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Ever since I committed to a mostly Paleo diet one of I've been eating goat yogurt regularly and grass fed butter regularly with pretty good results. Recently though, after hearing many people rave about greek yogurt (and seeing what seems to be a better macronutrient ratio on the label) I decided to switch to greek yogurt. This seems to have caused me to get congested among other things, which is unfortunate because I love the taste! Any thoughts on this topic?

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Jeff, there's some science out there on this. My understanding is that the protein in goat dairy is different and more easily tolerated. I also have heard it is very similar to human milk in structure. Again, sorry I don't have any links, this is all just stuff I've heard. – MKS 0 secs ago – MKS Jun 28 2011 at 22:14
To the best of my knowledge goat dairy is actually more prevalent world wide as well as in some of the most healthy cultures in the world, such as the Abkhasians. So it must be better for some reason for sure. I guess I may need to find some local raw goat milk or get a goat myself if I want the best product! – Householder Jun 28 2011 at 22:20
did you check the label for additives? – g. Jun 28 2011 at 23:04
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I'm Greek, and I say go with goat dairy.The kind of Greek yogurt they sell these days is NOT the same as the yogurt Greeks eat in the villages (I come from a Greek mountain village). Most village Greeks have goats and sheep, not cows. The yogurt they make at home is goat/sheep based, and it's not strained, it's full fat and full whey. The FAGE-style "Greek" yogurt that became popular came only in the last 25 years or so, and it has cow dairy in it. So if you want true Greek yoghurt, make your own goat-based probiotic, preferably lactose-free, yogurt, and make it home-made. – Eugenia Oct 13 2011 at 21:44

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Hmm.. I wonder if it's because they strain Greek yogurt so its a more concentrated product? Protein levels would be higher than the Goat I would think. There are specific proteins, alpha-casein, alpha s1-casein and beta-casein, that are known to cause allergic reactions that are in cow's milk in high quantities yet pretty much non-existent in goat's milk. Also, goat's milk has some anti-inflammatory compounds - oligosaccharides! ooo :) - that may make the g. yogurt easier to digest.

You should run some tests! Don't have any for a week then introduce the Greek for a few days. Stop. Wait a few days then try the Goat.. or vice versa. Would be interesting if you took a break to see how your bod would react. Good luck!

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Thanks, I suspected as much and may just try that. I love having dairy in my life so eliminating it altogether for the long run is not appealing. I do however think I can do it long enough to identify the true culprit as you've suggested. I think I'll be fine with a combination of organic grass fed ghee for cooking and goat yogurt for snacking. However it never hurts to do a little personal experimentation :D. – Householder Jun 29 2011 at 3:27
Report back! Would love to hear how it goes. Food science is the best :) – jesuisjuba - paleorepublic.com Jun 29 2011 at 3:29
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I would also suspect that you do better with goat dairy. Greek yogurt is just regular yogurt strained overnight in cheesecloth to make it thicker...you could do that with store bought goat yogurt, or, better yet, with your own homemade goat milk yogurt!

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What appeals to me about Greek yogurt is that it is usually high in fat (a good thing), unsweetened, and has a particularly creamy/dense texture that I like. I think the yogurt cultures are the same as in other yogurts.

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Exactly, and it did taste great, my body just didn't like it. – Householder Jun 28 2011 at 21:19
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I'm with Eugenia on this one. Goat yogurt can be a more expensive, harder to find, and sold in smaller quantities, so the work around is make your own. I make my own also and it is not all that hard. You can buy goats milk by the half gallon at most natural food stores. By making your own you also have greater control on the ingredients, you can adjust the fermentation time to get your specific flavor and sourness level, and if desired you can strain it to your desired thickness level. As for strained versus unstrained, my experience with Greek culture (I married one) is that there are as many variations to Greek food as there are islands. My wife's family strains their yogurt and I have seen cookbooks that are over 60 years old describing the straining process. Also, snacking is definitely not the only use of yogurt, so I strain if required by the recipe. I made tzatziki last night with my own yogurt and strained it to get a thicker dipping sauce quality (great with lamb!). Number one, if you do strain, save the whey! There are a lot of uses for that also, like making brine for feta cheese, substituting it for water in any recipe to give a unique flavor, etc. Good luck!

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go back to the goAT if you feel better on it

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Haha, yea, I've already done that, but I was wondering why. – Householder Jun 28 2011 at 21:19
A lot of people have a cow's milk intolerance but do fine on goat. This article goes over the differences between the 2: dairygoatjournal.com/issues/81/81-4/… – Aisling Dec 24 at 16:05
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It might be too much dairy for your system at one time. Look up how to make your own greek yogurt online, and do it with the goats milk.

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Not a bad idea, maybe I'll look into that. – Householder Jun 28 2011 at 21:19
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I don't see how the two are in odds. Traditional Greeks (in the mountains) mostly eat GOAT yogurt (cows are a new fashion there), and they DON'T strain their yogurt. I know, because I'm Greek, and I'm coming from the mountainous the Greek Epirus.

I'm living in the US, and I'm making my own goat yogurt (fermented for 24 hours, bitter).

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I have been using greek yogurt in my protein/fruit smoothies. Just one tblsp however.

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Well, it depends. When they drain all of the whey out to make it nice and thick it looses a lot of its benefit. But if whey isnt important to you then go greek.

I'd stick with full fat raw goat yogurt. A cup of delight.

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Hi,

I've been buying traditional (sheep and goat milk mixed together) Greek yogurt from a local Greek grocery store that makes it themselves. Is this type of yogurt better for you than the "Greek Style" yogurts you see in grocery stores?

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I have goat yogo every nite with a ton of ginger and cinnamon and feel pretty good from it. Very comforting.

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I'm lactose intolerant but goat's milk yoghurt seems to be ok for me. It does have tapioca, I think, in it and I wanted to find something that was just yoghurt. Whole Foods sells sheep's milk yoghurt and that is all it is, no additives of any kind. My sister says is tastes like a barnyard...I say more for me. It even has a layer of fat on top.

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Cows milk has lactose which causes many people to have gas, bloating, indigestion, diarrhea ... and so on, as a vast majority of North Americans are lactose intolerant. Goats milk does not have lactose, which is likely why you felt sick on cow dairy, especially after being away from it for a while. I buy goat yogurt at my grocery store and it has a similar consistency to Greek yogurt. The nutritional values are different because the composition of the milk itself is quite different. Here are some goat yogurt companies that I've been able to find http://www.montchevre.com/products-new/goat-milk-yogurt/ http://www.liberte.ca/en/goat-yogurt-products/index.sn Liberty has plain and Greek style, I find the plain is like Normal Greek style, but haven't tried their Greek, mostly because its incredibly high in fat and calories. http://www.redwoodhill.com/yogurt this is soft European style, not thick

To learn more about the benefits of Goat Dairy: Choosy Moms Choose Goat, By Tamara Duker Freuman, MS, RD, CDN Spotlight on the Other White Milk: Here's Looking at You, Kid, By Tamara Duker Freuman, MS, RD, CDN Decoding the Yogurt Aisle, By Tamara Duker Freuman, MS, RD, CDN New Year's Resolution: Get More Culture! By Tamara Duker Freuman, MS, RD, CDN

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