Is Camel Milk the Next Big Dairy Alternative? Experts Say It Has 'Potential to Be Hypoallergenic' and Decrease Heart Risk

Mar. 15, 2025

Stock image of a camel; Milk poured over cereal.Photo:Eric Hanson/Getty; warodom changyencham/Getty

Eric Hanson/Getty; warodom changyencham/Getty

Camel milkmay be a healthier alternative todairy milk, with researchers saying it contains fewerallergensand offers other health benefits.

“As camel milk lacks beta-lactoglobulin, it is potentially less allergenic,” says research published in the journalFood Chemistry. As theNational Library of Medicinepoints out, beta-lactoglobulin — which is different from lactose — is “one of the major allergens in cow’s milk.”

“This is a good thing. We now know that camel milk has the potential to be hypoallergenic compared to cow’s milk,” PhD student Manujaya Jayamanna Mohittige of Australia’s Edith Cowan University, who conducted the research, said in astatement.

Stock images of milk for sale in a supermarket.FangXiaNuo/Getty

FangXiaNuo/Getty

Camels are also hardier animals, able to survive in dry, acrid environments, the study points out, citing “the suitability of camel farming in climates that are unfavourable for traditional cattle farming.”

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Stock image of a camel in a desert.Free_lancer/Getty

Free_lancer/Getty

“Camel milk is gaining global attention, in part because of environmental conditions. Arid or semi-arid areas can be challenging for traditional cattle farming, but perfect for camels,” Mohittige said in the statement.

As for the taste, Redditors have compared it to a less-sour kefir — a fermented milk drink —saying it“would go good with tea or coffee.”And the owner of a camel farm in Pennsylvania toldPenn Livethat it tastes like “milk with a little bit of salt in it.” And while it’s “not quite as sweet as cow’s milk,” it’s creamier.

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source: people.com