For centuries, camel milk has been an important source of nutrition for nomadic cultures in harsh environments like deserts.
It’s now commercially produced and sold in many countries, as well as available online in powdered and frozen versions.
With cow’s and various plant- and animal-based milks readily at your disposal, you may wonder why some people choose camel milk.
Here are 6 benefits of camel milk — and 3 downsides.
1. Rich in Nutrients
Camel milk is rich in many nutrients that are important for overall health.
When it comes to calorie, protein, and carb content, camel milk is comparable to whole cow’s milk. However, it’s lower in saturated fat and offers more vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium, iron, and potassium (1Trusted Source, 2).
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 (3, 4Trusted Source).
One-half cup (120 ml) of camel milk contains the following nutrients (2):
- Calories: 50
- Protein: 3 grams
- Fat: 3 grams
- Carbs: 5 grams
- Thiamine: 29% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Riboflavin: 8% of the DV
- Calcium: 16% of the DV
- Potassium: 6% of the DV
- Phosphorus: 6% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 5% of the DV
2- May be a better obtion for people with lactose intolerance or milk allergy
Lactose intolerance 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 (5Trusted Source).
Camel milk contains less lactose than cow’s milk, making it more tolerable for many people with lactose intolerance.
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 (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).
Camel milk also has a different protein profile than cow’s milk and appears to be better tolerated by those with an allergy to cow’s milk (8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source).
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 (10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).
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 (12Trusted Source).
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