I love milk! It tastes so creamy and somehow just so satisfying on its own or if added to coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. And of course, cereal! A bowl of cold milk with cereal for breakfast in the morning is fast, efficient and just hits the spot. It is a common part of the diet for many individuals. However, for diabetics, milk’s carbohydrates count can impact blood sugar. In this sense, although I am not a diabetic, I feel for you diabetics out there. For health reasons, I had to cut milk out of my diet, so trust me, I understand your cravings for milk and feel the sorrow of no longer being able to enjoy it.
Milk contains lactose which is a natural sugar. A cup of milk (8 oz) has 12 grams of carbohydrate. Since the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends having only 45-60 grams of carbohydrates per meal, a glass of milk would have taken a third to a fourth of the recommended intake.
There are many milk options out in the grocery store, including different fat percentages of cow’s milk, rice milk, soy milk, almond milk, cashew milk and more. Diabetics should consider the nutrition facts of the milk options. For example, the nutritional content for a cup of serving of the following dairy and alternative dairy products are:
| Whole Milk | Skim Milk | Almond Milk (unsweetened) | Rice milk (unsweetened) | |
| Calories | 149 | 91 | 39 | 113 |
| Fat (g) | 8 | 0.61 | 2.88 | 2.33 |
| Carb (g) | 12 | 12 | 1.52 | 22 |
| Protein (g) | 8 | 8 | 1.55 | 0.67 |
| Calcium (g) | 276 | 316 | 516 | 283 |
These are not the only options but highlights the fact that there are many types of milk (I am personally using almond milk). Each milk has different qualities, and diabetics can choose which milk fits best for them. The best milk for diabetics depends on flavor preferences, daily diet, and overall carbohydrate intake.
A lot of food contains carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, starchy vegetables, beans, milk, yogurt, fruits, sweets, and fruit juices. Diabetics make the common mistake of forgetting to incorporate carbohydrates in milk into their daily intake counts. Moderation is vital to drinking milk. Food labels on carbohydrates and serving sizes should be read by diabetics. If you are lactose intolerant, options such as soy, almond, hemp, flax, and rice milk are also available. Diabetics can also try different types to determine which taste they enjoy the most. (Sadly, I have tried most milk type, and nothing tastes like milk! But health comes first!).
[expand title=”References“]
Nall R, Butler N. What is the best milk for people with diabetes? 2016. Accessed 2/6/2017.
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