Greek yogurt served with honey is a familiar choice in many healthy diets. However, for people interested in blood sugar control, especially people with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes, the question is how this combination affects blood sugar levels.
According to Ms. Suzanne Fisher, a clinical nutritionist (Registered Dietitian) working in Florida, USA, assessing the impact of this dish needs to consider each ingredient and how they interact with each other during digestion.
Carbohydrates in honey and Greek yogurt
Honey is a natural sweetener but still contains carbohydrates, a group of nutrients that directly affect blood sugar. One tablespoon of honey provides about 17 grams of carbohydrates, mainly simple sugars. When entering the body, these sugars increase glucose levels in the blood.
However, honey has a lower glycemic index than refined sugar. The reason is that honey contains a higher rate of fructose than glucose. Fructose is metabolized more slowly, so blood sugar spikes often occur more slowly than when using white sugar.
Greek yogurt also contains carbohydrates, mainly in the form of lactose, a natural sugar in milk. A serving of about 170 grams of Greek yogurt provides nearly 8 grams of carbohydrates, significantly lower than many common yogurts. This makes Greek yogurt a more suitable choice for people who need to control blood sugar.
The role of protein, fat and beneficial bacteria
An important difference of Greek yogurt lies in its high protein content. A standard serving can provide about 15 grams of protein. According to Suzanne Fisher, protein has the ability to stimulate insulin secretion, a hormone that helps bring glucose from the blood into cells, thereby limiting post-eating blood sugar levels.
In addition, Greek yogurt also contains fat, an average of about 7 grams per serving. Fat slows down the digestion process and emptys the stomach, helping carbohydrates to be absorbed more slowly. When honey is eaten with Greek yogurt, the effect of increasing honey's blood sugar is therefore also "cooled down".
In addition to protein and fat, Greek yogurt also provides beneficial gut bacteria. Dr. Sarah Bence, an active therapist and health expert in Michigan (USA), said that many recent studies have recorded a link between a healthy gut microbiome and the ability to regulate blood sugar. Regular yogurt consumption is recorded to be associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, although the exact mechanism is still being studied.
Overall impact on blood sugar
Overall, eating Greek yogurt with honey will definitely increase blood sugar levels because both contain carbohydrates. However, thanks to the protein, fat and beneficial bacteria content in Greek yogurt, this increase is slower and more stable, instead of spiking as when using desserts high in refined sugar.
Experts recommend that people who need to control blood sugar should pay attention to their honey intake, prioritize unsweetened Greek yogurt and combine it with a balanced diet. When used reasonably, this combination can still be in a healthy diet, even for people at risk of blood sugar disorders.
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