if past the expiration date!
Can you cook with goat milk?
Goat milk can be used in baking and cooking! Goat's milk is a great substitute for cow's milk in any recipe. You can make a variety of foods with goat milk:- Goat milk fudge
- Goat milk yogurt
- Goat milk cheese
- Goat milk kefir
- Goat milk caramel candy
What is the benefit of goat milk over cow?
Goat milk is easier to digest than cow's milk because it contains less lactose making it easier to digest even for people who may be lactose intolerant.
Goat milk has less inflammatory A2 casein than cow's milk. It has healthier medium-chain triglycerides and it is a better source of calcium, zinc, and selenium!
Why don t more people drink goat milk?
Interestingly enough, more people than you may think drink goat's milk. In fact, over 65 percent of the world's population drinks goat milk! It is not as common in America to drink goat milk as in other countries such as India, Pakistan, China, etc. because it is harder to access fresh goat milk here.
Many Americans have probably had a bad experience with store-bought goat milk because the longer it sits in grocery store shelves the more it will begin to have an off-tasting flavor. Goat milk is best tasting fresh from the milk pail, chilled immediately, and kept in a glass container. Most grocery stores sell goat milk in a carton which will also harm the flavor.
Why is goat milk not sold in stores?
Goat milk can be found in several grocery stores including local, smaller stores, but raw goat milk is harder to find. You can usually find goat's milk in the dairy section next to the cow's milk, but there is usually only one small section for it.
This just goes to show many Americans are not purchasing goat's milk probably because they are not enlightened about the many amazing health benefits!
What are the disadvantages of goat milk?
Goat milk is higher in saturated fat and calories than cow's milk or almond milk so for anyone that struggles with weight gain, you do not want to consume too much of it.
Goat milk also does contain some lactose so if you are highly lactose intolerant you still may not be able to drink it. You also may not be able to access a reliable source of great-tasting goat milk. It can have a tangier taste if not handled or stored properly. You can learn more about what goat milk tastes like here!
This post was all about uses for goat milk!