Healthy Spirit: Goat Cheese

Yehudis, the heroine of Chanukah, helped defeat the Greek army by plying the general with wine and cheese before killing him. Her bravery helped the Maccabees achieve victory. It is, therefore, a custom to eat dairy products on Chanukah in commemoration of her bravery. For those who are sensitive to traditional cow’s milk products, goat’s milk provides a delicious alternative that is easier to digest.

1. Goat cheese is lower in fat than cheeses made from cow’s milk, containing approximately half the fat and saturated fat. In addition, the fat in goat cheese is easier to digest and helps the absorption of nutrients.
2. Contains much less lactose than cow’s milk, making it ideal for those who are lactose intolerant but still want to enjoy cheese.
3. Goat cheese has less than half the sodium of cow’s milk cheese.
4. Goat cheese contains more vitamins and minerals than cow’s milk cheese, especially vitamins D and K.
5. Goat cheese has more calcium than cow’s milk cheese, which strengthens the bones and can help prevent osteoporosis.
6. Goat cheese contains caprylic acid which has antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties.
7. Many people who allergic to cow’s milk are able to consumer goat milk products due to the different protein structure.
8. Goats require less natural resources than cows and produce more milk, making goat cheese a more environmentally friendly choice.