Is Camel Milk the Next Big Dairy Alternative? Experts Say It Has 'Potential to Be Hypoallergenic' and Decrease Heart Risk
Camel milk may offer immune-boosting benefits — and camels thrive in dry conditions that are "unfavorable" for traditional cattle farming
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(Left) Stock image of a camel; (Right) milk poured over cereal.Camel milk may be a healthier alternative to dairy milk, with researchers saying it contains fewer allergens and offers other health benefits.
“As camel milk lacks beta-lactoglobulin, it is potentially less allergenic,” says research published in the journal Food Chemistry. As the National Library of Medicine points out, beta-lactoglobulin — which is different from lactose — is “one of the major allergens in cow’s milk.”
“This is a good thing. We now know that camel milk has the potential to be hypoallergenic compared to cow’s milk,” PhD student Manujaya Jayamanna Mohittige of Australia’s Edith Cowan University, who conducted the research, said in a statement.
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Stock images of milk for sale in a supermarket.Related: Eating Too Much Plant-Based, Ultra-Processed Food Linked to Early Death, Heart Disease
Camel’s milk also may have potential to boost the immune system system and decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. As Mohittige explains, it can “yield bioactive peptides which can have antimicrobial properties and anti-hypertensive properties.” These peptides may “selectively inhibit certain pathogens, and by doing so, create a healthy gut environment and also has the potential to decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in future.”
Camels are also hardier animals, able to survive in dry, acrid environments, the study points out, citing “the suitability of camel farming in climates that are unfavourable for traditional cattle farming.”
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Stock image of a camel in a desert.Related: More Than Half of U.S. Adults Will Have Cardiovascular Disease by 2050, Study Finds
“Camel milk is gaining global attention, in part because of environmental conditions. Arid or semi-arid areas can be challenging for traditional cattle farming, but perfect for camels,” Mohittige said in the statement.
As for the taste, Redditors have compared it to a less-sour kefir — a fermented milk drink —saying it “would go good with tea or coffee.” And the owner of a camel farm in Pennsylvania told Penn Live that it tastes like "milk with a little bit of salt in it." And while it's "not quite as sweet as cow’s milk," it's creamier.
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