Sheep Milk
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There was the famous goat Amalthea, the nurse of Zeus. There was Homer, who celebrated in the Iliad the restorative properties of goat cheese. And at all times, with the Hebrews and Greeks, at the Renaissance or in the Caribbean in the last century, there were goats to nurse children. This shows the importance of this animal in human history…
Valued for cheese of which they are the origin, goat milk and sheep milk are also known to be possible alternatives in case of allergy to cow’s milk proteins. But these are not their only qualities. Rich in essential fatty acids, in calcium (8% more than in cow’s milk), in potassium, selenium and vitamin A, goat milk contains easily digestible proteins, comparable to breast milk. As for sheep’s milk, it contains more calcium, protein, phosphorus and vitamins A, C, B2 and B6 than and cow’s milk.
The benefits of sheep milk
Sheep milk is richer in protein than other milks. In particular, it contains a lot of a-casein. Casein forms micelles loaded with phosphorus and calcium, with physicochemical characteristics similar to those of cow’s milk, but of slightly smaller dimensions.
There is more of phosphorus and calcium in the colloidal phase, than in the soluble phase as compared to cow’s milk. These differences show that these milks have different coagulation characteristics: sheep milk coagulates faster and gives a firmer curd than cow’s milk. This is why it is often used in cheese (like goat milk).
The richness of the serum proteins in sheep milk is especially marked by a high content of immunoglobulins.
The non-protein nitrogen (6% to 8% of total nitrogen) is distributed somewhat differently from that of cow’s milk: more urea and uric acid and less of free amino acids.
Sheep milk: the front minerals
Sheep milk has clearly more calories than cow’s milk. Yet, like goat milk, fatty particles are finer for sheep milk, which facilitates their digestion.
Sheep’s milk also contains more proteins, which play an important role in the construction of body tissues and their development.
The taste of sheep milk is fairly mild, slightly sweet.
The main interest of sheep milk is that it is very rich in minerals. Calcium, Zinc, Vitamin B, Phosphorus … Sheep milk is ideal for people with mineral deficiencies.
It is particularly recommended for the elderly people and for children who follow a special diet. Today, it is especially important to identify your needs and expectations to choose the right milk, and especially to choose the better tolerated milk for your body.
