Most of the people will say that we can drink milk anytime. But according to Ayurveda, there is a best time to drink milk. Milk is not only a drink; It’s a complete meal packed with essential nutrients such as calcium, protein, vitamin A and D, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium. These nutrients can be consumed when milk is taken on right time. It has been consumed all over the world for ages, and we all have grown up with benefits of milk that keeps our bones, muscles, teeth and overall body healthy.
Milk is one of the best sources of protein, especially for vegetarians. Additionally, milk can limit the risk of some diseases like osteoporosis, malnutrition, type 2 diabetes, etc. People consume it as per their choice, but the main question is what is the best time to drink milk?
Well, let us understand everything there is to know about the best time to drink milk in order to reap the benefits of drinking milk.
Table of Contents
Best Time To Drink Milk As Per Ayurveda
No research claims to provide an answer to when is the best time to drink this protein-rich drink for better digestion or other health benefits. However, Ayurveda – India’s 5000-year-old traditional knowledge of life and healing does prescribe some guidelines regarding right time to drink milk. In Ayurveda, you will be able to know that whether you can have milk anytime or night time or bedtime or morning time. Here are few points based on the wisdom of Ayurveda that you should consider finding out when is the best time to drink milk.
Tata Tea Agni | Strong chai With 10% Extra Strong Leaves | Black Tea | 500g
₹100.00 (as of November 20, 2024 18:40 GMT +05:30 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Related Reading:
We curated a list of best A2 milk brands in India.
Milk In The Morning
Most children in India are grown up drinking milk first thing in the morning. It is the most natural activity most Indian kids are used to. Drinking milk in the morning has many advantages, and it is seen as a way of giving your day a nutritious and kick start. It is assumed that drinking milk in the morning is the right time and will keep your body energetic throughout the day. Especially for children, as they indulge in more of physical activities. Let’s see whether morning time is a best time to have milk.
Let us first look at the common beliefs around drinking milk in the morning for people of all age groups.
Benefits Of Drinking Milk In The Morning
If you choose morning time as the right time to drink milk, you may have thought about these benefits of milk. Whether milk in the morning is right time or not, know more from here.
- Morning can be the right time to drink milk because the proper amount of calcium, protein, and fats will make you feel fuller and energetic throughout the day. Milk fulfills the daily requirement of vital nutrients for performing bodily functions. So it may be the best time to drink milk in the morning.
- People who are trying to gain lean muscle mass with an ideal weight should drink milk in the morning because of high protein present in it. For them this might be the right time to drink milk.
- Having a bowl of fiber-rich food like oatmeal or eggs with milk can be a good start for the day as they are digested easily and keep you satisfied. Drinking milk in the morning may be considered as right time as it keeps your stomach healthy and away from diseases.
- Consuming cereals with milk is a healthy way to fuel your body with energy in the morning. But every thing does not go with milk. As we know it is important to know right time to drink milk and it’s also very important to know that what we are adding in our milk for our breakfast. One single ingredient can make or break your healthy breakfast.
Why To Avoid Milk In The Morning, According To Ayurveda
But there are some of the reasons to avoid milk in the morning. According to Ayurveda drinking milk in the morning is not right time. Know more from here.
- According to Ayurveda, milk is heavy to digest in the morning and tends to make you sluggish. Milk in the morning and on an empty stomach may cause you some issues. So milk in the morning might not be the best time to drink. But right time to drink milk may vary from person-to-person health.
- Milk has sleep-inducing agents, so starting your day with it may make you slow and can make you feel less energetic. It’s a well know thing is when our stomach is way to much full then we tend to feel lethargic. So think before you drink milk in the morning. To start your day with energy it’s important to know right time.
- Milk can be a heavy meal if you take a glass of it with cereals in the form of porridge or muesli with dry fruits. It may cause stomach ache due to the load on your digestive system. It depends on your stomach health to find out right time to drink milk.
Milk In The Afternoon
Having warm milk in the afternoon or after the meal is good for digestion, but there must be a gap of at least an hour. It shouldn’t be consumed during meals as it becomes difficult to digest. As we know milk is full of nutrients, so it should be taken alone. And the most important thing is that there should be a proper gap between your milk time and mealtime. Choose best time to drink milk to obtain benefits of milk.
Milk In The Evening
A glass of milk in the evening is considered beneficial for every age group. It provides energy to kids and adults. Due to less physical activity in the evening, the calcium gets easily absorbed. It gives you strength, healthy bones, good eyesight, and strong muscles to older people if consumed regularly. Before drinking milk in the evening make sure to maintain proper gap between your evening meal and milk time. Best time to drink milk can give you many milk benefits.
Drinking Milk At Night
For children, drinking milk in the morning is popular and for adults drinking milk at night is popular. But is it really beneficial to drink milk at night? Is it the best time to drink? Know from here.
Milk is one of the best foods, according to Ayurveda, and everyone can consume it daily unless you are lactose intolerant. While no time is particularly wrong, the best time to drink milk is often considered from the evening to bedtime.
In early times, when people used to engage more in agricultural activities, they used to drink milk at night because night is the only best time when their body tissues and muscles tend to repair after doing heavy agricultural activities. For them, night is the best time to drink milk.
According to Ayurveda, the right time to drink milk is at night because of its extraordinary digestive properties. It is also said that milk at night promotes Ojas (a state in Ayurveda when proper digestion is accomplished), and according to science, having a warm glass of milk during bed time reduces the physical and mental stress. It has amino acid called tryptophan that is helpful in sound sleep. Milk relaxes your body and secretes a sleep-inducing hormone (melatonin), which takes a form of pleasure giving hormone (serotonin). So, if you face trouble in falling asleep, then you must try drinking a glass of milk before bedtime.
But before including milk as your bed time drink, make sure to keep a proper gap between your meal time, milk time and sleep time. There should be a proper gap between these three activities. Proper gap can give you benefits of milk in a right way.
Did you know that we burn calories even while sleeping? It is the easiest way to lose calories, and the number of calories depends on the quality of sleep. The night may be the best time to drink milk for weight loss if you consume it without sugar, chocolate powder or artificial flavors; otherwise, you can actually gain weight, thanks to the extra calories!
- Milk contains casein, a slow-digesting protein that feeds your muscles during sleep when no food is going in your system. Milk at night will make you fuller hence helpful in keeping late-night cravings at bay. It’s better to have milk before your bed time as it will keep you away from munching unhealthy snacks later on. According to Ayurveda it may be considered as the right time to drink milk.
- A warm glass of milk before bedtime aids in better digestion. Even if you don’t have constipation, it helps in the smooth functioning of the digestive system, which can prevent you from various problems. So choose your right time to drink milk according to your body.
- Milk has plenty of magnesium that plays a significant role in a whopping 300 biochemical reactions that are beneficial to healthy nerve and muscle formation. Magnesium deficiency can cause restless leg syndrome and muscular cramping. So it’s to better to drink milk at a right time to avoid these kinds of situations.
- Bed time can be the right time to have milk as it’s advantageous for bright and younger-looking skin. It’s important to relax your every single part of your body to have a sound sleep. And this can be obtained from a glass of milk at a right time.
Disadvantages Of Drinking Milk At Night
Drinking milk at night can increase the insulin level in the body; hence diabetic people should avoid milk at bedtime. Or you can choose right time to drink milk after consulting expert/ doctor.
Earlier, when people used to engage more in physical activities such as agricultural activities, they used to gain benefits of milk during bed time as it was the right time for them. But now people don’t do much of physical activities i.e. in office. So it may not be the right time to drink milk during bed time. But it totally depends on individual choice.
Related Reading:
Having a sore throat and looking for some soothing options? Try a warm turmeric milk. Also know the list of health benefits turmeric milk has to offer.
Ayurvedic Dos and Don’ts Around Drinking Milk
According to Ayurveda, our body is made up of three doshas (Vata, Kapha, Pitta), and its imbalance can cause many ailments. Turmeric, ginger, or cardamom in milk is good for digestion, and it can reduce an imbalanced Kapha.
1. Avoid mixing fruits and milk
Generally, people prefer to have milk in the form of milkshakes and ice creams, especially in summer. Undoubtedly, these are delicious but difficult to digest. So avoid foods that are not easily digestible. So it’s very time important to find your right time to drink milk.
2. Avoid milk on an empty stomach
It’s not advised to drink milk on an empty stomach if you are suffering from poor digestion or gastric issues.
3. Avoid milk along with salty foods
Never combine milk with salty food like paratha and Namkeen as both of them have precisely the opposite qualities. Hence, we can say that drinking milk with your heavy breakfast may not be the right time. Try to drink milk with some light snacks to avoid digestion issues.
4. Avoid milk with allopathic medicines
Milk shouldn’t be taken with Allopathic medicine. You can take it with Ayurvedic medicines if suggested by the doctor. It is very important to know right time to drink milk when you are on medication under the expert guidance.
5. Milk for weight gain
Milk can be taken with honey for weight gain and overcome weakness. It’s aids in stamina if consumed with dry fruits. To gain weight in a healthy way, choose right time to drink milk.
6. Fresh milk is the best
The quality of the milk matters a lot. Industrial processes such as pasteurized or homogenization can destroy the lacto bacilli bacteria present in the milk, which is helpful for digestion when mixed with enzymes in the body. Always try to go for fresh milk if you have access.
When To Avoid Milk?
- If you are lactose intolerant, then you must avoid milk. You can have other dairy products as per the suggestion of your doctor based on your symptoms.
- You should avoid milk if you have coughing, asthma, diarrhea, colitis, stomachache, or indigestion as it can worsen your symptoms.
Related Reading:
Do you microwave milk? If so, read this story on is it good to microwave milk or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is easier to digest? Cow milk or Buffalo milk?
Cow milk contains 4-5% of fat as it is the natural lactating property of the cow. It is always lighter on digestion because of lower fat content, making it a more popular choice of milk. Whereas, Buffalo milk has more calories, protein and fat content in comparison to cow milk, which is why it takes longer to digest.
2. What is lactose intolerance?
Lactose is the milk sugar present in milk that acts as a source of energy not only for the individuals who consume milk but also for the microorganisms in milk. People with lactose intolerance are unable to fully digest the sugar (lactose) in milk. As a result, they have diarrhoea, gas and bloating after eating or drinking dairy products. The condition, which is also called lactose malabsorption, is usually harmless, but its symptoms can be uncomfortable.
3. Best time to drink milk – morning or night?
According to Ayurveda, morning is considered not to be the best time to drink milk as it’s heavy on the stomach that may lead to a lethargic day and some stomach issues as well. It is considered to be the best time to drink as compared to morning. Milk at night helps you to have sound sleep, and it’s good for stomach also. But remember to keep a proper gap between your dinner time, milk time and sleep time.
4. Is there any side effects to drink milk at night?
According to Ayurveda, it’s best to drink milk at night as it helps to give you sound sleep. It helps in digestion as well. But the most important to note here is that to maintain proper time gap between your meal time, milk time and bedtime.
5. Can we drink milk daily?
Drinking milk in right amount daily will give you benefits of milk. But if you drink milk in a higher amount that will increase the amount of calcium. Increased amount of calcium may bring many side effects of milk.
Final Words
Milk is considered a Sattvik food in Ayurveda, which has its own importance in religious functions. Kids can have it at any time as their digestive system is robust, and they need the energy to grow. Small portions of milk can be consumed at any time by the adults, too, according to their digestion, suitability, and needs. Regular consumption of this nutritious drink can make your health better for sure!
Disclaimer – This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information before making any dietary changes.
