Alligator milk, buttons, big change, and naughty goats.

When you think of milk, you probably think of a cow.

Big. White. Spotted. Calm. Beautiful.

While they are our most common source of animal-based milk, cow milk isn’t necessarily the best for us.

“Then, WHAT IS the best milk for us?” you might ask.

Is it camel? Dog? Horse? Alligator? (For your sake and ours, we hope neither of these.)

If you’ve ever had rumbles and discomfort after eating some dairy, it’s most likely because you had cow milk. This gurgly reality is due to a specific form of milk protein and not always the lactose content.

Lactose intolerance is defined as the inability to digest lactose, which is the primary sugar found in milk. While it is estimated that over 40% of the U.S. population has lactose intolerance, this is often self-diagnosed. But upon closer look, the real numbers of lactose intolerance fall to 10-15% of the population.

So what are most people really dealing with?

They may be dealing with casein proteins.

There are 4 main types of casein proteins that make up 80% of the proteins found in dairy. The primary one that affects our digestion is the beta-casein proteins, specifically A1 and A2.

A1 proteins are found in most modern dairy products. A1 differs in one single amino acid from A2 proteins. (See? Small changes do make a big difference!) This amino acid mutation happened over 10,000 years ago in European cows and has been giving us all toilet trouble since. Tsk tsk.

Simply put, this A1 protein’s amino acid releases a peptide called beta-casomorphin-7 (BCM-7) when digested. BCM-7 is the very thing that increases gastrointestinal distress, inflammation, and even affects stool consistency. Ick. On the other hand, A2 proteins don’t breakdown into BCM-7, giving a much more comfortable digestion.

The bad news: A1 milk is everywhere, especially in cows.

The good news: cow’s milk isn’t the only milk we have!

While you can source A2 cows milk from various heritage-breed cow dairies (such as Jersey or Guernsey cows), there are other animals that provide A2 milk without the extra effort.

Goats and sheep are the go-tos for A2 milk (yak and water buffalo are also an option, but when is the last time you saw one of those at a local farm?). The popularity of these milks is on the rise, with goat butter, sheep yogurt, goat soap (*wink wink*), and other similar products appearing on market shelves.

Goat and sheep milk is generally more nutrient dense and bio-available than cow milk —and plant-based milk— due to the smaller fat globule size that eases digestion. Especially when sourced grass-fed. And it is lower in lactose, which helps with those who are truly affected by it.

But, you don’t have to throw out the cows with the bath water.

If you’re looking to get into dairy degeneracy (oooh yeahhh), sourcing local A2 dairies, whatever the animals, can get you that bite of cheese or dessert you’re craving. I mean, have you tried goat milk ice cream yet? It might just be the one you’ve been looking for!

One small glass of milk for you, a gallon of change for your local economy!

Say hello to our new line of locally-sourced skincare products called Naughty Goat. Get ready to support your skin and your farmer at the same time!

Here’s a discount code for you to try ‘em:

_{Expires February 28th, 2026 at 11:59PM PST.}

shop @ milk.market

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Cheers! Let us know if this newsletter made you want to try some goat milk. We love it lots and are happy to share whenever.

To a healthier you,

rearchitecting the broken food system. freeing the food.