Goat Milk vs. Cow Milk: Which One Is Healthier?

Plant-based milks, like oat, nut, and pea protein have become popular alternatives to cow's milk. But for those who prefer and can tolerate dairy, is cow milk the best option? Or should people keep goat milk on their radar?

Because they're animal products, cow and goat milk are both complete proteins. In other words, they contain all nine essential amino acids necessary for energy production, tissue repair, and muscle building. 

Both goat and cow milk are also naturally high in calcium, unlike most alt-milks, which require fortified nutrients to compare. "Both types of milk provide about one-third of our daily needs for calcium," registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Julie Stefanski, MEd, RDN, tells mbg. "Few other foods provide this benefit."  

Each dairy beverage is high in vitamins A and D, as well as minerals, like magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. 

Nutritionally, goat milk is slightly higher in fat and calories, but also contains more vitamins, minerals, and protein than cow's milk.

They differ more significantly in terms of taste. "While cow's milk is fairly neutral, goat's milk has a distinctive 'farmy' flavor that can take some getting used to," Largeman-Roth says. "You may want to introduce it to kids in a smoothie versus a glass of milk." 

Goat milk may also be easier to digest than cow's milk because of the size of the fat globules. "While the amount of total fat is the same," Largeman-Roth explains, "the size of the fat globules in goat's milk are smaller than those in cow's milk and are easier for the digestive system to handle."

"Compared to cow's milk, goat's milk has higher amounts of vitamin A, riboflavin, calcium, potassium, and niacin," Stefanski says. It's also easier to digest because of the small fat globules and slightly lower lactose content.