6 Surprising Benefits of Camel Milk (And 3 Downsides)
<p>For centuries, camel milk has been an important source of nutrition for nomadic cultures in harsh environments like deserts. </p>
<p>It’s now commercially produced and sold in many countries, as well as available online in powdered and frozen versions.</p>
<p>With cow’s and various plant- and animal-based milks readily at your disposal, you may wonder why some people choose camel milk. </p>
<p>Here are 6 benefits of camel milk — and 3 downsides.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="color:#8e44ad"><strong>1. Rich in Nutrients</strong></span></span></p>
<p>Camel milk is rich in many nutrients that are important for overall health. </p>
<p>When it comes to calorie, protein, and carb content, camel milk is comparable to whole cow’s milk. However, it’s lower in <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/saturated-fat-good-or-bad">saturated fat</a> and offers more vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, iron, and potassium (<a href="https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/336070/nutrients" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">1Trusted Source</a>, <a href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/3131418/2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a>).</p>
<p>It’s also a good source of healthy fats, such as long-chain fatty acids, linoleic acid, and unsaturated fatty acids, which may support brain and heart health (<a href="http://www.wjpsonline.org/admin/uploads/tCQEW6.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5445635/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">4Trusted Source</a>). </p>
<p>One-half cup (120 ml) of camel milk contains the following nutrients (<a href="https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/custom/3131418/2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2</a>):</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Calories: </strong>50</li>
<li><strong>Protein:</strong> 3 grams</li>
<li><strong>Fat:</strong> 3 grams</li>
<li><strong>Carbs:</strong> 5 grams</li>
<li><strong>Thiamine:</strong> 29% of the Daily Value (DV)</li>
<li><strong>Riboflavin:</strong> 8% of the DV</li>
<li><strong>Calcium:</strong> 16% of the DV</li>
<li><strong>Potassium:</strong> 6% of the DV</li>
<li><strong>Phosphorus:</strong> 6% of the DV</li>
<li><strong>Vitamin C:</strong> 5% of the DV</li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size:14px"><span style="color:#8e44ad"><strong>2- May be a better obtion for people with lactose intolerance or milk allergy</strong></span></span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lactose-intolerance-101">Lactose intolerance</a> is a common condition caused by a deficiency of lactase, the enzyme needed to digest the sugar in dairy known as lactose. It can cause bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain after consumption of dairy products (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4586575/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">5Trusted Source</a>). </p>
<p>Camel milk contains less lactose than cow’s milk, making it more tolerable for many people with lactose intolerance. </p>
<p>One study in 25 people with this condition found that only 2 participants had a mild reaction to roughly 1 cup (250 ml) of camel milk, while the rest were unaffected (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20857626/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">6Trusted Source</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4700900/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">7Trusted Source</a>).</p>
<p>Camel milk also has a different protein profile than cow’s milk and appears to be better tolerated by those with an <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-food-allergies">allergy</a> to cow’s milk (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5669503/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">8Trusted Source</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4627205/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">9Trusted Source</a>).</p>
<p>One study in 35 children ages 4 months to 10.5 years old with cow’s milk allergy noted that only 20% were sensitive to camel milk through a skin-prick test (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21703103/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">10Trusted Source</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16382703" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">11Trusted Source</a>).</p>
<p>What’s more, camel milk has been used to treat diarrhea caused by rotavirus for hundreds of years. Research suggests that the milk contains antibodies that help treat this diarrheal disease, which is especially common in children (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23484237" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">12Trusted Source</a>).</p>
<p>Check out more information <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/camel-milk-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_3">here</a></p>
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