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Milk on low-carb

Jude

Jude

Well-Known Member
Messages
430
Location
Tenerife
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Insulin
Am very new to low-carb and have taken great pleasure in having a milky coffee most days and I am wondering whether this is a bad move?? My sugars seem to be affected by the milk in a cup of tea let alone a milky coffee ! I guess I will need to give it a miss and see if things improve.

All advice gratefully received, Jude.
 
Hello Jude.

My big morning cup of coffee is so important to me! I used to whisk hot milk to go with it, but now know milk (skimmed or semi) is quite high in carbs, so . . .

I suggest trying cream which should keep blood sugar down much better than milk as it has less carbs and the fat helps too.
I've tried soya milk, but it curdles and tastes bad to me.
A less widely available (and more expensive) alternative low carb solution is almond milk, but you need to read packets carefully as several contain sugar. It's quite nice and also a good alternative with cereals.

But the cream is really luxurious tasting and sets the day off well for me!

Good luck,

Jane.
 
If the lactose in milk is affecting you, perhaps try something like Alpro almond or hazelnut milk which should be OK, but make sure you get the unsweetened version! Try your supermarket - my Tesco certainly stock both flavours. I've been used to skim milk for years so when I first tried this it tasted a bit "fatty" to start with, but it does the job in my coffee!

Robbity
 
Jude said:
Am very new to low-carb and have taken great pleasure in having a milky coffee most days and I am wondering whether this is a bad move?? My sugars seem to be affected by the milk in a cup of tea let alone a milky coffee ! I guess I will need to give it a miss and see if things improve.

All advice gratefully received, Jude.
Click to expand...
:) Hi Jude
I eat low carb too. You're looking at about 10carbs per 250 ml of milk. I don't like Almond milk in tea or coffee but it's fine as a warm drink on it's own and those who eat cereal use it. Lactofree milk works well in tea and coffee, I'm fussy, lol, but I can't tell the difference. As has already been said single cream in coffee is great...filling too. :)
 
Before I low carbed, my body pretty much ran on mochas from costa coffee. This was one of the first casualties of my new diet. I tried to make do with black coffee. I am impatient when it comes to drinking, so after repeatedly scalding my tongue, I looked for an alternative. I now take my coffee with Stevia to sweeten, and some double cream (0.1 grams carb per 100ml).
 
I'm another double cream fan. Hardly any carbs and tastes a million times better than milk :)

Kate
 
Here's what Dr Bernstein has to say on the subject:

'Milk contains a considerable amount of the simple sugar lactose and will rapidly raise blood sugar. Skim milk actually contains more lactose per ounce than does whole milk. One or 2 teaspoons of milk in a cup of coffee will not significantly affect blood sugar, but 1/4 cup of milk will make a considerable difference to most of us. (Cream, which you have probably been avoiding, is okay. One tablespoon has only 0.4 gram of carbohydrate.)'
 
I have found almond milk to be great for anyone who can tolerate cereals or porridge and make a mix of half almond milk, half lactofree for any hot drinks. If I use only almond milk I can detect the taste and thinner texture in the drink but it seems unnoticeable in combination.

I know it should be cream for tea and coffee but I still have that little demon on my shoulder whispering that cream is bad for you, it is still really difficult for me to break that indoctrination at the moment.
 
I always keep full cream in my fridge - only have 'normal' milk around when my sons and grands come aroung - and then send leftovers back with them. - Full cream will never affect my bgs.

Annelise (T2)
 
I'm another who uses double cream in my coffee, though milk in coffee doesn't seem to impact on my blood sugar it can't match cream taste wise
 
I would never have thought of milk as raising BG or being high in carbs I though all dairy was ok as the ones doing LCHF have a lot of full fat dairy but I don't understand how cream is better when that is made from milk.
I have tried the alternative milks but I think they are horrible in tea and coffee so it has to be milk for me I like soya milk but only as a drink on it's own
 
The GI of whole milk is low, at 31. There are about 12 carbs in 250ml so the glycemic load of that amount is very low at 3.7. (Anything under 10 is low). Apart from any lactose intolerance, it shouldn't spike...... But everyone's metabolism is different!
 
AnnieC said:
I would never have thought of milk as raising BG or being high in carbs I though all dairy was ok as the ones doing LCHF have a lot of full fat dairy but I don't understand how cream is better when that is made from milk.
Click to expand...
You can't have all dairy on LCHF: milk, yoghurt and cottage cheese are all quite high-carb due to their high lactose and relatively low fat content. Cream is OK because basically it's milk fat - which is why it rises to the top of the milk in old-fashioned milk bottles. You can see this from the labels - "full fat" milk is 3.6 - 4% fat, Jersey Gold and Greek yoghurt are 10%, double cream is 50% or more.

Kate
 
janewatt said:
Hello Jude.

My big morning cup of coffee is so important to me! I used to whisk hot milk to go with it, but now know milk (skimmed or semi) is quite high in carbs, so . . .

I suggest trying cream which should keep blood sugar down much better than milk as it has less carbs and the fat helps too.
I've tried soya milk, but it curdles and tastes bad to me.
A less widely available (and more expensive) alternative low carb solution is almond milk, but you need to read packets carefully as several contain sugar. It's quite nice and also a good alternative with cereals.

But the cream is really luxurious tasting and sets the day off well for me!

Good luck,

Jane.
Click to expand...

Agree 100% with Jane about the cream in my morning coffee. I find high fat generally doesn't work for me, it gives me bad reflux, but replacing the milk in my all important first thing coffee with a tiny bit of cream is just divine! Try it, see if it works for you. :D
 
Bluetit1802 said:
The GI of whole milk is low, at 31. There are about 12 carbs in 250ml so the glycemic load of that amount is very low at 3.7. (Anything under 10 is low). Apart from any lactose intolerance, it shouldn't spike...... But everyone's metabolism is different!
Click to expand...
We are indeed different. 12 grams of (milk) sugar certainly is far too much for me! And I love the occasional glass of lukewarm milk or milk with my porridge but I can´t have neither milk nor porridge if I want to keep bg normal.

GI lists are of limited usefulness compared with a bg monitor.
 
Thank you all for your comments and words of wisdom!! I knew that milk had carbs but did not think it would have such a big affect on my sugars. I have been struggling greatly for many months now following a very emotionally stressful 2013.

I have recently been referred to a NHS Low Carb Diet Group which is run by a Dietitian (who has been low-carbing herself for over 12 months) and she is assisted by our DSN's (Community). We meet every 4 weeks to be weighed and to discuss issues and speak with the nurses. (I have posted a thread on Diabetes Discussions about this group).

I do not have a problem with cream - I eat it - and I have semi-skimmed milk as full-cream is too creamy in tea which is my main drink during the day alongside lots of water.

Thanks again, Jude
 
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