Donkey Milk: The fitness secret

Donkey Milk: The fitness secret 

Equus africanus asinus
Equidae or horse family

There are several alternatives to cows' milk that are available on the market for human consumption, such as soy milk, almond milk and goats' milk, but there is one healthy source of milk that is often overlooked: the donkey. Perhaps this source of milk should not be ignored; a new study shows that people who drink donkeys' milk instead of cows' milk gain less weight.

Donkeys' milk may have several healthful properties, including being a good source of calcium, protein and omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that are beneficial to cardiovascular and nervous system health.

Many people do not get enough calcium in their diets when they cut out dairy products, so if someone needs to stop drinking cows' milk, donkeys' milk may be a viable alternative as a calcium source. The protein in donkeys' milk can help a person keep their energy levels high throughout the day and stay satiated for a longer time after a meal.

Donkeys' milk may be more healthy from a "heart-healthy" cardiovascular standpoint than cows' milk. A study in rats also showed that rats consuming donkeys' milk instead of cows' milk on a regular basis had lower blood triglyceride (fat) levels; this is linked to a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease.These rats also had a faster and more efficient metabolism than rats that were regularly supplemented with cows' milk. Rats are actually omnivores with a similar diet to humans, so they make good animal models for dietary studies.

While non-animal alternatives to cows' milk such as soy milk are healthy for people to consume, some people do not like the taste, which is quite different from cows' milk. Goats' milk can be made into dairy products, like cheese, but goats' cheese has a very strong taste. Donkeys' milk is still dairy and it can be processed into foods such as cheese.

For people who are allergic to cows' milk, donkeys' milk is a safe animal milk alternative. The main downside of drinking donkeys' milk is that it is harder to come by and more expensive than cows' milk. Donkeys are smaller animals than cows and they produce about ten times less milk than a cow does. The supply of donkeys' milk may be lower, but the health benefits of donkeys' milk over cows' milk make donkeys' milk an alternative worth trying.

It is said that Cleopatra, Queen of Ancient Egypt, took baths in asses’ milk to preserve the beauty and youth of her skin. Legend has it that no less than 700 asses were needed to provide the quantity of milk necessary for her daily bath.This was also the case of Poppaea Sabina (30 – 65), second wife of Roman Emperor Nero, who is referred to in Pliny’s description of the asses’ milk virtues for the skin:

It is generally believed that asses' milk effaces wrinkles in the face, renders the skin more delicate, and preserves its whiteness : and it is a well-known fact, that some women are in the habit of washing their face with it seven times daily, strictly observing that number. Poppaea, the wife of the Emperor Nero, was the first to practise this; indeed, she had sitting-baths, prepared solely with asses' milk, for which purpose whole troops of she- asses used to attend her on her journeys.

Pauline Bonaparte (1780–1825), Napoleon’s sister, is also reported to have used asses’ milk for her skin’s health care.