Last Updated on May 4, 2023 by Dr Sharon Baisil MD
Being a diabetic can often be hectic. One has to continuously consider numerous restrictions and pay attention to all foods’ health effects to take care of one’s overall well-being.
Milk is considered as the universal food and is proved as beneficial for consumption, even if you have diabetes. Today we will tell you:
- Can diabetics drink milk at night?
- Does milk raise blood sugar?
- What are the nutritional components of milk?
- What are the benefits of drinking milk for a diabetic?
And many more. Let us get started.
Is Milk Safe for Diabetics?
Before getting to know if milk is safe as a nighttime drink, let us know about whether it is good for diabetics for not.
But many types of research and expert opinions vary when it comes to the goods and bads of milk. There are mixed opinions about it.
Some say that milk is great for somebody who is diabetic, and others say that it may have varying effects on one’s blood sugars that can lead to harmful symptoms.
On the other hand, some researchers also denote that milk consumption has benefits in controlling and reducing diabetes. The effects noted in Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics are different when it comes to milk.
The lactose that is the major component of milk is a form of sugar. This presence of direct sugar can be harmful when taken incorrectly. Therefore, there is a requirement to pay attention to the portions of regular milk taken in a day.
Milk is also a primary source of fat. If the body’s amount of fat is not controlled, it can lead to heart and cholesterol issues.
It is a lot safer for diabetics to switch to low sugar or varieties of milk. These are lesser in fats as well as carbohydrates that can cause negative consequences on the body.
Skimmed milk is lower in fat and calorie, but that makes it higher in carbohydrates. The effect of regular cow milk on one’s blood sugar is a slow-paced heightening due to fats’ presence compared to skimmed milk.
Having milk will have a rising effect on your blood sugar levels. But at the same time, it is also enriching in calcium, magnesium, vitamins, etc., these are needed nutrients in a diabetic’s health.
High-protein milk is good for diabetics. It helps keep blood sugars under control.
All in all, due to the two-sided results on milk and its effects, it is best to keep their intake of milk under control and moderated in quantities.
Can Diabetics drink Milk at night?
Now let us answer a major diabetes health and related confusion.
Diabetics need to have properly scheduled meals to regulate and keep their diabetic health under check. It also takes into account a before bedtime snack. Well, milk is an option to consider if you are ready to follow the little guidelines it comes with.
Here are the major debates:
- It is not always recommended to have milk at bedtime for diabetics. The higher amounts of calories in milk at night can be dangerous to the body. Overnight, the carbs released will lead to a heightened blood sugar level and result in discomfort.
- Milk can be good as a night time drink because it induced good sleep and enriched the body with many nutrients.
So what should one do?
Well, for a diabetic, it is best to switch to low-fat milk varieties if you want to add it as a before-bed meal.
This will help in keeping the sugar levels under control and not cause any extreme spikes overnight. Moreover, it will also enrich the body with the necessary nutrients that milk has to provide.
Milk must be taken in moderate quantities to avoid any mishaps on the health. Lactose present in milk can increase blood sugar, but low-fat, low-calorie milk have lesser amounts of sugars and, therefore, are safer in comparison.
It is also best to consult your doctor and ask whether or not milk is a good item to be added to your diabetic meal type, especially at night. They can always have a better knowledge of your health condition and suggest the best.
You can also keep a check on the effect milk has on your body. Everyone’s body is different, and so are the effects that it experiences. You can check your blood sugar levels after consumption of milk and observe the changes, discomforts, etc., if any.
Can milk raise blood sugar levels?
By now, you can tell that milk has a lot of fat, calories, and carbs in the form of lactose. Hence, yes, milk does raise blood sugar levels.
The presence of fat and sugar in milk is said to increase blood sugar levels in the body. But just because milk is not all carb but mainly fat, the blood sugar would go up at a slower rate.
Compared to normal cow milk that is full fat, skimmed milk varieties have lesser fat. Due to lesser fats and more carbs, skimmed milk can have a greater pace at increasing one’s blood sugar levels.
To keep the effects of milk minimal and harmless to the blood sugars, there need to be some rules that must be followed by diabetics. Let us see what those are.
What is the Daily limits of milk for Diabetics?
According to many researchers and experts, diabetics have to stay careful and include milk to benefit the body instead of harming it.
Here are some tips:
- When consuming milk as a diabetic, make sure to have low-fat milk. This helps reduce the overall impact on blood sugar levels as well as health.
- A diabetic patient can have three servings of low-fat milk in a day. This will keep them enriched with the best nutrients like proteins, calcium, etc., count in all your other dairy products within these three servings.
- A diabetic should have milk in the morning or with breakfast. When you wake up in the morning, your blood sugars are at a low level, and your body requires energy. The carbs and fat from the milk can help balance the blood sugar level and satisfy the instant demand for energy.
- When choosing milk products, it is best to go for dairy items made from low-fat milk. This will help in keeping away the risks caused by regular fat milk.
Make sure you do not forget these instructions before planning to add milk to your daily diabetic routine.
Nutritional Information of milk:
There are various useful components found in milk. It is very versatile when it comes to nutritional elements and providing nourishment to the body.
Following is a table showing the nutritional information of whole cow milk:
| Sl. No. | Nutrients available in 1 cup milk (8 ounces) | Amount available |
| 1. | Calories | 122 |
| 2. | Fats | 4.8 g |
| 3. | Carbohydrates | 12 g |
| 4. | Proteins | 8 g |
| 5. | Sugars | 12 g |
| 6. | Fibers | 0 g |
| 7. | Sodium | 115 g |
| 8. | calcium | 293 g |
The table below represents the nutritional information of low-fat milk. It shows the nutrients and their respective amounts found in one cup of low-fat milk.
| Sl. No. | Nutrients available in 1 cup low-fat milk | Amount available |
| 1. | Calories | 102 |
| 2. | Total Fats – Trans fat – Saturated fats – Polyunsaturated fats – Monounsaturated fats | 2.37 g – 0 g – 1.545 g – 0.085 g – 0.676 g |
| 3. | Total Carbohydrates – Sugars – Fiber | 12.18 g – 12.69 g – 0 g |
| 4. | Proteins | 8.22 g |
| 5. | Cholesterol | 12 mg |
| 6. | Calcium | 290 mg |
| 7. | Iron | 0.07 mg |
| 8. | Vitamin D | 2 mcg |
| 9. | Potassium | 366 mg |
| 10. | Vitamin A | 142 mg |
| 11. | Sodium | 107 mg |
Thus, we can deduce from the above tables that low-fat cow milk is better than whole milk, especially when it comes to someone who is diabetic.
Health Benefits of Drinking milk
Milk is a common healthy item that is included in everyone’s diet. From children to adults and aged, everyone can gain the benefits of drinking milk.
We have seen what the effects of milk on one’s blood sugars are. We also touched on the nutritional components of milk.
Now let us find out what are its various health benefits:
Blood pressure
Milk, as well as dairy products, are said to be recommended to maintain normal blood pressure.
Maintaining a healthy blood pressure range can assist in keeping away many diseases and heart risks as well.
Bone health
Calcium is a very necessary element for the growth and strengthening of bones. Milk is a very rich source of calcium and, therefore, leads to better bone health.
Improves overall health
Milk is said to be an amazing component that can enrich the body with many nutrients. It helps fight diseases, carry out the growth of cells, protect against infections, and add to muscle strength.
Possible adverse effects of consuming Milk
- Lactose intolerance is a common condition that can cause discomfort to the consumption of dairy and its products. Substitutes such as soy, almond milk, etc., avoid this discomfort.
- Young children may have milk allergies that cause skin rashes, swelling, itching, etc.
- Milk can also be a major cause of acne in some individuals. The excess fat leads to oil deposits that result in skin breakouts.
References
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28504710/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24029787/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30982877/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31111646/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31936574/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30149573/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31089734/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25310762/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31418429/
- https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/is-milk-bad-for-you-diabetes-and-milk/
- https://www.verywellfit.com/milk-nutrition-facts-calories-and-health-benefits-4117877
