Camel Milk: The Desert's Hidden Treasure?

As cow’s milk begins to go out of fashion, alternatives have begun popping up such as goat’s milk, sheep’s milk and plant-based milks like almond, coconut, oat and soy. While most people are familiar with, or have perhaps even tried a few of these, one milk alternative remains hidden away.

This article is about camel’s milk, and its incredible, seemingly miraculous health benefits. 

As you can imagine, camels are well-equipped to survive in even the most desolate conditions, as many of them are found naturally in the desert. Therefore, their bodies and autonomy have been created to withstand and persevere through challenging conditions. This includes their milk, as the milk they produce is an extension of the makeup of their bodies. Strength, endurance, perseverance, temperance and wisdom are some of the qualities that the camel possesses, and therefore, is able to pass along through the contents of its milk.

When we think about it this way, it makes sense that camel’s milk is so nutrient-dense and powerfully healthful for our bodies. And it is not just common sense, there is fact-based evidence behind this. Camel milk has supported nomad and pastoral cultures since the domestication of camels millennia ago. Herders have been able to survive solely on the milk while taking the camels long distances to graze in the desert and arid environments.

Camel milk offers us nutritional benefits that far exceed cow milk. Several studies have proven that camel milk has been found to have several health benefits. It is antiviral, antibacterial, anti-tumor, anti-fungal, antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-hypertensive, anti-carcinogenic, hypoglycemic and supports anti-cancer activities. It has also been shown as a natural treatment for autoimmune disorders.

Camel milk is, most staggeringly, highly anti-inflammatory. Inflammation in the body is one of the leading causes of almost all imbalances and diseases that humans face as a result of eating a diet comprised of processed foods, sugar, salt, and ingredients that the body is not able to digest. Camel milk has consistently been shown to reduce inflammation substantially, as its primary bioactive components (including lactoferrin) are powerful for the prevention and treatment of numerous diseases. Additionally, camel milk contains antioxidant properties that alleviate oxidative stress. Add to this the impressive vitamin and mineral profile of camel’s milk (vitamins A, E, D, and B, and especially vitamin C, sodium, potassium, iron, copper, zinc and magnesium) and you have milk that is medicinal by its very nature.

Camel milk can also be used for the treatment of neurological disorders. A study conducted with rats showed that camel milk exhibits anti-Parkinson's activity. Another study indicated antiseizure and neuroprotective activity of camel milk, showing significant preservation of hippocampal neurons in camel milk-treated animals compared with the control group.

Camel milk contains protective proteins, called immunoglobulins, which protect against bacterial and viral infections. These proteins are found natively in camel’s milk, but are not abundantly present in the milk of cows, goats, buffalo, sheep or humans. The immunoglobulins in camel milk, being 1/10 the size of human antibodies, are easily absorbed from the intestine into the general circulation of the body. Therefore, camel milk immunoglobulins can reach tissues and cells that even human immunoglobulins cannot.

Additionally, camel milk contains a nutritious fat and lipid profile that sets it apart from other mammalian milk fats. For example, the composition of camel milk contains an abundance of long-chain fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids, giving it a special ability to reduce the incidence of fat-related cardiovascular diseases by 35–50%, as compared to cow milk. 

It appears that camel’s milk is closet to a human mother’s milk. Interestingly, however, camel milk fat is richer in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) compared to human milk. CLA’s benefits include lowering blood glucose levels and it is believed to prevent osteoporosis, enhance fat metabolism, and activate the immune system. Furthermore, it is said to prevent the occurrence and progression of cancers of the stomach, colon, breast, and skin. In addition, the isomers of CLA are known to play a role in preventing obesity.

Camel milk has clearly been found to have not just a few, or even several, but numerous health benefits for humans. A few other studies were those that found camel milk to have positive and therapeutic effects for diabetes and allergies. Additionally, the studies involving camel milk for treatment of autism demonstrated significant improvements in the clinical measurement of autism spectrum disorder in children.

I share all of this to say that, truly, camel milk is a hidden gem. Our bodies are complex, requiring many different sources of nutrition, and few food or beverage sources pack as powerful a health punch as camel milk.

My go-to source for camel milk is Desert Farms. Their milk is produced in the USA, 100% raw & natural, prebiotic, and is a reasonable price! While camel’s milk is a bit of a higher price point, I believe that when it comes to your health, this area is the last area that we should be trying to save money on.  Our health matters, and what we put in—we get out!