Benefits of milk at night
Milk is rich in vitamins B12, K and A. It contains sodium, calcium, amino acids, fats and antioxidants. It is a source of protein and fiber, which is why nutritionists consider it a complete food.
The work of the American professor of the Ayurvedic Institute Vasanta Lad, “The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies,” talks about the benefits of milk before bed. That “milk nourishes the shukra dhatu, the reproductive tissue of the body.” The author advises drinking milk with additives, for example, turmeric or ginger.
Some experts believe that milk is good before bed as it is rich in calcium for strong bones. This element is better absorbed at night, when the level of physical activity decreases.
Another benefit of milk at night is the content of tryptophan, which affects healthy sleep, and melatonin, which regulates the sleep-wake cycle. Due to its soluble and insoluble fibers, it prevents the desire to eat before bed.1
What dairy products can you eat at night?
Nutritionists believe that you can consume three dairy products at night:
- Kefir (ryazhenka, ayran, etc.).
- Cottage cheese.
- Yogurt.
Benefits of kefir at night
Fermented milk products are absorbed faster by the body and help remove harmful substances. And kefir contains important microelements, the absorption of which occurs during rest. That is why it is most beneficial to drink kefir before bed.
The drink also has other beneficial properties:
- Nourishes the body;
- Contains a sufficient amount of calcium;
- It is a natural antidepressant and calms the nervous system;
- Contains lactobacilli, which have a positive effect on intestinal microflora;
- Helps with constipation.
Interesting fact: kefir is a product that stimulates the production of immune cells in the body.
Cottage cheese for the night
Cottage cheese at night is an excellent snack that has a positive effect on the body:
- It helps get rid of excess insulin, a hormone produced when eating food.
- Contains protein - protein that is important for athletes, it helps to gain muscle mass.
Helpful advice: eat no more than 200 grams of cottage cheese at night. To improve its taste, you can add fruits, berries or sour cream with sugar (if you are not on a diet).
Benefits of yogurt at night
Yogurt contains a large number of useful substances: proteins, carbohydrates, calcium, vitamins B, PP and bifidobacteria.
In addition, it has a positive effect on the health of the body:
- Improves gastric microflora.
- Helps with constipation, gas and diarrhea.
- Removes harmful substances from the body.
- Helps with poisoning.
- Promotes the renewal of blood cells.
- Contains calcium, which is easier to digest than other dairy products.
- Helps women fight thrush.
Helpful advice: it is better not to use a ready-made store product with additives, but to make your own yogurt and add fruits and berries to it.
Milk at night for weight loss
It is believed that calcium accelerates fat burning and stimulates weight loss. To test this theory: Scientists conducted research in the 2000s. According to the results:
- in the first study, weight loss was observed in people who consumed dairy products;
- in the second study there was no effect;
- a third study showed an association between calorie intake and calcium availability.
Therefore, nutritionists advise drinking skim milk at night when losing weight. As for calcium, the daily dose for a person under 50 years of age is 1000 ml, and for those older than this age - 1200 ml. But this is not the final opinion. And according to the Harvard School of Public Health, there is still no exact knowledge about a healthy amount of calcium for an adult.2
What products is milk compatible with?
Scientists have conducted quite a lot of experiments so that we can talk about the compatibility of milk with almost all food products.
For example, the combination of herring and milk does not look the best, but it can also be useful. A large number of unusual combinations of flavors are used in medical practice and at the same time they are completely safe for the body. Milk perfectly neutralizes the effects of spicy and salty foods on the body. At the same time, often in these situations a laxative effect occurs, which results in cleansing the body. There are many opinions about the consumption of milk porridges and soups, but it is absolutely certain that they do not have a negative effect on the body. We also note that the combination of milk with tea and coffee is practically devoid of any effects. This is due to the mutual neutralization of the active elements of these products.
The dangers of milk at night
Despite many advantages, doctors do not recommend drinking milk at night for people who do not suffer from constipation and are not prone to eating at night for several reasons.
Milk:
- is a complete food . It is rich in proteins - albumin, casein and globulin. At night, digestion slows down and food is poorly digested. In the morning, a person may feel bloating and discomfort in the abdomen;
- contains lactose , a form of simple sugar. Lactose, entering the body, becomes glucose. As a result, blood sugar rises and in the morning a person may feel hungry;
- activates liver function at night . Proteins and lactose load the liver, which cleanses the body of toxins at night. A glass of milk before bed interferes with the detoxification process;5
- is a high-calorie drink . Among people who work out in gyms, milk is considered a product that helps to maintain a healthy weight. But if the goal is to lose weight, this drink before bed is contraindicated due to the slow metabolism at night and the calorie content of milk: 1 glass contains 120 kcal.
Useful properties of milk
Many people know that milk is one of the main sources of calcium for the body. Moreover, this micronutrient contained in milk is absorbed in a short time almost in full. This is considered to be the main beneficial property of the product, although there are many more of them.
For viral diseases
Milk is useful for colds and infectious diseases. However, fresh milk is not very suitable for this. Immunoglobulins, which are protein structures, fight viruses in the body. To produce them, the body must have a lot of proteins. At the same time, the protein compounds contained in food must be quickly absorbed by the body. This is exactly what is typical for milk proteins. Milk is very popular among athletes, who get sick much less often than ordinary people.
For headaches and sleep disturbances
This point is precisely related to the main topic of this article - milk at night: benefits and harms.
If you consume this product shortly before going to bed, its quality will increase. This is due to the sedative effect of milk on the nervous system. This fact can be explained by the high content of phenylalanyl and tryptophan amines. In Ancient Rus', honey was often consumed for insomnia, washed down with milk. You need to take these products 60 minutes before going to bed. Fresh milk can also be used in this situation. Milk may also be a good remedy for migraines and headaches. There is another excellent folk recipe that has been used by people for centuries. Mix a raw egg in a glass of hot milk. After this, the prepared drink should be drunk. If you have been diagnosed with vegetative-vascular dystonia, then using this recipe for seven days can give excellent results. Milk is also great if you have hypertension, as it helps lower blood pressure and has a diuretic effect.
For the stomach
If there are diseases of the digestive system, many people refuse to drink milk.
Depending on your disease and its stage of development, it is worth checking the effect of milk on the intestinal tract. Milk can be used to reduce stomach acidity, as well as reduce pain due to gastritis and duodenal ulcers. If you experience frequent heartburn, milk can also help here due to its ability to reduce stomach acidity. For better absorption of this product, drink it in small sips and the milk should not be cold. Scientists have discovered a large number of micronutrients in milk. For example, the product is able to satisfy the body's needs for a vitamin such as riboflavin (B2). This substance is necessary for the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates, accelerating the process of obtaining energy from these nutrients. Milk is an excellent means for weight loss, as it accelerates lipolysis and at the same time has a low energy value.
Cosmetology
Milk is very beneficial for the skin, as it can moisturize it and nourish cellular structures. In addition, milk also has an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin. Cleopatra was the first to use milk as a cosmetic product. Now this recipe is also very popular and for this you will need to fill the bathtub with warm water and add a liter of milk to it.
What additives will make milk a harmful drink?
Homemade cow's milk is a natural product without additives. If you don't pasteurize it, it will go sour.
A store-bought product can sit for weeks without change, as it contains additives that can be harmful to health:
- sodium benzoate or benzoic acid . Causes headaches, hyperactivity, asthma attacks and interferes with normal digestion;6
- antibiotics _ Reduce the body’s immunity and resistance to disease, promote fungal diseases;
- soda _ It is considered a good preservative, but due to the complex technology of milk recovery, ammonia is one of the products of this process. For the gastrointestinal tract, it is a poison that can lead to diseases of the duodenum and intestines.
Healthy Dairy Drink Recipes
In order to get the maximum benefit from the drink, you can add various ingredients to it:
- Honey – soothes, eliminates cold symptoms, strengthens the immune system. It should be added no more than 1 tsp. per glass of milk.
- Cinnamon – improves the taste of the product and stabilizes the emotional background.
- Propolis tincture (no more than 20 drops) promotes quality sleep, relaxation, and relieves stress.
- Tea with milk is a tasty and healthy drink that helps speed up metabolic processes.
- Turmeric and ground nutmeg (1 pinch per glass of drink) activate the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, promoting better digestion of food.
Milkshake with oatmeal and strawberries
A tasty and healthy cocktail that can replace an evening meal. To prepare it you will need:
- 1 glass of milk;
- 1 tbsp. l. oatmeal (it is better to take a finely ground product that does not require cooking);
- 100 g strawberries;
- 150 g of yogurt (we use a natural product without flavoring additives).
The cooking process is very simple. Grind the oatmeal in a coffee grinder to a powder consistency. Mix all ingredients in a blender to obtain a homogeneous mass. Drink the cocktail immediately.
Many people develop lactase intolerance. In such a situation, drinking even a small amount of milk causes discomfort, flatulence, and diarrhea. In this case, it is best to exclude milk from the diet.
