If you are one of the people asking a question is goat cheese dairy, you don’t have to feel silly about it. You are most certainly not alone. After some research, it turns out that this is one of the most common questions asked on nutrition forums, especially those dealing with dairy nutrition. This article will answer that and quite a few more questions about goat cheese and hopefully provide you with everything you need to know about this quite popular food.

Technically speaking, all products that originate from the milk of mammals belong to the dairy group. The reason why this question is so often asked resides with the fact that different kinds of milk (and their products) from different mammals have slightly varying compositions. Because of this, we are sometimes uncertain as to what belongs to the dairy group and what doesn’t. When talking about a dairy diet, the very first thing that comes to mind is cow milk and cow milk products, like cheese and yogurt. However, goat milk and its products are as much dairy as any other mammal milk there is.

So, is goat cheese dairy?

The goat milk (and accordingly, the goat cheese) is quite similar in composition to human milk. In fact, although cow milk is much more popular in everyday usage, goat milk is somewhat closer in composition to human milk. So, is goat cheese dairy?

This means that proteins and other nutrients contained within are easier for our bodies to digest. Below is the breakdown of the nutrition facts for one 28 g serving of goat cheese.

• Calories: 102 (5% of the recommended daily value)
• Fats 8.4 g (13% of the recommended DV)
• Protein: 6 g (12% of the recommended DV)
• Carbohydrates: 0.7 g
• Cholesterol 22.1 mg (7% of the recommended DV)

When it comes to vitamins and minerals, goat cheese is not particularly rich in former but contains quite high levels of the latter.

Vitamins:

• Riboflavin: 0.2 mg (11% of DV)
• Vitamin A 410 IU (8% of DV)

Minerals:

• Phosphorus: 105 mg (10% of DV)
• Calcium 83.4 mg (8% of DV)
• Copper: 0.2 mg (8% of DV)
• Sodium: 144 mg (6% of DV)

Goat Cheese Calories

As we can see from the listed numbers, goat cheese is not a particularly rich source of calories. With one 28 g serving containing only 5% of the recommended daily value, it has a considerably lower amount of calories than cow milk cheese, for example. This makes it a good choice for people who enjoy cheese but also need to watch their weight. If you are trying to stay fit, goat cheese is easily your preferred option, as it also contains lower fat levels.

Goat Cheese And Pregnancy

Another commonly asked question about goat cheese is whether it is safe to eat it during pregnancy. To answer this question in full, we first need to distinguish between the two most popular types of goat cheese:

• Soft goat cheese (often also called chevre)
• Cooked goat cheese

Chevre is usually served in restaurants in different dishes containing goat cheese, like the goat cheese salad. This type should probably be avoided during pregnancy because it can potentially contain harmful bacteria. These bacteria are mostly not dangerous for us as fully developed people but can have harmful effects on a baby.

On the other hand, cooked goat cheese is perfectly fine to eat during pregnancy. The cooking process gets rid of all the bacteria so you can enjoy all the benefits without being afraid of potentially harmful effects.

Goat Cheese Recipes

Now that we have answered the question “is goat cheese dairy” and have also considered some of its nutritional facts, you are probably wondering what are some good recipes that involve goat cheese. These are my personal top two picks:

Goat Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes

If cheese and tomato sound like a good combination to you, then you will absolutely love this recipe. It is easy to prepare and it tastes great.

You will need four big tomatoes, four ounces of goat cheese, one tablespoon of red pepper and fresh basil leaves each, two tablespoons of oil olive and bread crumbs each, salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven broiler, slice the tomatoes in half, and hollow them out by removing the seeds. Mix the goat cheese and red pepper together and pour the mixture in equal parts into each tomato half. Place the tomatoes into the dish, facing upward. Top them with bread crumbs and basil, sprinkle with olive oil and add salt and pepper as desired.

Place the dish under the broiler for five to 10 minutes, until the bread crumbs turn light brown.

Spinach Salad With Baked Goat Cheese

This recipe is a great way to add some flavor to your spinach. It is also a simple dish to prepare and does not require any special ingredients.

You will need eight cups of baby spinach, 6 ounces of sliced goat cheese, eight tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and olive oil each, a quarter of a cup of bread crumbs, one crushed clove garlic, and one tablespoon of butter.

Arrange spinach on four plates. Melt butter on a skillet and add crushed garlic. Let it cook for a while until it turns slightly golden. Add breadcrumbs and stir. Add goat cheese slices, a few at the time, depending on the size of the skillet, and coat them in the breadcrumb mixture. Once you are satisfied with the result, place a couple of slices onto each prepared plate and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar.

Goat Cheese As Appetizer

Apart from being a great addition to a number of dishes, goat cheese is also a very convenient appetizer on its own. You can serve it as is or you can get creative with it if you want to impress your guests. One good idea is to serve it covered in the olive oil mixture. So, is goat cheese dairy?

This mixture is made in a skillet using olives, virgin olive oil, thyme sprigs, and lemon zest. Place all the ingredients in the skillet and cook them at low temperature until the mixture becomes fragrant. Cool it to room temperature and pour over the goat cheese. It will add extra flavor to your appetizer.