Glycemic Responses of Milk and Plant-Based Drinks: Food Matrix Effects

Abstract

The consumption of food items containing digestible carbohydrates in food products leads to postprandial increases in blood glucose levels and glycemic responses. The extent to which these occur depends on many factors, including concentration and type of carbohydrate, but also other physicochemical properties of the food matrix, which determine the rate of uptake of monosaccharides into the bloodstream, including product structure and factors affecting gastric emptying. For milk, control of postprandial glycemic responses appears to be multifaceted, including a controlled rate of gastric emptying, a rate of glucose and galactose uptake into the bloodstream controlled by enzymatic hydrolysis, as well as stimulated insulin secretion to enhance uptake of blood glucose from the bloodstream. Altogether, this allows milk to deliver comparatively high levels of carbohydrate with limited glycemic responses. For plant-based drinks positioned as milk alternatives, however, compositional differences (including carbohydrate type and concentration) as well as matrix factors limiting control over gastric emptying and insulin secretion can, in some cases, lead to much stronger glycemic responses, which are undesirable in relation to non-communicable diseases, such as type-2 diabetes. This review discusses glycemic responses to milk and plant-based drinks from this perspective, focusing on mechanistic insights and food matrix effects.

Ultraprocessed plant‐based foods: Designing the next generation of healthy and sustainable alternatives to animal‐based foods

“…A recent in vivo feeding study with rats found there were differences in the digestion of milk analogs (almond and oat milk) and bovine milk in the stomach, which led to differences in gastric emptying times that could impact protein digestion and the satiety response. It is therefore important to optimize the composition and digestibility of milk analogs so they do not have adverse effects on blood sugar levels and satiety (Shkembi & Huppertz, 2023).…”

Impact of Dairy Products and Plant-Based Alternatives on Dental Health: Food Matrix Effects

“…However, it is important to not only look at individual components, but also their interactions with the product, and how these affect overall outcomes. For instance, as recently reviewed, when it comes to glycemic responses of dairy products or dairy-based alternatives, it is not only the concentration and type of carbohydrate that is important but also all other macronutrients, as well as the structural organisation of the macronutrients, which is often governed by micronutrients such as calcium and other salts [ 110 ]. It is the overall structural organisation of the constituents of the product that governs the rate of release of carbohydrates from the stomach to the intestine, and therewith also the rate of absorption into the bloodstream and associated glycemic responses [ 110 ].…”

Effects of supplementation with milk protein on glycemic parameters: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis

“…Consumption of food products that contain digestible carbohydrates (CHO) can cause postprandial HBG and glycemic responses [ 10 ]. A healthy eating pattern is one of the key components of HBG management [ 11 – 14 ].…”

“…Cow milk is a food item necessary for a balanced diet and contains several essential micro- and macronutrients [ 15 ]. Lactose is the major carbohydrate with a low glycemic index (GI) in dairy products and a disaccharide of glucose and galactose [ 10 ]. The lower GI of dairy products has been linked to their matrix for controlling gastric emptying and the presence of lactose [ 16 , 17 ].…”

“…It decreases post-meal glycemia when consumed during or before an ad libitum meal [ 19 ]. In addition, it may deliver comparatively high levels of CHO with limited glycemic responses [ 10 ]. However, glycemic reactions following the consumption of milk products are uncertain and controversial [ 10 ].…”