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Milk and Cereal In The Morning Can Help With Managing Diabetes, Study Says

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A new study says milk and cereal in the morning can help avoid overeating the rest of the day.

A new study says milk when consumed with breakfast cereal may provide benefits for those managing diabetes.

A well-balanced breakfast of carbohydrates, protein and fats is considered key to starting the day.

“It’s important to include milk,” said Marisa Aguillon, a dietitian and a certified diabetes educator with Parkland Hospital System. “We tend to want to stay away because it’s high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates tend to raise our blood sugar, so it’s important that we kind of be aware of how many portions we’re having of milk.”

The study suggests milk — together with a cold or hot breakfast cereal — will leave you feeling fuller for a longer period of time in the morning.

“The dairy has protein and fats,” Aguillon said, “so it keeps your satiety longer. You won’t eat as much at your next meal.”

Interview Highlights

About the study: In this study, they were talking about Type 2 diabetes, but, in general, the recommendation is the same for Type 1. You want to have two to three servings of dairy a day. You want to see how that impacts your blood sugar, whether you're Type 1 or Type 2.  

Benefits and concerns about milk: It’s important to include milk. We tend to want to stay away because it’s high in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates tend to raise our blood sugar, so it’s important that we be aware of how many portions we’re having of milk. But usually, milk only has about 12 grams of carbs per cup, so looking at our glass and measuring the milk that we’re drinking day to day is important. The most important thing is having well-balanced nutrition breakfast in the morning. And including milk in important. It has very important nutrients that our bodies require.

Any specific type of milk – whole, soy, almond, low fat? That’s up to the patient. Everyone’s unique. We have different preferences. Some with diabetes may have lactose intolerance. So it’s really up to the person with diabetes to decide what to do. Of course, the recommendation is to go with a lower fat option, but also looking at the total grams of carbohydrates of the milk that you’re having.  You can also have different forms of dairy. You can also have cheese or yogurt as well. 

Recommended cereal: Something that has more protein in it like Special K or even hot cereal that has more almonds or things that are beneficial as well.

Remember your blood sugar: Look to see how these foods affect your blood sugar. If you have diabetes, it’s important to experiment with your body and understand, “I’m going to have this for breakfast,” and then check two hours later and see how that's affected by blood sugar. Even with your cereal, it’s important to see how that affects your blood sugar. 

Benefits of the milk/cereal combination: If you have protein in the morning, you will feel fuller for a longer period of time and that you wouldn’t be hungry as fast. The dairy has protein and fats, so it keeps your satiety longer. You won’t eat as much at your next meal.

Resources

Sam Baker is KERA's senior editor and local host for Morning Edition. The native of Beaumont, Texas, also edits and produces radio commentaries and Vital Signs, a series that's part of the station's Breakthroughs initiative. He also was the longtime host of KERA 13’s Emmy Award-winning public affairs program On the Record. He also won an Emmy in 2008 for KERA’s Sharing the Power: A Voter’s Voice Special, and has earned honors from the Associated Press and the Public Radio News Directors Inc.