The Surprising Health Benefits of Camel Milk
By: Annika Wolfe/ Arab America Contributing Writer
Camel milk is well on the way to becoming the next big trend in health food and drink. Until recently, the numerous health benefits were unknown as the milk has not been popularized in the west and has only been used for medicinal purposes in the Middle East. The camel has served the people of the Middle East for centuries, their hair has been used to create various types of clothing and even used as roofing material for some desert dwellers. With the popularization of camel milk, the camel has become even more useful and helpful to those in the Arab world.
The health drink is already popular in Europe, parts of Asia, and of course, the Middle East. In recent years, camel milk was introduced to the United States by way of Saudi dairy farmer, Walid Abdul-Wahab, who decided to bring the nutritious drink to California after seeing the success of the raw and clean food movement. Camel milk has been found to contain a myriad of health benefits, including helping those with diabetes and some autoimmune diseases. Here are several benefits of camel milk, that may encourage you to add it to your diet!
Heart Health
Camel milk is similar to olive oil in its monounsaturated fat (especially oleic acid) content. Along with other fatty acids, camel milk can help to regulate your body’s cholesterol levels and blood pressure. By maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, you can reduce your risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke. Camel milk is also high in iron, making it ideal in preventing anemia, a condition in which the blood does not have enough healthy red blood cells. The high red blood cell count aids circulation, making it a beneficial home remedy after childbirth, various injuries, or malnutrition.
Other Benefits
Camel milk has many other benefits as well.
- It can provide a much needed immune boost because it contains many of the same immune-protecting substances as breast milk. The milk also has high levels of protein and organic compounds with powerful antimicrobial abilities.
- Allergy symptoms can be reduced and alleviated as it can be a good dairy alternative for allergic individuals, but there is some research indicating that it may actually help reverse allergies.
- There is also some research suggesting that camel milk may help assist those with autism. It is thought that because camels have robust immune systems, their milk can add antibodies to the human bloodstream and rehabilitates the body.
- The drink can promote the development of bones and organ systems, making it extremely beneficial to infants and young children.
Diabetes Assistance
Camel milk has been found to both assist those with diabetes and help to prevent it! Camel milk contains insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas that allows your body to use sugar (glucose) from carbohydrates in the food that you eat for energy or to store glucose for future use. Insulin helps keeps your blood sugar level from getting too high (hyperglycemia) or too low (hypoglycemia). Most milk can cause a rise in blood sugar, posing difficulties for those with diabetes, but camel milk will not.
Positive Environmental Impact
The production of camel milk is thought to be much less impactful on the environment than cow or goat milk. The natural habitat and needs of camels do not require extensive amounts of water or food. Camels need a much smaller grazing area and less water, making their milk better for the health of our environment.