Whey is an amazing food. Dr. Mercola summarizes the benefits of (grass-fed!) Whey protein as follows:
- A complete protein
- Rich in BCAAs (branched chain amino acids)
- Contains glutathione, the most powerful antioxidant
- Studies suggest that whey protein has many health benefits
Milk perks you up, as the advertising says, but more and more people are turning their backs on milk and dairy products. Why is that?
A1 vs A2 milk
We often think that protein is protein, fat is fat, and that carbs are carbs. But just as we recognize that a cocktail tomato is a tomato but still very different from a meat tomato, we need to take a closer look at the macronutrients of protein, fat and carbohydrates.
Most people who have a little bit of scientifically backed knowledge about nutrition will know that olive oil is healthier than margarine. But isn’t as commonly known that there are, broadly speaking, two types of milk: A1 milk and A2 milk.
The difference between these two types of milk lies in the proteins they contain, more precisely beta-casein. Depending on which amino acid is in a certain position in the beta-casein, it can be divided into A1 and A2 varieties, which in turn are digested differently. The A1 variety is digested in a way that has a strong opiode effect. This opiode effect is said to cause adverse health reactions in some individuals.
The A1 variety was created by a mutation about 5000 years ago. Holstein cattle produce A1 milk. Jersey cows, other Brown Swiss, and African and Asian cattle produce A2 milk. Goats, sheep and buffalo also produce A2 milk.
We can’t really say with any certainty whether the A1 vs. A2 debate actually captures all of the relevant differences between milk from different breeds of cows and milk from goats, sheep, and buffalo. Certainly, the quality of the milk also plays a role. Milk from grazing, grass-fed animals cannot be compared with milk from those poor industrially-kept cattle.
Nevertheless, the fact is that many people who are intolerant to “normal” milk do not show this intolerance to A2 milk from goats, sheep and buffalo.
Goat Whey vs Cow Whey
In addition, goat whey contains more medium-chain fatty acids (MCTs) than cow whey, which are preferentially metabolized by the body. In general, the body can process goat milk protein much faster than cow milk protein.
Therefore, when we were looking for a whey protein product, we decided to offer goat whey from grass-fed goats. Grass-fed milk is better than regular milk, and grass-fed milk from goats is better yet. 🙂 Naturally free from artificial additives.
And, in case you’re worried that goat’s whey tastes like goat: it doesn’t.
