Due to the spread of diseases, especially allergic ones, people are increasingly returning to old solutions to health problems. So Western countries again began to be interested in donkey milk in terms of science and the nutritional value of this substance. Why? Its nutritional properties are close to those of human milk. In the end, donkey milk began to be given to children with allergies to protein of its cow variety.
What does it contain?
Due to the high content of lactose, this drink is very sweet in taste and attractive in this regard. In addition, it is thanks to lactose that elements such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and boron are better absorbed.
Donkey milk does not contain much fat, but you need to know that it contains essential fatty acids. The ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in it is very different from similar drinks. The ratio of calcium and phosphorus in donkey milk is close to the ratio of these elements in human. It also contains lysozyme, which supports the immune system. Due to the fact that in this drink there is also a small number of microorganisms (lysozyme slows down the development of bacteria). The water content in it is also comparable to the amount of water in a human product.
The peculiarity of donkey milk is its low content of casein - that is, a protein that is an allergen. In addition, it has more vitamin A, C, E, and D than the cow variety.
Who will come in handy?
This liquid is suitable for children with allergies to cow's milk protein. In addition, it is recommended for people affected by osteochondrosis and patients with osteoporosis. It is also recommended for patients after bone injuries, during chemotherapy and recovery after aggressive treatment methods, such as surgeries, long-term use of antibiotics, as well as people who want to take care of their health. This milk should not be on the menu of people with lactose intolerance.
What else is the benefit?
In addition to internal use, it is also used for the manufacture of cosmetics. It is a valuable component of moisturizing and nourishing creams, and lotions. It also produces anti-wrinkle cosmetics. Creams with donkey milk provide gentle skin care.
As in the case of horse, in this case you can buy koumiss - that is, a fermented, very nutritious alcoholic drink.
How did you start using it?
In the 19th century, in England, donkey milk was a valuable substitute for maternal milk and its sales were kept at a constant high level. Also, the ancient Greeks and Romans fed them their children, and Hippocrates considered it a wonderful nectar, able to cure even nosebleeds. When the French king Francis I fell seriously ill due to exhaustion and unnecessary stress, a doctor from Constantinople put the emperor on his feet, feeding him the breast milk of a donkey. Even Pope Francis recalls that he was fed him as a child, and for all his life he remained his great admirer.
Difficulties
The production of this drink stumbles, however, on some difficulties, which are manifested in the fact that the market price of this drink is so high. The history of donkey breeding dates back, however, more than 4.5 thousand years, but the animals were mainly used as traction and transport. Because of this, donkey meat was considered taboo in many cultures, and even today it is not used in a number of countries, such as France or Italy.
The situation with milk is even more complicated, because these animals become pregnant less often than cows, they have only two nipples, and they feed the cubs with them in the first six months after giving birth. As a result, compared to a cow, which produces up to 40 liters of milk per day, a donkey female produces up to two liters per day.
In Europe, however, there are farms specializing in donkey breeding. But their effectiveness has no comparison with cow or goat, and a significant part of the products is intended for the needs of the cosmetics industry. Most often, creams based on donkey milk are produced from it.
Interestingly, unlike cow or goat, this drink is not pasteurized. It does not contain harmful bacteria and is suitable directly for consumption. And it’s worth consuming it ...
In cosmetics
Masks with donkey milk were used in cosmetology in ancient times. The most famous person who regularly bathed in it was, of course, Cleopatra - the Queen of Egypt. According to legend, for the bath you will need milk 700 donkeys. But not only Cleopatra took care of her beauty, using the properties of this liquid.
Sabina, the beautiful wife of the Roman emperor Nero, held 500 donkeys specifically for the production of milk, which she used for cosmetic purposes. The story also mentions Nefertiti and Empress Sisi, who used this drink with great success for daily body care. And according to reviews, creams with donkey milk really improve the condition of the skin of a person.
What is the value
Unsaturated fatty acids (Omega-3, Omega-6), well affect the absorption of vitamins. Due to this, according to reviews, donkey milk gives the skin elasticity and makes it elastic. Relieve symptoms of eczema and psoriasis. It also has linoleic acid, which is a component of human sebum, provides it with the desired viscosity and density. Milk lipids nourish the skin and protect it from UV radiation. Donkey milk proteins are rich in amino acids. They stimulate the production of collagen and elastin in the skin. Water is also retained in the epidermis.
What effect?
First of all, we will provide the skin with elasticity and firmness. Of course, the effects of aging slow down. After 2 weeks, according to reviews, women notice that the skin becomes silk to the touch and very tender. Cream with the addition of this component perfectly protects the skin from the sun.
Doctors - pediatricians at St. Anne's Hospital in Turin, claim that donkey milk is so close in properties to human milk that for many centuries it was considered a natural antibiotic in the first months of a child's life. However, it is not so high in calories that it could fully replace mother's milk in the case of an infant.
The idea of using this component is not yet very popular in the world. Firstly, donkeys were never bred with the idea that they can get milk from them. However, the characteristics of these animals do not imply a large volume of such products.
This product can be easily found in the cosmetics market. There are enough masks that contain donkey milk in their composition. They are recommended not only for beautiful and supple skin, but also in the treatment of psoriasis or eczema. Often used cosmetics that contain this ingredient in the summer.