Are you lactose intolerant? Give goat’s milk a try

I’ve never been able to drink more than two gulps of milk without feeling as though I’ve had more than enough. When I was younger, I watched my brother as he drowned his cereal in the stuff and had countless glasses in between meals, and I wondered what was wrong with him. But as I was exposed to other households and people, I realized I might be the one in the minority. My mom always thought I just didn’t like milk, because I can eat ice cream, yogurt and cheese without a problem. But then we realized it was more than my taste buds that rejected milk: It was my body’s makeup. I’m not strange (and neither is my brother). I just have a minor case of lactose intolerance, which means my body can’t fully digest lactose, the sugar found in milk. The reason why, apparently, is that I have low levels of lactase. Lactase is an enzyme found in the small intestine that breaks down lactose. How do you know if you’re lactose intolerant? Symptoms range from serious cramps, bloating and vomiting to stomachaches like the ones I get. The cure is simple: Cut lactose out of your diet. But those who can’t digest milk or simply don’t like it do not have to be deprived of the pleasures of cereal all their lives. I have one simple solution that allows for milk to still be enjoyed without the stomachache: goats.Goat’s milk has smaller fat molecules than cow’s milk, which makes it easier to break down. It also has lower levels of lactose and the protein called casein, which are abundant in cow’s milk. Goat’s milk is naturally homogenized, which means the texture is smooth and evenly blended and won’t settle into patches of cream. You can taste these differences if you drink a glass of cow’s milk and then one of goat’s milk. At least I can. There is a difference in flavor, too. Goat’s milk has a light, distinct taste that is, for lack of a better word, goat-y. The flavor may take a while to get used to, but I’ve come to love it; it tastes clean to me, as opposed to the heaviness of cow’s milk.Of course there are soy milks and rice milks and milks made from every grain and nut on the planet, but goat’s milk is as close as I’ve come to the real experience. Most dictionaries say that real milk comes from a mammal. And besides, pouring sunflower-seed milk over my cereal gives me the feeling that I’m dousing my bowl of sugar-coated grains in grain water with added sugar. That’s not a balanced breakfast, no matter how much artificial calcium has been added to the “milk.”I think all the infants out there who are allergic to the casein levels in cow’s milk would agree with me, which makes me wonder: Why do we drink cow’s milk anyway? Goat’s milk is closer to human milk, according to everything I could find on the Internet.But I may be biased, and since I can’t change the ways of an entire culture, I will start with this suggestion: Next time, when you reach for the milk to pour over your morning cereal or dunk your cookies in, try some goat’s milk.