The Milk Mystery: What type of milk is mentioned in the Bible?

When I was a child, I drank alot of cows milk. It really caused alot of digestive issues. That never stopped me though as I often drank it with cereal, dunked graham crackers and oreos… even by itself. My favorite? Chocolate milk. And on school lunch days, if strawberry milk was available, I’d grab that one too.

As I got older and began making my own food choices, I discovered nut milks. At 19, while living a vegan lifestyle, I loved coconut milk. More recently, I’ve alternated between almond and oat milk, especially as a new mama still breastfeeding and looking for healthier options. This year, after birthing my son I’ve found myself craving not just physical nourishment, but biblical wisdom. I have been craving an even deeper relationship with Yahweh. So, I’ve started studying scripture. I have found myself going back to the basics and asking myself, “what does God say about this?” My focus right now is on biblical nutrition which led me to the next question :

Is cow’s milk even biblical?

That simple curiosity led me down a rabbit hole of historical context, nutritional differences, and spiritual revelations. And what I found? Goat’s milk, not cow’s milk was the main milk referenced in Scripture.

You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family and to nourish your female servants.”

— Proverbs 27:27

“A land flowing with milk and honey…”

— Exodus 3:8

“Then he gave her milk to drink, brought her curds in a lordly bowl.”

— Judges 5:25

In Scripture, milk is associated with nourishment, provision, and abundance but not just any milk. In biblical times, goat’s milk was the staple. Families kept small herds, and goats were seen as both practical and precious. Unlike today’s industrial-scale cow’s milk operations, these animals were closely cared for and provided a nutrient-rich, digestible milk that sustained entire households.

Cow’s milk, on the other hand, is not mentioned in the Bible as a dietary staple. While cows were valued, they were often used for work or offerings, not daily nourishment.

Goat’s milk is not only biblically supported, it’s also easier to digest, higher in certain nutrients, and better tolerated by many people—especially those with lactose sensitivity like I had as a child.

Then where did cows milk popularity come from?

Historically, cow’s milk rose to popularity during the Industrial Revolution, especially in Western countries like here in the United States and also in parts of Europe.

As cities grew and populations increased, people needed a larger, more consistent milk supply and cows, being bigger than goats and producing more milk per day, became the preferred livestock for mass production.

Unlike goats, which were traditionally kept in smaller, family-sized herds, cows were better suited for the emerging dairy industry, which relied on centralized farms, refrigeration, and pasteurization to ship milk long distances. Over time, marketing campaigns in the 20th century, especially in the U.S. pushed cow’s milk as essential for strong bones and good health, despite it not being referenced in Scripture as a dietary staple.

This shift wasn’t necessarily about health or biblical alignment, it was about efficiency, scalability, and profit. Meanwhile, goat’s milk remained more common in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and rural biblical cultures, where it was prized for its digestibility and nourishing qualities.

Journal Prompt:

What common foods or beliefs have I accepted without asking what God says about them? What’s something I’m willing to reconsider?

What’s in My Cozy Basket This Week

• Discovery: Goats milk is what is mentioned, referenced and recommended in the Bible … and Washington allows raw goats milk.

• Learning Resource: Scriptures on food, nourishment, and biblical agriculture

• Try This: Raw or organic goats milk

• Tunes: Something about the name Jesus by Kirk Franklin

Father, thank You for leading me back to Your Word in even the smallest areas of life like what I eat and drink. Show me how to care for my body in a way that honors You. Let my pursuit of health always draw me closer to You, not away. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

This week, I’m setting out to try goat’s milk for the very first time raw and as close to biblical as I can get. I’ll be visiting a local farm, ( if not I’ll pick something up at a grocery store) and continuing to find ways to grow closer to Christ.

If you’ve never tried goat’s milk, I invite you to explore it with me. Ask questions. Open your Bible. Research the history. Let’s get back to the basics to honor what God originally created to nourish us.

Let’s glow differently this week, starting with what’s in our cup.

With warmth & wonder,

Ángela

The Cozy Glow