Goat’s milk: a superior cow’s milk alternative

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There is no single food that is ideal as your baby transitions from breast milk or infant formula. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends beginning with whole cow’s milk at 12 months, but this may not be right for your toddler. Instead, there might be better options, including goat’s milk, that are easier to digest, and still offer an excellent nutrition profile.

Best milk for toddlers

Cow’s milk is readily available, nutrient dense, and widely enjoyed by young children. But if you make a connection between cow’s milk and symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, congestion, or eczema in your little one—or if you avoid cow’s milk as a matter of personal preference—you may be searching for an alternative.

Nutritional suitability and quality are two criteria to consider when it comes to finding the best cow’s milk alternative for your family. Goat’s milk formula excels in both.

Nutrients matter

Children under the age of two require nutrient-dense foods to support their rapid growth and development. A cow’s milk alternative that is nutritionally suitable will support daily needs and may decrease the risk of more common toddler nutrient deficiencies, such as iron, vitamin D, and omega 3-fatty acids.

Non-dairy options like rice, almond, cashew, and soymilk may be delicious for older children and adults, but they may not provide the nutrition toddlers need. Nut milks, in particular, lack vitamin K, B vitamins, folic acid, and a number of minerals, including iron; they are also low in protein, typically offering 1g (or less) per cup (8 ounce).

Goat’s milk is naturally easy to digest and may be a solution for some children with symptoms related to cow’s milk consumption*. However, goat’s milk also lacks important nutrients, like folate, B12, iron, and vitamins D, B12, and C, as well as omega-3 fatty acids (DHA).

Families interested in goat’s milk should consider a fortified option, to best meet toddlers’ daily nutrition needs. If you’d like to see if a fortified goat milk* is right for your family, you can check out this special offer.

Focus on quality

A report by the American Academy of Pediatrics says that US children encounter pesticides every day, including from food. Choosing organic and/or non-GMO foods, including a high quality cow’s milk alternative, can help reduce your little one’s exposure to pesticides.

When it comes to non-GMO food labeling, it’s good to know that European non-GMO foods meet the same standard as one of the largest third party certifiers in the US, The Non–GMO Project. Both verify products that contain less than 0.9 percent GMO ingredients.

In selecting a cow’s milk alternative for your little one, a common-sense approach is to understand food labels and look for seals such as European Non-GMO, USDA Organic, and Non-GMO Project Verified.

Finding the best cow’s milk alternative can be tricky. By gaining a deeper understanding of toddler’s nutrient needs, taking the time to read food labels, and learning about the pedigree of food ingredients, families can confidently select the best choice to meet your little one’s unique needs.

*Not suitable for cow’s milk protein allergy