Onthni Ka Doodh (Camel Milk): Boiling Rules and Diabetes Claims
Boil it. That is the one sentence worth remembering before anything else in this article, because raw camel milk sold by the roadside in Karachi is not the same product as the pasteurised camel milk sold in a health-food shop abroad.
Quick facts
- Boil before drinking: raw camel milk can carry brucellosis and other bacteria, same as raw cow or buffalo milk.
- Fat content: lower than buffalo milk, closer to skimmed cow milk.
- Diabetes claims: the evidence is limited and mixed; it is not a treatment and does not replace medicine.
- Cost: usually 2 to 3 times the price of buffalo or cow milk in most Pakistani cities.
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Camel milk (onthni ka doodh) has been part of desert and rural diets for centuries, particularly in Sindh and Balochistan, long before it became a trend pushed by Ubqari columns and health influencers promising it will fix diabetes. Some of that older, everyday use is genuinely reasonable. The newer claims are where the trouble starts.
Buying it safely: boil, don’t assume
If you are buying from a herder or a roadside seller, the milk has almost certainly not been pasteurised. Camels, like cattle and buffalo, can carry Brucella bacteria, which causes brucellosis, a nasty and sometimes chronic illness with fever, joint pain and fatigue that can drag on for months if untreated. Boiling milk properly kills this and most other bacterial risks.
- Pour the milk into a clean pan, no more than half full to allow room for it to rise.
- Heat on medium until it reaches a full rolling boil, not just steaming.
- Let it boil for at least 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t catch at the bottom.
- Cool before storing; refrigerate within 1 hour and use within 24 to 48 hours.
If you are buying packaged, pasteurised camel milk from a shop, this step has already been done for you, but always check the pasteurisation date and smell it before drinking; sour or off-smelling milk of any kind should be thrown out, not “boiled to fix it.”
Camel milk vs buffalo milk: what actually differs
| Property | Camel milk | Buffalo milk |
|---|---|---|
| Fat content | Roughly 2 to 3 percent | Roughly 6 to 8 percent |
| Taste | Slightly salty, thinner | Rich, creamy |
| Vitamin C | Notably higher than cow or buffalo milk | Very low |
| Common local price | Higher, less widely available | Cheaper, widely sold |
Camel milk’s lower fat and higher vitamin C content make it genuinely different in composition, not just marketing. It is also naturally lower in lactose than cow milk for some people, though it is not lactose free and people with true lactose intolerance can still react to it.
The diabetes claims, scored honestly
This is the part sellers get excited about. Camel milk has been tried alongside standard diabetes treatment in a few small trials, with mixed results. The evidence is limited, often short term, and nowhere near enough to call camel milk a treatment. No major diabetes association currently recommends camel milk as therapy. If someone with diabetes wants to add it to their diet as a beverage in place of, say, a sugary drink, that is a reasonable food swap. Stopping or reducing insulin or other prescribed medicine because of camel milk is dangerous and has led to real harm in people who tried it.
In parts of rural Sindh and Balochistan, camel milk has long been considered a strengthening food for the unwell and for new mothers, drunk warm rather than as a treatment for a named disease. This traditional use, as an everyday nourishing drink, is a reasonable way to think about it today too, distinct from the newer claim that it treats diabetes.
Who should be cautious
Camel milk allergy exists, though it is less common than cow milk allergy, and anyone with a known milk allergy should introduce it carefully or avoid it. Raw, unboiled camel milk should never be given to pregnant women, small children, the elderly, or anyone with a weakened immune system, because of the brucellosis and general bacterial risk. People on insulin or sulfonylureas who add any new food, camel milk included, should watch their sugar more closely for the first week or two, since even modest dietary changes can shift blood glucose enough to matter.
Never give raw, unboiled camel milk to a baby, a pregnant woman, or anyone immunocompromised. Do not stop or change a diabetes medicine because of camel milk without talking to your doctor first; sudden changes can cause dangerous low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) if the medicine dose isn’t adjusted alongside the diet. See a doctor if you develop unexplained fever, joint pain and fatigue after drinking raw milk of any kind, as these are classic brucellosis symptoms and need blood tests, not home treatment.
A glass of properly boiled camel milk, taken as a food rather than a medicine, is a reasonable thing to try if you can afford it and like the taste. Chasing it as a diabetes cure while skipping doctor visits is where people get hurt.
Working it into an ordinary week
Most people who add camel milk to their routine treat it the way they would treat any other milk, a glass with breakfast, a small amount stirred into tea in place of cow milk, or a base for a simple lassi. Because the taste is slightly saltier and thinner than buffalo milk, some people find it easier to accept mixed half and half with regular milk at first rather than switched over completely on day one. A quarter to half litre a day is a reasonable amount for an adult who enjoys it, treated as one part of a varied diet rather than the centrepiece of it. Children past infancy can have smaller amounts, introduced the same cautious way any new food is introduced, watching for rash, stomach upset, or other signs of intolerance over the first few tries.
Storage matters as much as the boiling step. Once boiled and cooled, keep camel milk in a clean, covered container in the fridge and use it within 24 to 48 hours, exactly as you would treat any fresh dairy. Do not leave it out on the counter through a hot afternoon and assume boiling earlier in the day protects it; bacteria can regrow in warm, unrefrigerated milk even after an initial boil.
Where camel milk is farmed and sold in Pakistan
Camel herding is concentrated in the desert belts of Sindh, particularly Tharparkar and Cholistan, along with parts of Balochistan, where camels are better suited to arid grazing than cattle or buffalo. Urban sellers in Karachi and other cities usually source it from these regions or from smaller peri-urban herds, and quality can vary a lot between a trusted regular seller and a one-off roadside stall. If you find a seller you trust, ask directly how the milk is handled between milking and sale, whether it travels any distance in a cooler or sits in open containers in the heat, since transport conditions affect both safety and how quickly it needs to be boiled once you get it home.
Try this
Buy a small amount first, boil it properly, and taste it plain before committing to a larger regular order. It genuinely tastes different from cow or buffalo milk, and it is worth knowing whether your household actually likes it before building a habit around it.
Before you buy onthni ka doodh
Is camel milk good for diabetes?
It can be a sensible drink swap, not a treatment. A few small, short trials used camel milk alongside normal diabetes care and saw modest changes in some people, but the results aren’t consistent, and no major diabetes body recommends it as therapy. Treat it as food and keep your medicines and check-ups as they are.
Do I need to boil camel milk before drinking it?
Yes, if it’s raw from a herder or roadside seller. Raw camel milk can carry Brucella and other bacteria, just like raw cow or buffalo milk. Bring it to a full rolling boil for 2 to 3 minutes, cool it, and refrigerate within an hour. Packaged pasteurised milk has already been treated.
Can I stop my diabetes medicine if I drink camel milk?
No, and please don’t lower it on your own either. People who cut insulin or tablets because of camel milk have ended up seriously unwell. If you’re on insulin or sulfonylureas, check your sugar more often for the first week or two after adding any new food, and let your doctor decide on any dose change.
What are the benefits of camel milk?
It’s lower in fat than buffalo milk, roughly 2 to 3 percent against 6 to 8, and it has noticeably more vitamin C than cow or buffalo milk. Beyond that it’s a nourishing everyday milk, which is how desert communities in Sindh and Balochistan have traditionally used it.
Does camel milk taste like cow milk?
Not quite. It’s thinner and slightly salty, and many people need a few tries to get used to it. Mixing it half and half with your usual milk at first makes the switch easier. Buy a small amount and taste it plain before committing to a regular order.
How much camel milk can I drink a day?
For an adult who likes it, a quarter to half a litre a day is a reasonable amount. Treat it as one part of a varied diet, in tea, as a glass with breakfast, or in lassi, rather than the main thing you rely on.
Can children drink camel milk?
Boiled camel milk can be offered to children past infancy in small amounts, introduced like any new food while you watch for rash or tummy upset. It shouldn’t replace breast milk or formula for babies. Raw, unboiled camel milk should never be given to a child.
Is camel milk safe during pregnancy?
Properly boiled or pasteurised camel milk is generally fine as a food in pregnancy. Raw camel milk isn’t, because of the brucellosis risk, which is more dangerous for pregnant women. If you have diabetes in pregnancy, ask your doctor before relying on it.
Is camel milk good for lactose intolerance?
Some people tolerate it better than cow milk, but it isn’t lactose free. If you have true lactose intolerance you can still react. Try a small cup first and see how your stomach handles it.
What are the symptoms of brucellosis from raw milk?
Fever that comes and goes, joint pain, sweating and tiredness that can drag on for weeks. If you get these after drinking raw milk of any kind, see a doctor, because it needs blood tests and proper antibiotics, not home treatment.
How long does camel milk keep in the fridge?
Boiled camel milk keeps for 24 to 48 hours in a clean, covered container in the fridge. Don’t leave it on the counter through a hot afternoon; bacteria can grow back even after boiling. Packaged milk follows the date on the pack.
Why is camel milk so expensive?
Camels give less milk than dairy cattle and are herded mostly in desert areas like Tharparkar, Cholistan and parts of Balochistan, so supply to cities is limited. That’s why it usually costs 2 to 3 times the price of buffalo or cow milk.
Is camel milk halal?
Yes. Camel milk is halal and has been drunk in Muslim communities for centuries, especially across Arabia and desert regions of South Asia.
For more on everyday dairy choices in a desi kitchen, see our guide on how much turmeric is safe to take daily, and browse the rest of Desi Remedies for more home nutrition guides.