Cheese made from goats’ milk is surprisingly tasty and generally better for you than cheese made from cows’ milk. Goat milk cheese contains fats that are smaller and easier to digest, as well as less sodium and less lactose than cows’ milk cheese.
In this article, we describe and discuss goats’ milk cheese and provide good tips on choosing the right type of cheese, keeping it fresh and knowing how to tell if goat cheese has gone bad. Read on to learn more.
What You'll Learn Today
Are There Different Types Of Goat Cheese?
There are many different textures and types of goat cheese. You can consume goat cheese fresh or ripened. Textures include:
- Soft
- Semi-soft
- Firm
- Hard
Each texture contains a different level of moisture.
Fresh, unripened goat cheese is an excellent addition to fresh foods such as salads. You can leave that same cheese to age and harden to be used in much the way you would use cows’ milk cheese.
How To Choose Goat Cheese
Why Is Goat Cheese Healthier Than Cows‘ Milk Cheese?
The nutritional and biochemical composition of goat cheese makes it a light and healthy choice.
1. Cholesterol & Fats
When compared with cows’ milk cheese, goat cheese has much lower fat content and contains both short chain and medium chain fatty acids. You will find the following fatty acids in abundance in goat cheese:
- Caproic Acid
- Caprylic Acid
- Capric Acid
All of these are quite easy to digest.
When it comes to cholesterol levels, semi-soft goat cheese contains approximately 22 mg per ounce. Cheddar cheese made from cows’ milk, on the other hand, contains approximately 28 mg of cholesterol per ounce.
Lower cholesterol levels add up to fewer free radicals and reduced risk of liver damage and cardiovascular disease.
2. Sodium
High sodium levels can cause problems such as:
- Ischemic Attack
- Hypertension
- Renal Failure
When compared with cows’ milk cheese, goat cheese contains only about one-quarter the overall amount of sodium.
3. Harmful Proteins
In both goats’ milk and cows’ milk, casein is an abundant protein. The type of casein that is found in cheese made from cows’ milk is known to trigger insulin resistance and type I diabetes.
Conversely, the type of casein it is found in goat cheese (A 2 beta casein) is less damaging. Additionally, goat cheese contains more calcium, which has the effect of increasing insulin sensitivity and protecting against diabetes.
4. Vitamins & Minerals
When compared with cows’ milk cheese, goat cheese contains far more vitamins and minerals. Additionally, because it is more easily absorbed, these vitamins and minerals are more bioavailable.
The most abundant vitamins in goat cheese are:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin K
- Riboflavin
- Folate
- Niacin
These are all important in maintaining exoskeleton health and bone strength. Additionally, they support red blood cell synthesis and effective blood clotting.
In addition to high vitamin content, goat cheese also contains the following minerals in abundance:
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- Copper
- Iron
All of these support smooth enzymatic process functioning and healthy hormone activation.
How To Tell If Goat Cheese Has Gone Bad
When goat cheese is wrapped well and refrigerated correctly, it should stay fresh for as long as two months.
Naturally, just as with some types of cows’ milk cheese, there are some types of goats’ milk cheese that are intended to be aged, so keeping them properly stored for an extended period of time is not a problem.
Of course, sometimes goat cheese can go bad. Luckily, when this happens the symptoms are apparent. They include:
- Visible Mold or Discoloration
- Strong Unpleasant Odor
- Bitter, Bad Taste
In some cases, a change in color, odor or taste can just be a sign of good aging. The difference is that if these indicators become strong and unpleasant, it means that your cheese has gone off. Any cheese that has visible mold on it should be thrown out.
How Long Can You Store Goat Cheese?
Generally speaking, well stored goat cheese can last for up to a couple of weeks in your refrigerator. To extend the life of your goat cheese, be sure to wrap it carefully before refrigerating and keep it refrigerated consistently.
To wrap your goat cheese well, you can keep it in the original packaging and add an additional layer of aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
Another method involves removing the original packaging and replacing it with parchment paper or wax paper. Wrap this tightly in plastic wrap placing the goat cheese in the refrigerator.
How To Keep Your Cheese Fresher Longer
You can also keep goat cheese in the freezer for up to 6 months if you wish. Wrap it as you would for refrigeration. You may also wish to add a layer of plastic freezer wrap or place the wrapped goat cheese inside a freezer bag.
Store Cheese For Months With This Technique
Be advised that frozen goat cheese is not as good for nibbling because it loses some of its texture and flavor. It is excellent for use in pasta dishes, casseroles, sauces and soups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Goat cheese is a good addition to all sorts of Mediterranean foods. It is an excellent topping on flatbread or pizza. It is extremely tasty when paired with sausage and fennel, hot peppers and apple, mushrooms and caramelized onions or any veggie, fruit or meat combination that would be enhanced by its tart flavor and creamy texture.
Goat cheese doesn’t get gooey like cheddar cheese, mozzarella and other cows‘ milk cheeses. When you use it as a topping for a pizza or casserole baked in the oven, it will get soft, but it won’t make a solid, cheesy coating over the top of the dish. If you put it in a burrito or a grilled cheese sandwich, you should also use some other sort of melty cheese to add the texture you probably expect. The goat cheese will bring a boost of robust flavor.
The outer layer of all sorts of goat cheese can be eaten, but the rind of cloth wrapped cheddar and wax wrapped gouda are not especially tasty. The washed or bloomy rind of blue cheese is both edible and tasty.
Many people with lactose intolerance can tolerate and enjoy goat cheese because it does not have the A1, B-casein proteins that cause digestion problems. Goat cheese is generally easier to digest than cows’ milk cheese.
Yes, it’s perfectly safe. Cold, crumbled goat cheese is especially tasty with crackers or French bread, sprinkled on salad or on top of a thick soup.
Did you like this guide? Please leave a comment below if you did. For more stuff about goats, you can check out other articles on our website.
I prefer cheese made from cow’s milk, but goat cheese is also a tasty option to have sometimes in my family.