The Cow Cheese Substitute That Tastes Better And Might Be Easier On Your Stomach

If you were raised on store-bought packets of shredded parmesan or sandwiches made with a shiny square of cheddar cheese, goat cheese might seem a little mysterious. However, goat cheese has been around for some time. Humans began consuming goat's milk around 5000 B.C. Soft, white, and easier on the stomach compared to cow's milk cheeses, goat cheese is a delicious addition to your refrigerator cheese drawer. 

While cow cheeses often dominate supermarket shelves, goat cheese brings more than personality to a dish. It is often lower in lactose, so people who find cow's milk difficult to digest often learn they can enjoy goat cheese without issue. Yes, goat's milk does contain lactose, just not as much as cow's milk. It also carries nutritional weight with high amounts of protein, calcium, and vitamin A.

Caproic and caprylic acids are responsible for its tangy flavor, and they help the human body digest goat's milk more easily. A 2019 study in the LWT – Food Science and Technology journal on the digestibility of certain cheeses found that because of the fat lipids in fresh goat and aged cheeses, the cheese is easier to break down than fresh cow's milk. This is good news for those with lactose-intolerant digestive systems who crave tasty cheese, but it gets better.

Goat cheese doesn't only come as a tender chèvre log. Blue goat cheese, Brie goat cheese, cheddar goat cheese, Gouda goat cheese, and Tomme, more common in France, can all be found in U.S. supermarkets today. Rolled in ash, coated in peppercorns or a mix of dried herbs, or infused with wine or fruits like blueberries or figs, specialty goat cheeses come in a wide range of flavors. 

Fresh goat cheese is often creamy, snowy white, and tangy. Aged goat cheese tends to be more firm, with a subtle tinge of yellow, and nuttier tasting notes. Blend roasted beets with fresh chèvre and herbs to make a colorful appetizer, add it to your favorite breakfast sandwich, or crumble it on top of a freshly baked sweet potato with pecans and a drizzle of honey.

This versatile cheese is sure to win over any convert. It can brighten a dish, enhance an overflowing charcuterie spread, or add a rustic touch to pasta sauces. Whether you desire to add distinct flavors or to create some digestive reprieve, swapping cow's milk cheese for goat's milk cheese is sure to become your newest pantry staple.