Recently, many friends have been asking me if people with diabetes can drink milk and yogurt. Most of the yogurt available on the market is sweet, so does drinking yogurt contribute to the prevention of diabetes?
Can people with diabetes drink yogurt?
First and foremost, people with diabetes can drink milk. Milk contains about 4.6% lactose, but lactose itself is slow to digest, and the casein protein in milk helps to delay the digestion process after a meal. Therefore, not only does milk have a low postprandial blood sugar response with a glycemic index of only 28, but if milk is consumed with staple foods such as grains, it can also reduce the overall glycemic response of the meal. In other words, if you used to eat oatmeal with hot water, now using hot milk to make oatmeal will result in a lower increase in postprandial blood sugar. As long as the total calorie intake does not exceed the plan, having a glass of milk as a snack can prevent hunger and weakness caused by low blood sugar and is beneficial for maintaining stable blood sugar levels.
It should also be noted that people with diabetes can drink yogurt. Although sugar is added to yogurt, compared to an equivalent amount of carbohydrates, the rise in blood sugar is much slower than that caused by white rice or white steamed buns. According to data from China, the glycemic index of sweetened yogurt is 48, while white rice is 83 and white steamed buns are 88. This is because the lactic acid in yogurt helps to delay gastric emptying, which helps to control postprandial blood sugar. Therefore, the key criterion for food selection for people with diabetes is not whether it tastes sweet or not, but the speed of blood sugar rise. Of course, if you can make your own yogurt and add less sugar or even use sugar-free sweeteners, the blood sugar response will be lower.
Does yogurt promote the development of diabetes?
The surprising truth is that contrary to people's speculations, regular consumption of yogurt can help prevent diabetes.
A study published by the Harvard School of Public Health in 2014 analyzed long-term follow-up data from up to 195,000 participants to investigate the relationship between dairy intake and the risk of diabetes. The results showed that people who consumed higher amounts of yogurt had a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, regardless of age, weight, or other risk factors for diseases. In contrast, the total amount of dairy intake was not significantly associated with diabetes, which means that drinking milk or eating cheese does not have the same effect as yogurt.
So, how much yogurt should be consumed daily to reduce the risk of diabetes? According to this study, consuming an average of one serving of yogurt per day, consistently over the years, can reduce the risk by as much as 18%. What is one serving of yogurt? It is only 28 grams, which is about two tablespoons. In China, the smallest packaging size for yogurt is usually 100 grams, which is about four servings.
Prior research has suggested that the calcium in yogurt is beneficial for reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. In addition, the probiotics in yogurt also provide some help. Meanwhile, the lactic acid in yogurt has the effect of slowing down the rise in blood sugar and is beneficial for the absorption and utilization of calcium, magnesium, and other elements. The best part is that yogurt is very filling, so even if you eat less rice after drinking yogurt, you are less likely to feel hungry. This is beneficial for people who need to control their weight.
Should people with diabetes drink low-fat yogurt or full-fat yogurt?
Current nutritional research supports consuming full-fat yogurt directly. This is because milk fat contains a special fatty acid called "conjugated linoleic acid" (CLA), which not only helps prevent diabetes but also reduces body fat. Milk also contains a very small amount of 15-carbon fatty acids. Research in China has found that when the concentration of this fatty acid is higher on red blood cell membranes, the risk of diabetes and obesity is relatively low.
At the same time, other studies have found that consuming small amounts of saturated fat from dairy products does not increase blood lipid levels. On the other hand, consuming large amounts of refined starch and sweets has a greater negative impact on blood lipids. Therefore, there is no need to pursue non-fat yogurt. If you only drink one cup, there is no need to worry about consuming full-fat yogurt. In summary, yogurt is an essential part of a healthy diet and is the most positively evaluated type of dairy product in terms of health benefits.
Currently, diabetes is a serious problem in China, with approximately 100 million diabetes patients, and the incidence is still rapidly increasing. The World Health Organization predicts that by 2030, there will be 520 million diabetes patients worldwide. If there are diabetes patients in our family, our own chances of developing diabetes will also increase. Even without a family history, if our lifestyle habits are unhealthy, the chances of developing type 2 diabetes are also very high. If drinking yogurt can really help prevent diabetes, it is definitely good news.
However, the relevant studies were conducted abroad, so can drinking a small cup of yogurt every day really keep us away from diabetes? If there is such an effect, what is the specific mechanism? These questions still require more research to prove.
Even so, there are enough reasons to replace sweet drinks and biscuits with a small cup of full-fat yogurt between meals - yogurt is not only delicious but also rich in calcium and B vitamins, beneficial for digestion and absorption, and promotes intestinal health. Adding one more reason to help prevent diabetes, why not enjoy it?
