Four Surprising Health Benefits of Camel Milk
Got camel milk? Maybe you should. Camel milk can offer many surprising health benefits from improved blood sugar levels to immune support. So before you reach for your next cold glass of milk, read on to see why you may want to make the switch to camel milk.
Camel milk is the newest trending superfood. Haven’t heard of it yet? You are missing out because there are many surprising health benefits of camel milk that can benefit almost all of us. This milk has been used for centuries in the Middle East and Africa to provide essential nutrition to nomadic tribes wandering the deserts, but just recently it is picking up popularity in the Western world.
With so many types of milk available from cow’s milk (skim, 2%, whole, A2, lactose-free) to a wide range of plant-based milks made from nuts, oats, and soy, you may be wondering why you should consider adding camel’s milk to your diet. This article will walk you through all of the health benefits of camel milk, where to buy it, and how to add camel milk to your diet. Let’s dive in!
The health benefits of camel milk
#1 Camel milk is extremely nutritious
Camel milk carries exceptional nutritional qualities, and has also been said to be the closest to human milk.
Compared to cow’s milk, camel milk has:
- Similar protein and calorie content
- Less total fat and saturated fat
- More healthy, unsaturated fats
- Lower amounts of sugar
- More B vitamins and vitamin C
- Higher mineral content (iron, copper, zinc, potassium, sodium, and magnesium)
If you want to focus on micronutrient content while also keeping fat and sugar low, you can see that camel milk is actually a better option than cow milk. This is great news for people who cannot drink cow’s milk due to digestive issues because camel milk is usually well tolerated by people who are sensitive to dairy.
#2 Easily tolerated by people with lactose intolerance or milk allergies
Another benefit of drinking camel milk over cow’s milk is that it contains less lactose, the sugar found in milk. Did you know that over 65% of the world’s population is sensitive to lactose?
Many people with lactose intolerance tend to tolerate camel’s milk much better. Since the proteins present are quite different, camel milk happens to also be better tolerated for those with an allergy to cow’s milk.
Cow’s milk contains two types of proteins: A1 and A2. Sometimes, people have difficulties with digesting the A1 proteins and suffer from gastrointestinal discomfort after drinking dairy milk containing the A1 protein. Since camel milk only contains A2 proteins, it may be easier to digest for individuals who have difficulty breaking down the A1 protein.
#3 Camel milk and blood sugar control
People with diabetes may be able to substitute camel’s milk for dairy and reap some impressive benefits. There is significant evidence that camel milk can help with diabetes management.
One study showed that camel’s milk can lower blood sugar levels (both fasting and post-meal) and lower A1C levels along with increasing insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes.
In addition, camel milk contains an insulin-like protein that gives it antidiabetic properties. One study showed that camel’s milk even helped to boost insulin secretion in patients with type 1 diabetes. Camel milk is also quite high in zinc, which may also explain why it helps with improving insulin sensitivity.
For people with diabetes, the therapeutic dose where we see an improvement in blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity is about 2 cups (500 mL) of camel milk per day.
#4 Immune-support and camel milk
Drinking camel milk may help to support a healthy immune system – something we should all strive for.
Camel milk contains lactoferrin, a compound that has antibacterial and antiviral properties. In addition, lactoferrin has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help to protect against cancer.
For centuries, camel milk has been used as a remedy to treat diarrhea. It is probably useful for this purpose because camel’s milk contains antibodies that can help fight off bacterial and viral infections within the body.
Where to buy camel milk
Where you can buy camel milk from depends entirely on where you live. People living in Africa and the Middle East will have much easier access to camel milk. However, if you are in the United States, you will most likely be ordering online from an online store like Desert Farms, as you aren’t likely to find it at your local grocery store. You can order fresh, frozen, or powdered camel milk. A simple google search will help you figure out if camel milk is available at a store near you.
One of the biggest downsides of consuming camel milk is the cost. In the United States, we have a very low supply of camel milk due to the fact that there are far fewer camels here. Also, camels don’t produce nearly as much milk as cows do meaning the supply is far lower than the demand, resulting in a much higher cost for camel milk versus cow’s milk.
How to use camel milk
Think about all of the possible uses there are for cow’s milk, and then simply substitute in camel milk. You can drink it, use it in cooking, or even purchase it in powdered form.
Some ideas for using camel milk include:
- Drink it plain
- Add into coffee or tea to make a delicious latte
- Add to protein smoothies
- Use in baking recipes
- Add to soups and sauces
You’re probably wondering… how does camel milk taste?
Camel’s milk tastes just like milk! It is a bit sweet and salty (due to the higher sodium content), but people are generally surprised by how much they enjoy it. If you aren’t a fan of the distinctive flavor, you can always add some flavoring to it before drinking.
The bottom line: should you try camel milk?
Camel milk has been used for centuries due to its nutrition and medicinal properties. The research has demonstrated that there are some promising health benefits of camel milk, especially when it comes to blood sugar control and improving insulin sensitivity. It is also probable that camel milk may help support the immune system.
For many people, camel milk is far too expensive to consume on a daily basis. However, camel milk can also be used as a health beverage that you drink from time to time for blood sugar and immune support. Camel milk could be especially helpful during periods of high stress when blood sugar is elevated in order to help better control blood sugar levels, especially in people with diabetes.
The health benefits of camel milk make it a great option to add to your diet if you can afford it. If you have questions, speak to your dietitian or healthcare provider before ordering to determine whether camel’s milk is right for you.