Milk when to eat?

In certain instances, drinking milk at a specific time may help you reap the most benefits.

Milk provides a variety of health-promoting nutrients, and drinking a glass at mealtime is an easy way to add them to your diet.

In fact, 1 cup (240 ml) of whole milk contains (2):

The calcium in milk supports bone growth, while magnesium and potassium are vital for blood pressure regulation. This ubiquitous beverage is also low in calories but rich in protein (3, 4).

In the United States, most milk products are fortified with vitamin D, another nutrient that promotes bone health by helping your body absorb calcium. However, not every country fortifies its dairy (3).

Still, no research suggests that there’s a specific time to drink milk to reap its general health benefits.

Since milk is rich in protein, it may aid weight loss and muscle building.

Protein-rich foods like milk can boost weight loss by improving metabolism and increasing fullness after meals, which may lead to lower daily calorie intake (5, 6).

What’s more, drinking milk after workouts supports muscle growth and improved body composition (7, 8).

One 3-month study in 10 young women found that those who drank fat-free milk 5 days per week after strength training experienced greater improvements in muscle mass and fat loss, compared with those who did not drink milk (8).

Based on these results, the best time to drink milk to promote muscle growth and weight loss appears to be directly after exercise.

However, keep in mind that drinking excessive amounts of milk may lead to weight gain due to high calorie intake (9).

Some people believe that milk bolsters digestion, although scientific evidence does not back this idea.

Therefore, there’s no recommended time of day to drink milk to aid digestion. All the same, you can try drinking it with meals to see if you notice a difference.

There's no recommended time to drink milk to reap its general health benefits. However, if you're looking to lose weight or build muscle, studies suggest that drinking milk right after workouts is best.

Science has so far proved there is no one particular, optimal time in our day for drinking milk. Yet, we can choose most suitable times to drink milk for maximum effect based on our purposes. Here are guides on best times drink milk – based on popular health purposes.

Table of Contents:

Kids should drink milk in the morning, at the beginning of the day, and in the evening, before sleep, to maximize height growth.

Drinking milk in the morning gives kids sufficient calories and nutritions (calcium, phosphorus & other minerals, and essential vitamins such as vitamin D). Sufficient nutrition intake help kids stay active throughout the day so that they have enough energy for not only cognitive but also physical activities – indispensable for optimal body growth.

Drinking milk in the evening 2 hrs before sleep is advisable as kids’ body absorb calcium best during sleep – according to Dr. Le Bach Mai. Drinking milk in this time might also increase sleep quality which is vital for physical development of kids. (read more: 4. Best time to drink milk to sleep better).

Cow milk, rich in nutritious, natural fat and without growth hormone, additives like organic whole milk is highly recommended for height growth. This is because whole milk offer highest amount of protein amongst types of milk, and is highly rich in calcium, which effectively helps kids’ height grow optimally.

From 1 year-old until the end of puberty, kids’ body is capable of absorbing and requires nutritions in large amount for physical development.

Read more: What is Organic Milk? What are The Benefits of Organic Milk?

Besides, a nutritious, balanced eating diet is of paramount importance to provide vital nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, copper, DHA, etc.

Daily sport activities for height growth such as swimming, volleyball, basketball, etc are also highly recommended.

Last but not least is a healthy sleeping habit, of at least 8-10 hrs a day and taking place before 10pm as from 10pm to 2am is the period in which biological hormones for height growth are produced the most by the pituitary.

Drinking milk in different times throughout the day is advisable for weight loss.

Milk boost the the metabolism within our body to function more effectively, through which more calories from food is burnt and converted into energy. (1)

Milk also supplements essential nutrients that help you feel full longer while still taking in sufficient energy. Therefore, you can avoid the urge to eat when it’s not necessary, which can result in an excessive amount of calories and fat taken in your body. (2)

Combining drinking milk together with daily exercising is the best way to lose weight. (read more: 5. Best time to drink milk to gain muscle)

It’s advisable to drink 2-3 cups of milk daily when in puberty period for optimal bone development that results in maximum height growth and bone health.

Milk is rich in vitamin D, vitamin A, calcium, and phosphorus. These all are essential nutrients for bone health and our body as a whole, and are only available in large amount in milk.

Lacking these nutrients would result in suboptimal development of bone in terms of length and endurance (bone get softer and more delicate, preventing you from heavy physical activities). Consequently, the aging process of bone would take place sooner and faster, which resulting in of higher chance of bone diseases such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, arthritis, etc.

To increase bone health, you are also advised to eat in large amount products from milk (cheese, yogurt, milk scum), fatty fish, nuts, etc, that are rich in calcium for maximum bone health.

Drinking milk 2 hrs before sleep to supplement amino acid trytophan – nutrients that are available in protein-rich food like milk.

These 2 nutrients would trigger brain to produce sleepiness-boosting hormones serotonin and melatonin that help you to relax and sleep better.

A cup of warm milk before bed is also a prevailing habit in many Western countries.

Yet, so far there hasn’t been any formal scientific research to confirm the amount of trytophan in one cup of milk is sufficient to produce enough serotonin and melatonin to trigger sleepiness.

Therefore, whether we should drink milk before bed or not should be the question of personal preference. Try it out to see whether it helps you sleep better!

Noticeably, you should drink milk 2 hrs before sleep to avoid having to urinate in the middle of your sleep.

According to many studies, you should drink milk right after exercising to increase lean mass accretion, as well as body composition and strength. (3), (4)

It is confirmed in these studies that drinking milk after exercising is associated with the building of muscles in mass, weight, width, and strength.

Studies also point out how effective can drinking milk after exercising help in reducing fat, weight loss, and bone re-vitalization.

Babies under 1 year-old should not drink cow milk. (5)

Because digestive and excretory systems of under 1 year-old babies are not sufficiently mature, the rich nutrition of cow milk (especially protein and minerals) would cause babies’ organs to be overloaded.

Their kidneys will get triggered to work double, resulting in the risk of dehydration and kidney failure.

Babies’ stomach and intestine are also triggered to overwork (ulcerative colitis within babies’ intestine get hyperactive), causing them constipation, inflammation, indigestion, and loss of appetite.

Cow milk also does not provide sufficient iron. Therefore, using cow milk as the main source of nutrition intake during this age results in anaemia when the child grows up.

Besides, cow milk lacks health fatty contents for infants. This explains why there is a wide range of formula milk products (produced by complicated nutrition guidelines) available on market to supplement breast milk.

Lactose-intolerance ******is a digestive problem preventing our body from producing sufficient lactase enzyme to digest lactose – a type of sugar commonly found in milk of mammals.

Lactose-intolerant people should avoid milk & dairy products which can cause them flatulence, stomachache, and diarrhea. (6)

People with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or low blood sugar are classified as “milk-contraindicated”. They are advised to consume milk and dairy products in moderation, as the lactose available in milk can always trigger an increase of blood sugar level. (7)

For 2 above-mentioned groups, plant-based milk products can serve as perfect substitutions as they contain no lactose.

Noticeably, it’s highly recommended you choose plant-based products that are sugar-free and low in additives for maximum health benefits.

Besides some researches confirming the benefit of muscle building by drinking milk after exercising, no scientific studies has so far been able to claim there is an optimal timepoint in a day to drink milk.

The answer to “When’s the best time to drink milk?” is based largely on your personal preferences and your body’s reaction.

This article will explain the best time to drink Milk for all your health goals—weight loss, pregnancy, building muscle mass, and height gain. We’ve got you covered. Good luck, and keep reading!

Drinking Milk can improve your health. But, according to Ayurveda, the time for drinking Milk varies according to age and bodily needs. It has been seen that drinking Milk during certain times can provide immense health benefits.

According to Ayurveda, the best time to take Milk for kids is in the morning. Growing kids require a lot of nutrition. Drinking milk fulfilled the nutritional quota for kids.

Also Read:- Pre Workout Meal

Some Benefits of Drinking Milk in the Morning:

Yes, drinking Milk in the afternoon as a light snack is good for health. There must be a proper 1-hour gap between your meal and drinking milk.

Yes, drinking it in the evening is very beneficial for health. It provides a much-needed energy boost to the body. Due to less physical activity of the body in the evening, Calcium in Milk gets easily absorbed.

According to the ancient science of Ayurveda, the best time to take Milk for adults is at night. Adults should drink it to keep their bodies fit and healthy.

Benefits of Drinking Milk at Night:

Are you welcoming a little one into this world? Pregnant women should especially consume Milk for a robust and healthy baby.

Benefits of Drinking Milk During Pregnancy.

Also Read:- Different Types of Milk

Drinking it close to your workout time promotes better digestion of the nutrient in Milk. Therefore, the best time to drink Milk for height gain is about 1 hour before or after your workout.

Drinking Milk just an hour after your exercise can help promote better weight loss in the long run.