I had time this week to visit with Michelle Gasaway at Miabella Farm in New Caney, Texas. What a wonderful time we had.
We then met Mr. Goodbar, the lone buck and learned some VERY interesting facts about male goats in “ rut”. I will not go into the details since I am about to discuss how healthy and delicious goat milk is. I will just summarize - I am glad that my husband was not a male goat when he was “wooing” me!
Michelle was so generous of her time and took us on a tour of the farm beginning with the highly specialized commercial kitchen for bottling her milk and making her tasty Goat Cheeses and Kefirs.
I was so impressed with the high tech cheese cave---and even more tempted by the Goat Dill Havarti that is aging. When will that be ready again, Michelle? I will be there. Please reserve me some!
We then stopped to meet the three new kids that were only 4 days old (The 1st photo above is one of the babies). Bobby kept a close eye on me to make sure that I did not try to sneak one into the car—darn it! They were the cutest things ever and only slightly bigger than my Jack Russell Terrier—the neighbors would never notice, right?
We then went to meet the beautiful herd of Nubian ladies. I learned how to prospect a good udder and proper “ teet” sizes for easier milking.
We then went to meet the beautiful herd of Nubian ladies. I learned how to prospect a good udder and proper “ teet” sizes for easier milking. They were so friendly and ran to greet us…..well, it may have something to do with the sound of the pump being turned on while we were touring the milking area—haha! Yes, a few of these ladies had lots of milk that they were eager to offer.
We were entertained later by a herd of young La Mancha’s---how adorable they are with the little “people” ears.
They had their own playground and continued to frolic, jump around and play like puppies.
I was completely in love......!
We then met Mr. Goodbar, the lone buck and learned some VERY interesting facts about male goats in “ rut”. I will not go into the details since I am about to discuss how healthy and delicious goat milk is. I will just summarize - I am glad that my husband was not a male goat when he was “wooing” me!We visited the Soap making building last……the smell is heavenly! Michelle only uses pure essential oils,organic herbs, raw goats milk, coconut oil and a few contain raw honey and dead sea mud for extra skin nourishment. You can see all of her wonderful scents and selections at www.miabellafarm.com (shipping available) I used to purchase a well known brand of Goat Soap from the Whole Foods Market. Miabella's’ soap rounds are twice the size for half the price and most importantly, LOCAL! I enjoyed the Mint Lavender this morning in the exfoliating soap saver bag----its was a decadent experience. When you use a bar of her soap, you are actually nourishing your skin, which is the largest organ on your body. The lather is penetrating and will leave your skin silky smooth with a soft feel. If you have previously noticed "tight skin" from commercial soaps, you will enjoy the moisturizing benefits of goat's milk soap.
Commercial soaps, commonly called beauty/deodorant/moisturizing bars, dry out skin and leave unhealthy chemical residues. There is a reason it is so cheap! Commercial soap contains petroleum products (irritating to people with sensitive skin), esters (known carcinogens), alcohols (which dry your skin), low grade oils, waxes, fillers, detergents and preservatives. Your skin absorbs those chemicals just like when people use the medicated trans dermal patches. Your body sees those chemicals as toxins and then tries to rid itself of them. If what comes in contact with your skin is absorbed into your body, don't you think you should be careful about what you put on it? I have always said ---read the label. Would you eat the ingredients? If not, then DON'T use it on your skin. In this case, of course the answer is YES.....I would eat it!
Milk has long been known for it's moisturizing properties and is an ancient beauty treatment. Cleopatra was known for her beautiful skin resulting from her famous milk baths. Milk also has alpha-hydroxy acids which break down the glue holding dead skin cells together. Alpha-hydroxy acid is well known for softening skin and leaving it rejuvenated for a younger appearance. Goat's Milk Soap has a PH level similar to our skin, which helps protect the skin from invading bacteria and chemicals we come in contact with every day.
So, now that I have explained how to cleanse your body with the nourishing benefits of Raw Goats milk. Let me discuss the numerous nutrition points and health benefits also.
You may ask 'raw goat milk'? Why should I care about it. Americans have been 'culturized & advertised' into associating milk with cows when in fact, goat milk is far more healthy for humans.
According to the Journal of American Medicine, "Goat's milk is the most complete food known." It contains vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, trace elements, enzymes, protein, and fatty acids that are utilized by your body with ease. In fact, your body can digest goat's milk in just 20 minutes. It takes 2-3 hours to digest cow's milk.
Even the bible speaks of Goat milk 'You shall have enough goats' milk for your food, for the food of your household, and the nourishment of your maidservants' (Proverbs 27:27).
The milk consumed in biblical times differed much from the milk we consume today. The milk of the Bible came from cows and goats and was consumed straight from the animal (it was not pasteurized or homogenized), or it was immediately fermented. These 'live' foods provide excellent health benefits in contrast to today's pasteurized, homogenized, often skimmed and 'refortified' milk, which is not only less nutritious but also can be potentially harmful and a major cause of allergies and even heart disease.
Below are some of the health benefits attributed to raw goat milk consumption:
• Goat's milk is less allergic - It does not contain the complex protein that stimulate allergic reactions to cow's milk.)
• Goat's milk does not suppress the immune system.
• Goat's milk is easier to digest than cow's milk (An old statistic showed that goat's milk will digest in a baby's stomach in twenty minutes, whereas pasteurized cow's milk takes eight hours. The difference is in the structure of the milk.)
• Goat's milk has more buffering capacity than over the counter antacids. (The USDA and Prairie View A&M University in Texas have confirmed that goat's milk has more acid-buffering capacity than cow's milk, soy infant formula, and nonprescription antacid drugs.)
• Goat's milk alkalizes the digestive system. It actually contains an alkaline ash, and it does not produce acid in the intestinal system. Goat's milk helps to increase the pH of the blood stream because it is the dairy product highest in the amino acid L-glutamine. L-glutamine is an alkalizing amino acid, often recommended by nutritionists.
• Goat's milk contains twice the healthful medium-chain fatty acids, such as capric and caprylic acids, which are highly antimicrobial. (They actually killed the bacteria used to test for the presence of antibiotics in cow's milk!)
• Goat's milk does not product mucus; it does not stimulate a defense response from the human immune system.
• Goat's milk is a rich source of the trace mineral selenium, a necessary nutrient, however, for its immune modulation and antioxidant properties.
Lactose Intolerant?
• Easier digestion allows the lactose to pass through the intestines more rapidly, not giving it time to ferment or cause an osmotic imbalance.
• Goat's milk also contains 7% less lactose than cow milk.
• Additionally, most lactose intolerant people have found that they can tolerate goat's milk and goat milk products.
Goat's Milk Soothes the Digestive Tract
• Goat's milk has long been used and recommended as an aid in the treatment of ulcers due to its more effective acid buffering capacity.
• Children on goat's milk have been observed to sleep through the night and remain more satisfied between meals.
Mother Nature is very Clever
• Natural milk contains many bioactive components, which serve to retard the growth of harmful organisms, and to protect the health of the person consuming them. Goat's milk contains the same important bioactive components as mother's milk.
Medicinal properties of goat milk
The importance of feeding of infants with goat milk has been recognized since ancient days. In developed countries like U.S and South Africa, the goat milk is specifically marketed for the infants. The milk allergy problem common in infants fed with cow milk is rarely encountered when replaced with goat milk and it plays an important role in the formulation of infant formula. This is a proof of the medicinal property of goat milk.
The symptoms like gastrointestinal disturbances, vomiting, colic, diarrhea, constipation and respiratory problems can be eliminated when goat milk is fed to the infants. The reason cited for the relief in respiratory problems when fed with goat milk can be attributed to the structure of casein micelle of the goat milk. Pasteurized goat milk is well tolerated by the infants with gastro intestinal or respiratory symptoms. Fermented goat milk products are ideal for the persons allergic to cow milk.
The goat milk is naturally homogenized. It forms a soft curd when compared to cow milk and hence helps in easy digestion and absorption. Regular intake of goat milk significantly improves the body weight gain, improved mineralization of skeleton, increased blood serum vitamin, mineral and haemoglobin levels. These points are considered advantageous when compared to consumption of human milk.
The other medicinal property of goat milk is higher concentration of medium chain fatty acids which play an important role in imparting unique health benefits in mal-absorption syndrome, steatorrhoea, chyluria, hyperlipoproteinaemia and during conditions of cystic fibrosis, gall stones and childhood epilepsy. The medium chain fatty acids minimize cholesterol deposition in the arteries, aid in dissolving cholesterol and gallstones and significantly contribute to normal growth of infants.
I hope you have found the information helpful and will take some time to visit Miabella's web site and/or visit the farm for a tour. I highly suggest the Kefir for great pro biotic addition) Miabella's is the best quality I have ever had. I was going to use it in my smoothies----but, have already drank almost my entire quart from the bottle. So, see you again very soon Michelle.
In Health~Melissa
Commercial soaps, commonly called beauty/deodorant/moisturizing bars, dry out skin and leave unhealthy chemical residues. There is a reason it is so cheap! Commercial soap contains petroleum products (irritating to people with sensitive skin), esters (known carcinogens), alcohols (which dry your skin), low grade oils, waxes, fillers, detergents and preservatives. Your skin absorbs those chemicals just like when people use the medicated trans dermal patches. Your body sees those chemicals as toxins and then tries to rid itself of them. If what comes in contact with your skin is absorbed into your body, don't you think you should be careful about what you put on it? I have always said ---read the label. Would you eat the ingredients? If not, then DON'T use it on your skin. In this case, of course the answer is YES.....I would eat it!
Milk has long been known for it's moisturizing properties and is an ancient beauty treatment. Cleopatra was known for her beautiful skin resulting from her famous milk baths. Milk also has alpha-hydroxy acids which break down the glue holding dead skin cells together. Alpha-hydroxy acid is well known for softening skin and leaving it rejuvenated for a younger appearance. Goat's Milk Soap has a PH level similar to our skin, which helps protect the skin from invading bacteria and chemicals we come in contact with every day.
So, now that I have explained how to cleanse your body with the nourishing benefits of Raw Goats milk. Let me discuss the numerous nutrition points and health benefits also.
You may ask 'raw goat milk'? Why should I care about it. Americans have been 'culturized & advertised' into associating milk with cows when in fact, goat milk is far more healthy for humans.
According to the Journal of American Medicine, "Goat's milk is the most complete food known." It contains vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, trace elements, enzymes, protein, and fatty acids that are utilized by your body with ease. In fact, your body can digest goat's milk in just 20 minutes. It takes 2-3 hours to digest cow's milk.
Even the bible speaks of Goat milk 'You shall have enough goats' milk for your food, for the food of your household, and the nourishment of your maidservants' (Proverbs 27:27).
The milk consumed in biblical times differed much from the milk we consume today. The milk of the Bible came from cows and goats and was consumed straight from the animal (it was not pasteurized or homogenized), or it was immediately fermented. These 'live' foods provide excellent health benefits in contrast to today's pasteurized, homogenized, often skimmed and 'refortified' milk, which is not only less nutritious but also can be potentially harmful and a major cause of allergies and even heart disease.
Below are some of the health benefits attributed to raw goat milk consumption:
• Goat's milk is less allergic - It does not contain the complex protein that stimulate allergic reactions to cow's milk.)
• Goat's milk does not suppress the immune system.
• Goat's milk is easier to digest than cow's milk (An old statistic showed that goat's milk will digest in a baby's stomach in twenty minutes, whereas pasteurized cow's milk takes eight hours. The difference is in the structure of the milk.)
• Goat's milk has more buffering capacity than over the counter antacids. (The USDA and Prairie View A&M University in Texas have confirmed that goat's milk has more acid-buffering capacity than cow's milk, soy infant formula, and nonprescription antacid drugs.)
• Goat's milk alkalizes the digestive system. It actually contains an alkaline ash, and it does not produce acid in the intestinal system. Goat's milk helps to increase the pH of the blood stream because it is the dairy product highest in the amino acid L-glutamine. L-glutamine is an alkalizing amino acid, often recommended by nutritionists.
• Goat's milk contains twice the healthful medium-chain fatty acids, such as capric and caprylic acids, which are highly antimicrobial. (They actually killed the bacteria used to test for the presence of antibiotics in cow's milk!)
• Goat's milk does not product mucus; it does not stimulate a defense response from the human immune system.
• Goat's milk is a rich source of the trace mineral selenium, a necessary nutrient, however, for its immune modulation and antioxidant properties.
Lactose Intolerant?
• Easier digestion allows the lactose to pass through the intestines more rapidly, not giving it time to ferment or cause an osmotic imbalance.
• Goat's milk also contains 7% less lactose than cow milk.
• Additionally, most lactose intolerant people have found that they can tolerate goat's milk and goat milk products.
Goat's Milk Soothes the Digestive Tract
• Goat's milk has long been used and recommended as an aid in the treatment of ulcers due to its more effective acid buffering capacity.
• Children on goat's milk have been observed to sleep through the night and remain more satisfied between meals.
Mother Nature is very Clever
• Natural milk contains many bioactive components, which serve to retard the growth of harmful organisms, and to protect the health of the person consuming them. Goat's milk contains the same important bioactive components as mother's milk.
Medicinal properties of goat milk
The importance of feeding of infants with goat milk has been recognized since ancient days. In developed countries like U.S and South Africa, the goat milk is specifically marketed for the infants. The milk allergy problem common in infants fed with cow milk is rarely encountered when replaced with goat milk and it plays an important role in the formulation of infant formula. This is a proof of the medicinal property of goat milk.
The symptoms like gastrointestinal disturbances, vomiting, colic, diarrhea, constipation and respiratory problems can be eliminated when goat milk is fed to the infants. The reason cited for the relief in respiratory problems when fed with goat milk can be attributed to the structure of casein micelle of the goat milk. Pasteurized goat milk is well tolerated by the infants with gastro intestinal or respiratory symptoms. Fermented goat milk products are ideal for the persons allergic to cow milk.
The goat milk is naturally homogenized. It forms a soft curd when compared to cow milk and hence helps in easy digestion and absorption. Regular intake of goat milk significantly improves the body weight gain, improved mineralization of skeleton, increased blood serum vitamin, mineral and haemoglobin levels. These points are considered advantageous when compared to consumption of human milk.
The other medicinal property of goat milk is higher concentration of medium chain fatty acids which play an important role in imparting unique health benefits in mal-absorption syndrome, steatorrhoea, chyluria, hyperlipoproteinaemia and during conditions of cystic fibrosis, gall stones and childhood epilepsy. The medium chain fatty acids minimize cholesterol deposition in the arteries, aid in dissolving cholesterol and gallstones and significantly contribute to normal growth of infants.
I hope you have found the information helpful and will take some time to visit Miabella's web site and/or visit the farm for a tour. I highly suggest the Kefir for great pro biotic addition) Miabella's is the best quality I have ever had. I was going to use it in my smoothies----but, have already drank almost my entire quart from the bottle. So, see you again very soon Michelle.
In Health~Melissa
wow how fantastic. I bet the cheese is good!
ReplyDeletewhat does it TASTE like compared to cow's milk? Because after reading that I am ready to go out and buy some!
ReplyDeleteGoat milk is sweet and creamy and tastes wonderful! It is definitely worth trying...
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love and prefer Goat cheese over cow cheese......and you can have goat cheddar, goat brie, goat chevre......! So, I encourage you to try it :-)
ReplyDeleteI love the work you are doing and the information you are sharing! Thank you for all the wonderful things you do.
ReplyDeleteGreat article. Raw goat cheese and milk are some of my favorites. A friend (Teg Gregory) had a farm near Rosenberg and supplied me but sold it when his wife died. Please support goat farmers because they provide valuable food and nutrition and face many challenges.
ReplyDelete