BIOHACKING
SHEEP'S MILK
"CHAMPAGNER OF MILK", SUPERFOOD or ALLERGEN?
1.3% of global milk production is sheep's milk
What role does sheep's milk play for humans (/biohackers)?
Of course, it is naturally much more efficient to milk large animals, which is why cow's milk, with an annual production of 714,400,000,000 kg, has become a staple food in the western world. As someone who is used to questioning one or two dogmas, I would like to give a few reasons why we only consume more sheep's milk products. Spoiler: Not least because it tastes better (creamier);)
Pentadecanoic acid (C15:0) and other saturated fatty acids
At the beginning of my "health journey", I actually consistently ignored all dairy products (as well as other animal products).
When I heard about an American dietary supplement containing the saturated fatty acid C15:0, I pricked up my ears and took a few days to familiarize myself with the studies. The result: pentadecanoic acid is associated with a number of health benefits that are said to have a positive effect on cardiovascular health.
I then researched where this fatty acid occurs naturally because I want to take as few supplements as possible. And lo and behold:
Around 1.2% of the fatty acids in sheep's milk are pentadecanoic acid C15:0
So instead of swallowing a capsule that costs a few hundred dollars a month, it's much better to get the same benefits by eating a tasty food, right?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10649853/
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs)
Medium-chain triglycerides are saturated fatty acids and are associated with a number of health benefits:
- MCTs are already absorbed in the duodenum and do not require lipase produced by the pancreas to be absorbed
- They are converted into ketone bodies in the liver, which can partially simulate or enhance fasting metabolism
- They give hot drinks such as coffee a creamy taste
- Some MCTs have antimicrobial properties
In the health scene, MCTs became known through Dave Asprey, who invented "Bulletproof Coffee". After a trip to Tibet, where yak butter tea is traditionally drunk in large quantities, he was inspired to combine a hot drink with fat, which led to the idea of combining various fats with coffee.
Around 21.8% of the fats in sheep's milk are MCTs. The content is therefore more than twice as high as in cow's milk.
Beta A1 vs. Beta A2 Casein
Casein, together with whey protein, is the most common protein found in dairy products. There are different types, which are produced by dairy animals depending on their genetics. There is a lot of literature on the subject, so here is just a brief summary: "Industrial high-performance cows" mainly produce beta casein A1, while sheep, goats, buffalo and original cattle species mainly produce beta casein A2.
The "The China Study" by Campbell et al, which is often cited in vegan circles, was able to show as a primary outcome that beta casein A1 is associated with a number of civilization diseases.
In the meantime, a large number of studies have hypothesized that A2 casein is much better tolerated than A1 casein.
Incidentally, people with a diagnosed "lactose intolerance" develop fewer symptoms when consuming dairy products with "A2 casein". Is the reaction to lactose therefore perhaps a symptom rather than the cause?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3475924/
But the taste!
Or: And the taste!
Sheep (or lamb) meat and goat(!) milk have a - let's say - characteristic taste of their own. Sheep's milk, on the other hand, does not. I think it tastes like cow's milk, but with a slightly higher fat content, it tastes a bit creamier and therefore actually "better".
However, nobody knows sheep's milk, but unfortunately it is often confused with goat's milk due to taste prejudices. Which I personally don't like at all.
As is so often the case, it's all a matter of taste, but here's a tip: If you've never tried sheep's milk, give it a go. I suspect you will be pleasantly surprised.
Not all feta cheese is the same!
What is made from sheep's milk
Most people use sheep's cheese as a synonym for the popular Greek feta. (However, this is often made from cheaper cow's milk, especially in Central Europe).
Unfortunately, they are still somewhat difficult to obtain, but there are now countless products made from sheep's milk. Incidentally, many of these are traditional foods in millennia-old cultures...
The following products are used in our kitchen, for example:
- Sheep's (raw) milk
- Sheep's cream
- Sheep camembert
- Semi-hard sheep's cheese
- Sheep's hard cheese
- Sheep raclette cheese
- Sheep curd cheese
- Sheep cream cheese
- Sheep mozzarella
- Sheep ricotta
- Sheep butter
- Sheep ice cream
- Sheep grill cheese
- Sheep fondue cheese
You won't find these products in the supermarket yet, but there are a large number of dedicated organic farmers who seek out and successfully cultivate such niches.
Keep your eyes open and you will be amazed at what is available and how these foods taste!
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