Dietary choices play a crucial role in maintaining health and managing diabetes. People with diabetes can generally drink milk as part of their diet. However, there are some essential considerations surrounding milk consumption for patients with diabetes. We will consider key factors like milk type, portion control, and sugar content and why checking with a healthcare provider for personalized advice is essential.
Key Takeaways
- People with diabetes can drink milk, but it’s best to choose low-fat or skim options and not have too much.
- Regular milk doesn’t increase blood sugar levels as much as sugary foods. Milk, especially low-fat, contains calcium and vitamin D, essential for bones and maintaining a healthy weight.
- Drinking milk with more protein might help keep blood sugar from going too high after eating carbs.
- It’s better to avoid milk with lots of sugar or fat; instead, try almond or soy milk, which have less sugar.
Table of Contents
Can a Person With Diabetes Drink Milk?
Yes, people with diabetes can drink milk—but it’s important to choose the right type and control portion sizes. While milk does contain natural sugars (about 11g per cup), it won’t spike blood glucose levels drastically when consumed in moderation. In fact, it offers valuable nutrients like calcium (12% of your daily need per serving) without excessive saturated fat or calories—making it a healthy choice when managed wisely.
What Is The Glycemic Index of Milk?
The glycemic index is a number that represents how quickly a food will raise blood glucose levels. Whole milk’s glycemic index (GI) is around 31, and its glycemic load (GL) is 4, which isn’t too bad! This means that drinking milk won’t cause the same spike in blood sugars as many other types of foods with many carbohydrates do.
When you drink dairy products like milk or yogurt, the critical thing to remember is to do it sparingly because these foods can raise your blood sugars if you overeat and do not exercise afterward.
What are the Health Benefits of Drinking Milk?
There is a difference between low-fat and whole milk, but each kind benefits people with diabetes. Milk is an excellent calcium and vitamin D source, which can help with blood pressure, osteoporosis, PMS symptoms, and weight loss!
Low-fat milk has fewer calories, so it’s a smart choice for people trying to lose weight or those at risk for diabetes. It also has the same amount of calcium as whole milk but half the fat content!
Milk and dairy foods are excellent food options that people with diabetes should not avoid because they have many benefits, including vitamins and minerals that your body needs to stay healthy.
Always ensure moderate dairy consumption, and look for fat-free milk or other alternatives.
Can I Drink Milk To Lower My Blood Sugar Levels?
A study found that drinking milk with a higher protein content may help lower blood sugar levels. One study showed that eating high-carbohydrate meals with milk reduced the rise in glucose more than when carbs were eaten alone!
This may be because milk slows down digestion and absorption of carbohydrates into your body, reducing how fast insulin spikes are released after you eat. A slower release means lower blood sugars for more extended periods, instead of an immediate spike followed by a shallow drop-off.
Which Milk Has The Least Amount of Sugar?
Milk has a lot of nutrients, so it’s important to drink milk, but you need to know which kind of milk is best for people with diabetes. Low-fat or skim milk has the least sugar, while whole milk contains more fat and calories, so this would not be a good choice for people with diabetes trying to lose weight. There are also a lot of different varieties, like almond milk, flax milk, coconut milk, or goat milk, which can be a healthier choice depending on your preference.
The following is a list of milk’s nutritional values on the USDA website. All cup sizes are for 1 cup (0.24 l), or 8 ounces (0.3 kg), of milk:
Whole milk
- Calories: 149
- Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrate: 12 g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 8 g
- Calcium: 276 mg
Skim milk
- Calories: 91
- Fat: 0.61 g
- Carbohydrate: 12 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Calcium: 316 mg
Almond milk (unsweetened)
- Calories: 39
- Fat: 2.88 g
- Carbohydrate: 1.52 g
- Fiber: 0.5-1 g (depends on brand)
- Protein: 1.55 g
- Calcium: 516 mg
Soy milk (unsweetened)
- Calories: 79
- Fat: 4.01 g
- Carbohydrate: 4.01 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Calcium: 300 mg
Flax milk (unsweetened, no protein added)
- Calories: 24
- Fat: 2.50 g
- Carbohydrate: 1.02 g
- Fiber: 0 g (depends on brand)
- Protein: 0 g
- Calcium: 300 mg
Rice milk (unsweetened)
- Calories: 113
- Fat: 2.33 g
- Carbohydrate: 22 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 0.67 g
- Calcium: 283 mg
What Type of Milk Should I Avoid?
People with diabetes should avoid milk that contains more carbs, sugar, and fat.
If you have type one diabetes, always consult with your doctor before drinking any kind of dairy product because every person’s blood sugar levels are different.
Some kinds of milk that you should avoid are:
- Whole milk
- Evaporated or condensed milk
- Sugar-sweetened flavored milk like chocolate, strawberry, banana cream, and more
- Milk has added sugar and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).
HFCS is found in many processed foods, including bread, lunch meats, yogurt cups, and salad dressings. If you come across any ingredient that ends with “ose,” it means there are a lot of natural sugars from fruit, which can be highly harmful to people with diabetes who have problems maintaining blood sugar levels!
This includes:
- Sucrose
- Glucose
- Dextrose
- Lactose
- Galactose
What are Good Milk Alternatives?
If you are lactose intolerant or have a dairy allergy, there are plenty of alternatives that you can drink. Some other options are:
- Soy milk
- Rice milk
- Almond milk
- Flax milk
- Coconut milk (made from the flesh of a coconut)
- Oat Milk (made by blending oats with water and straining it through cheesecloth. The leftover pulp is oat flour.)
People who have allergies to soy, dairy products, yeast, or nuts should avoid these alternatives because they might cause inflammation in their bodies. Drinking any kind of alternative that you’re allergic to can lead to more severe complications, such as breathing difficulties and skin outbreaks!
Always consult a doctor before making drastic changes in your diet if this applies to you. If you have diabetes, always check the nutrition facts on packages so that you don’t consume something that can spike your blood sugar.
Conclusion
Milk can be a healthy addition to a person with diabetes’s diet if consumed wisely. Milk is an excellent source of calcium and vitamin D, which can help with blood pressure, osteoporosis, PMS symptoms, and weight loss.
Choosing low-fat varieties, controlling portions, and getting advice from healthcare professionals are vital strategies. Low-fat milk contains lower calorie content, so it’s a smart choice for people with diabetes, people trying to lose weight, and those at risk for diabetes. It also has the same amount of calcium as whole milk but half the fat content!
So u telling me to drink milk that tastes like water? The sugar is the best part lol
I found the section on unsweetened milk alternatives to be particularly illuminative. Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle has necessitated a deep dive into plant-based substitutes, and I’ve discovered that not all alternatives are created equal in terms of nutritional value. Unsweetened almond and soy milk seem to be nutritious options, but it’s imperative we as consumers remain vigilant about reading labels to ensure we’re not inadvertently consuming added sugars. It’s equally important to consider the fortification of these alternatives with calcium and vitamin D, nutrients inherently found in cow’s milk, to ensure the vegan diet remains balanced.
but dont u miss the taste of real milk? not sure these fake milks are as healthy as they say
Hey Ely Fornoville, was reading ur article and wondered, does almond milk really help with keeping sugar levels in check? I’m kinda new to this whole diabetes thing, so not sure what’s best. Also, is there a big taste difference between those unsweetened milks?
Yes, unsweetened almond milk can help keep sugar levels steady since it’s low in carbs and has almost no sugar. Just make sure it’s unsweetened (some versions sneak in added sugars).
As for taste—yep, there’s a bit of a difference! Unsweetened almond milk is more neutral and less creamy than dairy milk, but many people get used to it quickly, especially in coffee or smoothies. If you’re just starting out, try a few brands—they vary a lot!