The Best Milk for People With Diabetes -

Cow’s milk and plant-based milks, such as almond, soy, and oat, all have potentially different effects on blood sugar levels, particularly if the milk is sweetened with added sugar.

“It comes down to the total carbohydrate content, which is what increases blood sugar,” says Courtney Smith, RD, CDCES, a diabetes specialist in Salida, Colorado, and founder of The Keys to Nutrition. Plant-based milks that are higher in carbohydrates, such as rice milk, tend to promote a higher blood sugar response.

You can find total carbohydrate content for any type of milk listed on the package’s nutritional information label.

People with diabetes (and those at risk of developing it) are advised to avoid sugar-sweetened beverages as much as possible, for better glycemic control.

But even natural cow’s milk can raise your blood sugar, because it contains lactose, a carbohydrate sometimes referred to as milk sugar.

Protein and fat are also considerations when it comes to blood sugar impact of the milk you’re drinking or the food you’re pairing it with.

“When milk is paired with other healthy fats and protein, it helps stabilize the blood sugar level and not have such an immediate rise or response,” says Amy Kimberlain, RDN, CDCES, a Miami-based spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Cow’s milk and plant-based milks themselves contain different amounts of protein and fat, depending on what varieties you’re purchasing. These are all factors to consider when you’re making choices at the grocery store and at home preparing meals and snacks.

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