There was banana milk, pea milk, oat milk, cashew milk… And then there was donkey milk.
Yep, according to the* Huffington Post*, donkey milk might be the new thing we’re going to be having on our cereal and drinking in our tea. Apparently it's closer to breast milk than cows milk and it contains more lactose and less fat than cows milk. It contains fatty acids that can help reduce inflammation and boost heart health, as well as containing the enzyme Lysozeme which can protect against intestinal infections. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation it has 'particular nutritional benefits' and could be a good alternative for those who are allergic to cow's milk.
Basically, donkeys milk seems pretty great.
This is the first time donkey milk as got some press. Back in 2014, Pope Francis revealed that he had donkey milk whilst growing up in Argentinia after being gifted two donkeys by Eurolactis, an Italian company that produces donkey milk.
The use of donkey milk goes way back to ancient Greece as well with Hippocrates said to have prescribed it for thinks like liver troubles, infectious diseases, fevers and wounds.
Is donkey milk good for you?
Donkey’s milk is used in beauty products too because of its high content of vitamins particularly vitamin C (it’s said to have five times more than cows milk) and it’s said to be highly moisturizing. This makes it soothing to those who suffer from sensitive skin and conditions such as eczema. Cleopatra got that memo: it's said that she took daily baths in the stuff and legend has it that 500 donkeys were needed for her to do this so when she travelled, they’d be brought along with her.
The thing is, donkey's can't produce the same amount of milk as cows because they haven't been bred for that purpose. Plus, they only have two teats compared to a cow's four and one donkey can produce around a litre a day, whilst a cow can do more than 10 times that. So whilst it seems like donkey milk does have its benefits, it's probably not going to go mega mainstream any time soon.
Donkey milk is popular in India too but due to its limitations, one litre can cost around $60 making it pretty damn pricey.
Like this? You might also be interested in:
Banana Milk: The New 'Milk' That's Ridiculously Easy To Make
Pea Milk Is The New Douchey Milk You're Going To Be Drinking
From Coconut Milk To Cashew Milk, Which Dairy-Free Milks Are The Least Offensive?
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.