Is Butter Milk Good for Diabetes? (Expert Answer)

Short Answer: Buttermilk is good for diabetes. Because it has probiotics, protein, calcium, and phosphorus and they can improve your gut health, blood sugar levels, and bone health.

Diabetes is a condition that affects your blood sugar levels and how your body uses insulin.

In diabetes, your body either does not produce enough insulin or does not respond well to it.

Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells take up glucose from the blood and use it for energy.

This can lead to various health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney damage, nerve damage, eye problems, and infections.

One of the key factors in managing diabetes is diet.

What you consume can affect your blood sugar levels, which can impact your diabetes symptoms and overall health.

To effectively manage diabetes, you should consume fiber-rich foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes and avoid refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, rice, and sweets.

Now, buttermilk is a fermented dairy product that is made by adding bacteria to low-fat or skim milk.

People usually drink buttermilk as a beverage or use it as an ingredient in baking, cooking, or marinating.

Buttermilk is good for diabetes because it contains probiotics, protein, calcium, and phosphorus.

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that can improve your gut health and immunity.

Protein can help you feel full and regulate your blood sugar levels.

Calcium and phosphorus are essential minerals for your bones and teeth.

100 grams of buttermilk can give you 3.3 grams of protein (7% of your daily needs), 116 mg of calcium (12% of your daily needs), and 87 mg of phosphorus (12% of your daily needs).

Probiotics can positively affect diabetes by enhancing your digestion, reducing inflammation, and modulating your immune system.

Protein can positively affect diabetes by slowing down the absorption of glucose and preventing spikes and crashes in your blood sugar levels.

Calcium and phosphorus can positively affect diabetes by supporting your bone health and preventing osteoporosis, which is a common complication of diabetes.

Furthermore, buttermilk is a low glycemic index food and low glycemic index foods are good for diabetes.

Because, low glycemic index foods do not raise your blood sugar levels as much as high glycemic index foods.

The glycemic index of buttermilk is 35, which is considered low.

You can drink one to two cups of buttermilk per day safely.

More than that can cause bloating, gas, or diarrhea.

Also, you shouldn’t drink buttermilk if you have lactose intolerance or milk allergy to prevent digestive issues or allergic reactions.

Because, buttermilk still contains some lactose and milk proteins, which can trigger your symptoms.

You can buy fresh buttermilk in your local market or can order it from online.

Always choose buttermilk that is pasteurized, cultured, and low-fat.

Because, pasteurized buttermilk is free of harmful bacteria, cultured buttermilk has more probiotics, and low-fat buttermilk has less calories and saturated fat.

You can store buttermilk in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or in the freezer for up to three months.

Finally, remember, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, regular exercise, stress management and essential medical care is key to managing diabetes effectively.

I always recommend my diabetes patients to follow a diabetes-friendly diet to improve their overall well-being, and enjoy a longer and healthier life.