Daily Dairy and Diabetes
There are about 20 million people in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes, and 54 million who are already at risk for developing diabetes (pre-diabetes).
Diet has always played a key role in managing diabetes. In a 10-year study of 3,000 people, those who were overweight but consumed the highest amount of dairy foods (35 times a week) were 73 percent less likely to get the insulin resistance syndrome (IRS) as those who did not eat dairy foods. In fact, with each daily occasion of dairy consumption, odds of IRS were a 21% lower.
"The lactose, protein, and fat in milk all have the potential to improve blood sugar," says researcher Mark A. Pereira, PhD, of Harvard Medical School1. “Milk sugar [lactose] is converted to blood sugar at a relatively slow rate, which is good for blood sugar control and reducing insulin levels. Protein helps fill you up. Other nutrients in dairy foods, including calcium, magnesium, and potassium, also factor in helping keep you healthy.”
So getting three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods every day is a smart idea if you’re overweight, and even if you’re not. There are small alterations you can make to your diet that will make a difference. Instead of high-sugar, low-fiber snacks such like soda, candy, or sweets, try these dairy-rich, delicious Italian Nachos instead. If you complement fruits, veggies, and whole grains with low-fat and fat-free dairy foods, you can liven up other health foods as well and make them even tastier. And the next time you’re ordering a smoothie, request the low-fat yogurt or milk instead of fruit juice.
Get Some Dairy All Day Long
In order to get more dairy foods into your daily diet, try this sample menu for a day. Get your 3 servings of dairy each day as part of a balanced, healthy diet.
For breakfast, we suggest this delicious Creamy Banana Walnut Oatmeal with enough nutrients to get your day going strong.
For lunch heat up some Cheesy Broccoli Soup. It’s quick, yummy, and good for you too.
A protein-filled way to wrap up the day’s nutritious menu is to treat your family to Chicken Breast with Ricotta and Parmesan.
1 The CARDIA Study. Dairy Consumption, Obesity, and the Insulin Resistance Syndrome in Young Adults. JAMA. 2002;287:2081-2089.