Does Goat Milk Have Lactose?

Does Goat Milk Have Lactose?

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MANY STUDENTS IN MY cheesemaking classes ask me, “Does goat milk have lactose?” to which I answer, “Yes, absolutely!” But this isn’t the whole answer, and it might not even be the answer to the question they’re really asking. They might actually want to know, “Is goat cheese lactose-free?” Or, “Will goat milk and goat cheese upset my stomach like cow milk and cow milk cheeses do?” And the answers to these questions are a bit more complex.

What is Lactose, and Why Does it Sometimes Cause Issues?

Lactose is the sugar molecule found in dairy milk. It’s basically made up of the same atoms as table sugar or sucrose but is a disaccharide comprised of two simple sugars bonded together: glucose and galactose. To digest lactose, an enzyme called lactase is necessary. Most humans stop producing this enzyme after about 2 years of age, which can create lactose intolerance. The symptoms of lactose intolerance may be gas, bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

Lactose in Goat Milk vs Cow Milk

First, let’s look at the question, “Is goat milk lactose-free?” Every breed of goat, cow, and sheep has variability in the overall composition of their respective milks. Even individual animals within a particular breed can vary widely. On average, goat milk has less lactose than cow milk.

Although the actual percentage of lactose recorded in goat milk will vary according to breed, season, geography, and other factors, in general, goat milk contains about 4.2% lactose, while cow milk contains about 5% lactose.

This isn’t a huge difference. But for people who are mildly lactose intolerant, the lower rate of lactose in goat milk may make it a bit easier on their stomachs.

Other Factors Affecting the Digestibility of Milk

Other factors besides lactose will also contribute to the ease of digesting goat milk. For instance, the fat molecules in goat milk are much smaller than those in cow milk. Which means the goat milk is quicker and easier to digest.

Any sensitivity to lactose may be minimized with goat milk because it simply spends less time in the digestive tract.

A second thing that may make goat milk easier for many people to digest than cow milk is the lack of the A1 protein. This protein, found in much of our supply of cow milk, often causes much more digestive upset than the A2 protein, which is found in goat milk (goats have little to no A1 protein in their milk).

The reaction people may have to A1 protein can look very similar to that caused by lactose intolerance. Because of this, many people mistakenly blame lactose for their symptoms when, in fact, the problem may be with the protein.

Lactose in Goat Cheese

Now that we’ve determined that goat milk contains less lactose than cow milk, what about lactose in goat cheese? Here, we’ll see that the type of cheese makes a difference. Especially whether it’s fresh or aged, moist or dry.

To understand how cheesemaking affects the lactose content of milk, we first have to understand the primary role of lactose in cheesemaking, which is energy. In other words, lactose serves as food for bacteria during the cheesemaking process.

Starter cultures ferment lactose and convert it to lactic acid. This changes the pH level of the milk, which is a key component of cheesemaking. The amount of fermented lactose will contribute to flavor changes not only in the resulting cheese (milder vs sharper) but also in the amount of lactose still present in the milk as it becomes cheese.

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Beyond the lactose lost due to fermentation, additional lactose is lost in the draining process of cheesemaking, as most of the residual lactose will be found in the whey. So, the more whey drained from the curd, the less lactose will remain in the cheese.

That means harder, drier cheeses (usually aged ones) will contain less lactose than more moist cheeses (often fresh ones). As those aged cheeses continue to ripen, any remaining lactose will continue to be a food source for the bacteria present in the cheese. Which means the longer the cheese ages, the less lactose remains.

Goat Milk for Babies — Dangers

While goat milk is lower in lactose and perhaps more easily digested than cow milk for some people, this doesn’t mean it’s safe to provide goat milk for babies.

Dangers include anemia and poor growth for a variety of reasons. First, there is three times as much protein in goat milk as in human milk, which puts too much stress on an infant’s kidneys.

Second, the amounts of potassium, calcium, phosphorous, and chloride are also quite high in goat milk. This can lead to electrolyte imbalances in infants. Goat milk also has inadequate levels of certain vitamins, which can lead to malnutrition.

For these reasons, giving infants under 1 year of age whole goat milk can be dangerous. Although I’ve heard of people diluting it with water and adding more vitamins to help offset these dangers.

However, the general scientific advice is not to give goat milk to babies. Instead to choose a goat milk formula with added iron developed for human children.

Lastly, if you own goats, you may enjoy consuming your milk raw. However, this risks the harmful transmission of pathogens to infants. Giving babies raw milk of any type is not advised. Once babies reach the age of 1 year, it may be fine to add goat milk to their diet.


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KATE JOHNSON raises Nubian dairy goats in Longmont, Colorado, at BriarGateFarm.com. She is an active leader in the local 4-H Goat Program and a superintendent for her county’s fair. She also runs a cheesemaking school at TheArtOfCheese.com.


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References:

  • Kindstedt, P., 2005.American Farmstead Cheese. Chelsea Green Publishing. 48-49.
  • https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-goat-milk-have-lactose#intolerance
  • https://www.health.state.mn.us/docs/people/wic/localagency/wedupdate/2022/topic/0608goat.pdf

Originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of Goat Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.

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