Milk is a very familiar beverage to everyone. We drink it as children and continue to drink it as adults; it's practically indispensable. Milk is known as "white blood," highlighting its importance to the human body. But is it good to drink milk on an empty stomach at night? Let's take a look.
Is it okay to drink milk on an empty stomach at night?
Drinking milk on an empty stomach has many drawbacks. Because it's on an empty stomach, the milk cannot be fully digested by enzymes, and the protein in the milk is quickly converted into energy, preventing proper absorption of nutrients. Some people may also experience abdominal pain and diarrhea. This is because they produce little or no lactase in their bodies. Drinking a large amount of milk on an empty stomach means the lactose in the milk cannot be digested in time. Instead, it is broken down by intestinal bacteria, producing large amounts of gas and acid, which stimulate intestinal contractions, leading to abdominal pain and diarrhea. Therefore, it's best to eat something before drinking milk, or drink milk while eating food, to reduce the lactose concentration and facilitate nutrient absorption.
When is the best time to drink milk?
Actually, you can drink milk anytime. However, to maximize the benefits of milk, it's important to pay attention to the timing of consumption.
Drinking milk in the morning is fine, but avoid doing so on an empty stomach. Since your body is preparing to absorb energy upon waking, milk consumed at this time simply passes through the stomach and into the intestines before its nutrients have had a chance to be absorbed. Therefore, a better approach is to drink milk while eating some light snacks, sipping it slowly to aid nutrient absorption. Alternatively, you can wait one or two hours after breakfast before drinking milk.
Drinking milk at night can help you sleep, which is great. However, it's best not to drink it right before bed; about an hour beforehand is preferable. Drinking milk immediately before sleep increases urination, potentially waking you up with the urge to urinate, thus disrupting sleep. So, if you go to bed at 10 pm, drinking milk at 9 pm is more suitable. Additionally, drinking milk at night can be good for your stomach.
What should you pay attention to when drinking milk?
1. How hot should milk be? Milk should not be boiled before drinking, as boiling will cause the loss of nutrients. It's best to heat it to around 60 degrees Celsius. Also, sugar should be added to the milk after heating. Adding sugar before heating will produce harmful substances.
2. Avoid consuming the following foods while drinking milk: persimmons, tea, chocolate, medications, fruit juice, fruit, and rice porridge. Milk can react with these substances, affecting the absorption of its beneficial components.
3. Milk tablets and milk powder cannot replace milk: Milk tablets and milk powder are processed products. The production process requires drying milk, which can cause internal heat. In addition, milk tablets and milk powder contain some additives and are not purely natural foods. Condensed milk is too sweet and should also be avoided.
4. Some people should not drink milk: patients with iron deficiency anemia, patients who have undergone abdominal surgery, patients with gastric ulcers, patients with kidney stones, and those who have high blood pressure or coronary heart disease and are taking compound Danshen tablets.
5. How to store milk: There is a scientific basis for storing milk in cardboard boxes, because the vitamin B in milk will disappear completely after exposure to sunlight. Therefore, the best way to store milk is to refrigerate it away from light. Freezing milk is also not scientific, because freezing milk will cause water and fat to separate out, thus destroying its nutrients.
The above is a brief introduction to "Is it good to drink milk on an empty stomach at night?" Drinking milk at night does have benefits. Drinking milk at night produces tryptophan, a biochemical that makes people feel tired and has a good calming and sleep-inducing effect. Drinking more milk at night can indeed help you sleep!
