If you have been detected with either pre-diabetes or diabetes and you are searching for diabetes-friendly milks then this article is for you. With a background of pre-diabetes or diabetes, it is likely that your doctor may ask you to get your lipid profile at least once a year. Researches suggest that owing to its high level of saturated fat, dairy milk can elevate your bad cholesterol. Also, whole fat dairy milk combined with a sedentary lifestyle is to be blamed for erratic lipid profile including high cholesterol and high triglcerides
The moment you are detected with high cholesterol or triglycerides, the most intuitive approach is to stop all fat rich sources and reduce the amount of fats used in cooking. But, thats inadequate. There are several other sources that contribute to erratic cholesterol levels especially dairy items including whole milk items
If you have been detected with elevated cholesterol or triglycerides, your doctor may grant you time period of at least 3 to 6 months for lifestlye modifications. This is the best time that you can utilise if you do not wish to be dependent on medications in future. To read more about how our expert Diabetes Care Dietitian has lowered triglycerides by over 100 mg/dl, click here
Below are 5 best diabetes-friendly plant based-milks that help reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, without initiating medicines:
1. Oat milk: Oat milk is a low calorie, lactose free milk. Oats contain soluble fibre and hence are diabetes-friendly as well as they have lipid lowering properties. If you ditch your dairy milk beverages like tea or coffee and instead switch to unsweetened oat milk based beverages, you may notice significant drop in your cholesterol as well as triglycerides and that too without medicines
The good news is that you may find all these options available with most of cafes like Starbucks or Third wave in India. Also, in case you wish to prefer making oat milk at home, a simple recipe is as under:
- Soak rolled oats overnight and next day morning blend them in an blenderiser to make a smooth mixture
- Strain this mixture through a cloth and collect the liquid
- Take the mixture back into blenderiser, add water to this remaining mixture and blend it well again
- Strain it again through a cloth and collect the liquid
- The liquid obtained is fresh oat milk which can be stored for 2 days in a refrigerator
- You may use it to make tea/ coffee/ cookies/ porridges/ milk shakes/ smoothies
To watch Oat milk based Iranian tea recipe, click here
2. Soya milk: Soyamilk is a relatively high protein and low fat, lactose free option as compared to dairy milk. It contains almost 3.5 – 4 grams proteins per 100 ml. Hence, it is a great diabetic-friendly weight loss alternative for dairy milk. It can be used to make cookies, smoothies, cakes, mousses as well as puddings. When combined with high protein powder and a few nuts, it can be used as an excellent breakfast option for weight loss. This further helps in improving the cholesterol as well as triglycerides
3. Almond milk: Almond milk is a low calorie most versatile option to make beverages. Infact, almond milk gives only 15-20 kcal per 100 ml as compared to Cow milk that gives 64 kcal per 100 ml and Buffalo milk that gives 112 kcal per 100 ml. Hence, it is a great option for your weight loss journey. However, it should be avoided if you have kidney stones.
4. Cashew milk: If you are someone who cannot tolerate or who dislikes soya and oats, then you can try this cashew milk. It is lactose free and is made of cashewnuts. Sugar free options too are available. Although it has higher calories as compared to almond milk hence the popularity is low for weight loss segment but in case you need something rich then you may try this milk once in a while. It is a great option for making puddings and cakes. This is a great option for growing kids with type 1 diabetes who need calories for their growth and development
5. Millet milk: If you are a millet lover, then you should try this millet milk. It does have higher calories as compared to oat milk and almond milk but it can be used if you do need a calorie deficit. It is free from lactose, refined sugar, gluten, soy and artificial flavours. As millets help on lowering blood sugars as well as cholesterol, so this milk can be your go to option if you are seeking a healthy lifestyle
Before starting these diabetes-friendly milks, you should kee pin mind the following:
- Pick only sugar free options. To know more about artificial sweeteners that can be used to sweeten your beverages or sweets; click here
- Check the instructions sheet
- Use it within 2-3 days of opening the pack
- If you are planning to prepare at home, go for smaller batches as these cannot last longer than 2-3 days
At NutriKonnect, we help you not only manage your diabetes but also manage your lipid profile including high levels of cholesterol or triglycerides without initiating medicines. We offer healthy recipes made up of these alternate milk options so that you may not miss your favorite beverages or sweets. We believe in modifying the recipes with healthy ingredients rather than asking you to completely stop these recipes.
Our expert Diabetes care Dietitian-Dr Rachana Jasani, is a Premium Instructor at Udemy. We have recipe courses exclusively for ones looking for diabetes and heart friendly sweet recipes; to gain access, click here
To book a personalized diet session with us, you may call us on 7208363223
