**Milk and Health**

**Chapter 10**

**Provisional chapter**

**Nutritional and Health Profile of Goat Products: Focus**

Goat (*Capra hircus*) is one of the main sources of milk and meat products for human consumption. Goat milk differs from cow and human milk in both composition and nutritional properties. Goat milk and other goat-derived products contain several bioactive compounds that might be useful in patients suffering from a variety of chronic diseases. Several peptides, fats, and oligosaccharides present in goat's milk can be potentially useful in cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, neurological degeneration, or in promoting intestinal health. They have also shown chemopreventive properties in cancer. In addition, the oligosaccharides present in goat's milk have immunomodulatory properties, prevent adhesion of pathogenic bacteria, and have prebiotic, probifidogenic effects. Due to its potential health benefits, goat milk is particularly recommended for infants, older adults, and convalescing people. This chapter gives an overview of the biological activities of goat products and the effects of peptides, fats, and oligosaccharides present in goat milk on pathogenic bacteria, as well as their ability to regulate immunological,

**Keywords:** goat milk composition, goat's products, nutritional value, bioactive compounds,

**1. Introduction: the importance of goat milk, dairy products, and meat** 

gastrointestinal, hormonal, and neurological responses in humans.

**Nutritional and Health Profile of Goat Products: Focus** 

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.70321

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution,

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Interest from the consumers as well as growing concerns for physical well-being and health have increased the demand for information about the consumption of healthier foods.

**on Health Benefits of Goat Milk**

**on Health Benefits of Goat Milk**

Maria João Reis Lima, Edite Teixeira-Lemos,

Maria João Reis Lima, Edite Teixeira-Lemos,

António M.C. Monteiro and José M. Costa

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Jorge Oliveira, Luís P. Teixeira-Lemos,

Jorge Oliveira, Luís P. Teixeira-Lemos, António M.C. Monteiro and José M. Costa

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.70321

**Abstract**

health effects

**as a potential functional food**

**Provisional chapter**
