First of all we have to make a difference between ANIMAL milk and VEGETABLE milk.

The animal milk that we drink can be cow’s, goat’s, buffalo’s, sheep, donkey’s (or ass milk, or jenny milk) and mare’s milk.
Each milk has its own specific characteristics. Goat’s milk is very similar to cow’s milk, while buffalo milk has a higher fat value, sheep’s milk is distinguished by the higher content of calcium, iron, iodine, retinol (vitamin A) and riboflavin (vitamin B2), and donkey milk is similar in composition to mother’s milk, it can be used as an alternative in case of intolerance to cow’s milk, and has less fat and a reduced caloric intake.

Vegetable milk, on the other hand, is a drink that is obtained by extracting liquids from dried fruit (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts) or cereals (oats, rice, millet) or from soy or coconut. They are mixtures to which water, preservatives and sometimes oils are added to create an emulsion. In general, vegetable milk is less caloric and has less fat than animal milk. But being a blend you have to pay attention to the added ingredients. I also want to point out that oat milk and rice milk naturally contain more sugars than other vegetable milks because they are extracted from carbohydrates. Rice milk in particular is not recommended for those with diabetes because I have a higher glycemic index and a zero protein content.

HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD MILK?

1. Evaluate any lactose intolerance or digestibility

2. If you choose animal milk, you just have to decide on the basis of your nutritional needs whether to prefer whole milk with a higher fat content, or skimmed milk.

3. If you opt for a plant-based milk pay attention to the letters on the labels. There must not be: sugar, dextrose, glucose or fructose syrups among the ingredients

PH, PROTEIN AND FATS OF MILK?

The milk during milking, comes out at a temperature from the udder between 35 and 38 degrees celsium, and must be immediately refrigerated at low temperatures between 4/5 degrees to prevent the bacterial load present in the milk from starting anomalous fermentations.

The pH that a good, healthy milk must have is between 6.60 and 6.75.

A milk with a pH of around 6.9 / 7.00 means milk with a very high bacterial load, certainly mastitis or in any case watered milk.

A milk with a pH of 6.45 / 6.55 means milk already in the acidification phase, but also colostrum.

A milk with a pH of 6.3 / 6.4 means old milk in an advanced acidification phase.

A milk with pH 6.1, does not even tolerate pasteurization at 72 degrees as it would start flocking.

I report these data on the average compositions of milk, proteins and fats:

Cow’s milk 3.51% protein and 3.68% fat.
Goat’s milk 4.00% proteins and 4.80% fats.
Buffalo milk 4.60% protein and 8.80% fat.
Sheep’s milk 6.20% proteins and 5.90% fats.
Donkey milk 1.74% protein and 1.21% fat.
Mare’s milk 2.1% proteine and 1.4% fat.

Cow’s milk

The variants of cow’s milk on the market have marked differences, easily appreciable in terms of taste and consistency. Much depends, in addition to the quality of the breeding, on the heat treatments to which the product is subjected, such as pasteurization and homogenization, on any skimming operations and other interventions aimed, for example, at making it more digestible or richer in nutrients.

Based on these elements we will distinguish:

• Fresh milk – Pasteurized within 48 hours of milking, among those on the market in large retailers is the milk that comes closest to its untreated version, i.e., raw milk. It should be consumed within 6 days from the date of pasteurization. The attribution of the high-quality brand to fresh pasteurized milk is a guarantee of compliance with particular requirements for stables and plants, as well as a higher than standard protein value.

• UHT (Ultra High Temperature) milk – Subjected to a heat treatment of sterilization at high temperatures (up to 140 °), UHT milk has the advantage, once sealed, of keeping much longer than fresh milk, maintaining the organoleptic and nutritional properties of the food. It is sold in tetra Pak containers outside the refrigerated counter and once opened the package can be kept in the refrigerator for two or three days.

• HD milk (High Digestibility) – Within the high digestibility milk production plants, the amount of lactose naturally present in milk is reduced to minimal percentages through a particular enzymatic process of splitting this component into simple sugars, for many otherwise difficult to digest.

• Functional milk – By supplementing vitamins and minerals or by modulating the nutrients already present, an enhanced milk is obtained, for example aimed at the growth of children or to compensate for deficiencies in the diet of adults.

• Whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed milk – Whole milk has a fat content of no less than 3.5%. The thermal milk skimming process gives rise to two other possible variants: semi-skimmed milk, with a 2% fat percentage, low-fat milk (1%), and skimmed milk, also known as skimmed milk, which should have a percentage of fat less than 0.5%.

Goat milk

A valid alternative to cow’s milk from a nutritional point of view, goat’s milk is readily available on the market in the form of pasteurized, medium or long-life, whole or semi-skimmed milk, slightly fatter than whole cow’s milk but boasts greater digestibility. . It is also used for the production of fresh cheeses. Rich in calcium and phosphorus, it is useful for the bone mineralization process. Also present numerous vitamins, with the exception of vitamin B2, in modest quantities. In goat’s milk we find the same quantities of fat as in cow’s milk. There are also mineral salts such as copper, potassium, manganese and iron.

Goat milk has numerous benefits that are often little known, but which should be further highlighted, because it is truly a precious drink for our body.

It does not promote the production of mucus, unlike cow’s milk. For this reason, it does not create inflammatory problems in the intestine. It is easily digestible and its molecules are quickly absorbed. It also contains taurine, an essential amino acid for the synthesis of bile and eye health. Finally, it does not favor atherogenesis, the deposit of fats in the arteries and blood vessels.

Those who need to follow a low cholesterol diet must be careful, in fact it is still present even if in smaller quantities. Furthermore, there is little presence of folic acid.

On the other hand, the difference in the percentages of the two most important minerals in milk is minimal: calcium and phosphorus.

• 100 g of goat’s milk has 134 mg of calcium against 119 mg of the cow.
• 100g of goat’s milk has 111mg of phosphorus against 93mg of cow’s milk.

Buffalo milk

The difference lies in the composition of the milk: cow’s milk, in fact, is composed of approximately 87% water, while in buffalo it settles at 81%. Precisely that difference in the quantity of water makes the milk already different (buffalo milk is opaque) but above all, due to the greater presence of fats in it, it makes it much tastier, and is also suitable for cheese making. Buffalo milk is a high-quality source of protein.

Inside there are good quantities of minerals allies for bone health (in particular calcium and phosphorus). It also provides vitamins and minerals allies for the proper functioning of metabolism (in particular vitamins of group B) and for heart health (potassium) and small amounts of folate, which are important for the development of the nervous system during gestation.

The consumption of buffalo milk is contraindicated in case of lactose intolerance and cow’s milk allergy.

On the other hand, there is a substantial difference in the percentages of the two most important minerals in milk: calcium and phosphorus.

• 100 grams of buffalo milk have 198 mg of calcium against 119 mg of the cow.
• 100 grams of buffalo milk have 121 mg of phosphorus against 93 mg of cow’s milk

Sheep milk

Among the alternatives to cow’s milk, in addition to goat’s milk, there is also sheep’s milk, a milk with a definitely more decisive and characteristic flavor, but very similar in nutritional values ​​and possibilities of use to that of cow’s milk, in some respects, much richer than that of bovine. It has a pastier consistency because it contains less water and is very aromatic and nutritious.

It is among the foods rich in protein (casein), which makes it perfect for the production of cheeses and ricotta. A glass (100 ml) has a caloric content of 108 kcal against the 64 kcal of the equivalent amount of cow’s milk.

The reason is in the saturated lipid content, which is higher in sheep’s milk than in bovine milk. These nutritional values ​​certainly suggest a more moderate consumption, especially in low-calorie diets aimed at maintaining or decreasing body weight.

On the other hand, the presence of fatty substances is also what gives flavor and creaminess to cheeses processed with this type of milk.

The carbohydrates present are similar in quantity to those of cow’s milk, but the quality of fats and proteins is decidedly more noble. Furthermore, once pasteurization has taken place, the flavor it leaves on the palate is much more neutral than that found in cheeses or butter.

It ensures a good supply of calcium, retinol (vitamin A) and riboflavin (vitamin B2) and helps the mineralization of bone tissue and the main cellular functions.

On the other hand, there is a substantial difference in the percentages of the two most important minerals in milk: calcium and phosphorus.

• 100 g of sheep’s milk has 193 mg of calcium against 119 mg of the cow.
• 100 g of sheep’s milk has 145 mg of phosphorus against 93 mg of cow’s milk.

Donkey’s milk

Donkey milk is an ancient product that has always been used and appreciated. We recall the use of donkey milk by Cleopatra and Poppaea to enhance beauty. Pliny considered it a particularly healing liquid. In the Renaissance, donkey milk begins to have scientific consideration. Francesco I, in France, on the advice of his doctors, uses it to recover from a long illness and on this experience, he began to breed donkeys near hospitals. In France in the 19th century, the practice of bringing newborn babies orphans of mothers directly to the donkey’s nipple became widespread. The babies were fed 5 times during the day and 2 at night. A donkey could safely feed 3 babies for 5 months. (Bulletin de Académie de medicine, 1882).

Currently, the scientific community inherits from this historical tradition the importance of donkey milk, used to replace human milk, studying its potential in order to use it with the right method.

The real strength of donkey milk in infant feeding is its biochemical profile, very close to human milk. Among the most important characteristics is the lactose rate, the protein profile, suitable for the conditions of an infant. It is important to evaluate how the kidney load of the baby fed with donkey milk is similar to that of a baby fed with mother’s milk.

As is known, milk is not only a species-specific food but its composition, even within the same species, varies according to the lactation period, the feeding habits of the nursing mother and the lifestyle. And it is equally universally recognized that breast milk is the best possible food for every newborn / infant. In cases of lack or deficiency of breast milk, and in any case under 12 months of life, it is necessary to make up for it with a replacement milk that has chemical-physical and biological characteristics as similar as possible to those of human milk.

Centesimal composition table. From R. Belli Blanes, (2001) in “DONKEY MILK COMPARED WITH HUMAN, GOAT, BOVINE MILK AND COMMERCIAL FORMULAS”.

The product characteristics found in donkey milk, due to the similarity with human milk, allow us to hypothesize its use for all children, according to the advice of the pediatrician and / or dietician, right from the start of weaning. The scarcity of lipids, while representing a problem due to insufficient caloric intake, can easily be balanced on a case-by-case basis.

It is also worth underlining that compared to the valid industrial substitutes of breast milk, mainly based on bovine milk proteins or of vegetable origin that have undergone heavy technological treatments, the use of a natural product such as donkey milk has considerable advantages.

Donkey milk, even raw whole freeze-dried milk, retains all the biological properties of a milk

which are lacking in whole cow’s milk or soy protein formulas and in forms based on mixtures of amino acids or mixtures of extensively hydrolyzed proteins.

The main biological functions deriving from the protein component are:

• Defense activity against bacterial and viral infections exerted by proteins in their native (whole) form:

• Non-specific defense action: immunoglobulins, lactoferrin and lysozyme (the latter present in donkey milk at a concentration of 1g / L, in traces in cow’s milk and missing in all formulas). These proteins, and especially lysozyme, exert an important antibacterial action, making donkey milk naturally “sterile”, with a very low bacterial load even without any preventive heat treatment.

• Proteins associated with the membranes of fat globules, such as lactoferrin, with specific activity against Rotavirus infections.

• Biological activities exerted by peptides derived from the physiological digestion of caseins:

• Opioid activity (promotes post-prandial sleep): Endorphins, Enkephalins, Dynorphins

• Anti-hypertensive activity: ACE inhibitory peptides (Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme)

• Activity of capture and assimilation of Calcium and Phosphorus: Mineral binding peptides.

Considering the individual components of milk and especially in comparison with cow’s milk, donkey milk has:

• A high lactose content (glucose + galactose), almost comparable to that of human milk, which in addition to making it taste pleasant:

i) stimulates the intestinal absorption of calcium, positively influencing bone mineralization;

ii) plays the role of probiotic, representing the ideal substrate for a correct development of the intestinal microbial flora;

iii) provides important quantities of galactose, essential for the synthesis of cerebral galactosidase.

• A relatively low content in total fatty acids, and consequently it is less caloric than cow’s milk, but it is rich in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (the so-called “good” fats, those precious for the body), which also prevail in breast milk (52-54%), with a high percentage of linoleic acid (w3). The high content of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids of the w3 series, (PUFA-w3), makes donkey milk particularly interesting for people with food allergies, especially cow’s milk protein allergies (APLV).

• The fat globules of donkey milk, smaller than those of cow’s milk and similar to those of breast milk, are rich in lactoferrin, whose structure is similar to that of breast milk and dissimilar to that of cow’s milk. The specific anti rotavirus activity recognized in this protein, which is absent in bovine milk, is due to the structure of the lactoferrin of breast milk and donkey milk.

• Donkey milk contains similar amounts of caseins and whey proteins to breast milk, distributed in an almost equal ratio, resulting in a high concentration of essential amino acids and easier digestibility.

• Finally, donkey milk has been the subject of numerous clinical studies (see Bibliography) for the treatment of APLV in cases of lack or deficiency of breast milk. In the most recent and most important study (Monti et al. 2009) it is reported that “it was important to be able to use an alternative, appreciated and well tolerated food for the 83 children out of the 92 enrolled (90.2%); despite the restrictiveness of the diet to which they were subjected, donkey milk favored a correct stature-weight increase and a normalization or maintenance of the blood parameters evaluated in normal values. Last but not least, the psychological advantage of being able to take advantage of a “milk” proper as an alternative to cow’s milk, which the children consumed both as such, and in the form of derivatives (e.g. ice creams) or other foods to milky base (e.g. cakes, puddings, homemade biscuits) “.

Taken from a paper by Dr. Amedeo Conti – Biologist – Retired Research Director of the National Research Council. Responsible for the “Safety, Food Quality and Health” Project of the Agri-food Department of the CNR.

Donkey milk is also used by athletes and those with health problems, a supplement based on donkey milk helps to better deal with critical phases or in which there are special needs:

• In the sports field it represents a supplement capable of increasing yields and performances;
• In growth problems;
• In case of lack of appetite;
• In convalescence;
• In periods of transition, such as adolescence and menopause or in old age;
• In the adult person in good health, finally, it represents a valid nutritional contribution, a hypoallergenic substitute for cow’s milk.

From the point of view of the nutritional profile like all milks of animal origin, also that of donkey contains about 7% lactose, higher than that of cow’s milk which amounts to about 5% and therefore cannot be suitable for lactose intolerant people (for which there are specific lactose-free milks or vegetable substitutes, such as rice or soy milk).

Another important aspect of Donkey’s milk in the medical field is its ability to regularize the intestinal microflora, thanks to the action performed by lysozyme and lactose. Lysozyme initiates a selective action, acting on pathogenic or potentially pathogenic bacteria, inducing their death. It is also applicable as a supplement in geriatric nutrition.

Mineral salts, in particular calcium and phosphorus, are contained in donkey milk in concentrations higher than that of humans. The presence of good amounts of antioxidant vitamins such as vitamins A, C, E, as well as vitamin B2, also make it suitable for the preparation of cosmetics (it is precisely called “the white gold of cosmetics”)

It is also an optimal source of omega-3 and omega-6, present in a quantity 4 times higher than that of cow’s milk and, among the monounsaturated fatty acids, the most represented is oleic acid. Thanks to the high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega 3 series, this milk is a valuable aid in the prevention of cardiovascular, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases; finally, it plays a certain role in physical and neuropsychic development.

The data relating to donkey milk were taken from this article.

Mare’s milk

In addition to that of donkey, recent studies have confirmed the good tolerability for allergy sufferers even to mare’s milk. While donkey milk is tolerated in 82-96% of children with allergies to cow’s milk proteins; the equine one in 96% of cases.

It can therefore be said with certainty that even mare’s milk, with appropriate hygienic-sanitary and nutritional guarantees, is a valid alternative to cow’s milk; thanks also to its pleasant taste and its high similarity to human milk.

The elderly, who often face various pathologies, can find a valid ally in mare’s milk. Its digestibility does not create difficulties even in the elderly with digestive difficulties. Very useful for strengthening the immune system: the high content of vitamin C combined with lysozyme and lactoferrin help the body to cope with viral and bacterial infections.

Lactose (beta lactose in particular) is the ideal substrate for the growth of lactobacilli and the development of an efficient intestinal flora, which competes with pathogenic bacteria, and helps the stimulation of the immune system.

Furthermore, calcium absorption cannot occur except in the presence of lactose and we know how important an adequate calcium intake is in elderly people (especially women) to combat osteoporosis.

Vegetable milk

Some drinks similar to milk in appearance and possibility of use in the kitchen, but very different from a nutritional and taste point of view, fall within the common even if improper definition of vegetable milk. An alternative exploited by vegan diets and by allergic or intolerant subjects to milk of animal origin, vegetable milk can derive from the processing of legumes such as soy, from cereals, including rice and oats, from seeds and fruits such as almonds and coconut.

• Soy milk – Very popular, and the drink made from soy has a fair amount of vegetable protein and is cholesterol-free. There are several recipes on the market, with or without sugar. Some variants involve the addition of vitamins and minerals.

• Almond milk – Ancient Sicilian tradition, the drink obtained from the squeezing of almonds is one of the most popular vegetable alternatives to milk. Almond milk has a limited protein intake and a moderate sugar content, it is thirst-quenching and digestive and lends itself to numerous recipes. It is also used in cosmetics for its restorative effect on skin and hair.

• Rice milk – High in carbohydrates and low in fat, rice milk is often enriched with rice oil and seed oil and fortified with vitamins and minerals. It is often used natural, as a vegan substitute for milk.

• Oat milk – Obtained from oat flour, it has a moderate sugar content and low fat. The rather delicate flavor makes it suitable for sweet or savory recipes, where it can be used as an alternative to milk of animal origin.

• Coconut milk – From the pulp of the coconut is obtained a vegetable milk rich in fat and with a high caloric intake, widely used in Indian and Thai cuisine.