In the past, we’ve spoken about why you should hold off on your coffee until later in the morning. But milk might be a perfect way to start your day off right!
In a study where people ate carbs at breakfast time, those who drank milk had lower blood sugar throughout the day compared to people who drank water in the morning. A serving of skim milk has 83 calories and 12 grams of carbs along with nine grams of protein.
“The high-protein treatment also reduced appetite after the second meal compared with the low-protein equivalent,” according to the authors. “This confirms the importance of milk at breakfast time to aid in the slower digestion of carbohydrate and to help maintain lower blood sugar levels. Nutritionists have always stressed the importance of a healthy breakfast, and this study should encourage consumers to include milk.”
The digestion of the whey and casein proteins in the milk increased the feeling of fullness for longer and slowed down the digestion process — preventing blood spikes. The two proteins digest at different rates and have a long-lasting impact that can help all day. Even after lunch, the team still saw the effects of the milk.
Milk does contain carbs, and it doesn’t contain fiber. You should keep an eye on your serving size and pair it with fiber-rich food. But, the healthy proteins in the drink can make a big difference in how well your body handles other carbs you eat at breakfast and throughout the day. Milk is also nutrient-rich. It has 10 percent of your daily vitamin A and 23 percent of your calcium. It’s also a good source of vitamin B12 and phosphorus.
The best drink to keep you hydrated is water. However, milk can help keep your blood sugar stable when you enjoy it at breakfast. You shouldn’t feel guilty about eating different foods, and few things should be off-limits. That’s especially true for foods filled with vitamins and minerals! All foods can be enjoyed in moderation. While many think that milk is off-limits because of its sugar content, the other benefits make it something you should enjoy regularly! Portion control is always something to watch, but that doesn’t mean you should avoid milk. This study shows the ad campaign was right: it really does do the body good!
