Can Milk Help You Gain Weight?- Fact Check

Everyone likes milk, especially in India, apart from lactose-intolerant people. You can make milkshakes, consume milk tea, milk smoothies or consume it raw. But does milk help you gain weight? If you have this question on your mind, you’ve come to the right place.

This blog talks about whether milk helps with weight gain or not. You’ll also get to learn a lot more about milk consumption. So, read in full.

Does Milk Help You Gain Weight?

A Generalist View 

Milk, like other foods, contains calories and proteins. So, logically speaking, if you consume too much milk, it’ll add too many calories and add to the protein intake, which can contribute to weight gain. However, consuming too much milk can have side effects such as bloating, cramps, ingestion, or even diarrhea.

Also, the production of low-fat milk products shows how people consider milk to contain fats and cause weight gain. However, this is a general view; there’s much more to it. Read along to learn more.

A Research Point of View

According to research, milk, cheese, yogurt, etc., aren’t linked to weight gain. Studies say that including three serves of milk a day can help lose more weight/fat as compared to the people who consume less milk or dairy foods.

What’s more, according to the present evidence, dairy products such as milk, regardless of their fat content, aren’t linked to obesity or being overweight.

The Verdict

Nope, milk alone isn’t related to weight gain. In fact, if taken along with a balanced diet, milk can help enhance weight loss.

However, if you love milk, you can club it with some other food items for effective weight gain. Let’s learn how below.

How to Add Milk to Your Diet for Gaining Weight?

Before jumping into the meat, let’s learn about the calorie count in different types of milk:

The above table shows how calorie count can vary with different types of milk. Weight Gain Milk

Here’s how you can prepare weight gain milk:

1. Take 1 cup whole milk and 1/4 cup dry milk.
2. Combine them and stir until they’re smooth.
3. Add flavors if you want
4. And you’re done.

Honey and Milk for Weight Gain

Honey is known to trigger weight gain when consumed with milk. Here’s how you can prepare honey and milk for weight gain:

1. Take a cup of milk.
2. Heat it in a pan, but don’t let it boil.
3. Once the milk is hot enough, whisk in honey. Use a tablespoon per mug.
4. Enjoy hot honey and milk for weight gain.

Almond/Badam Milk For Weight Gain

Almond milk comes with more calories and nutrients and can thus help you gain more weight. Here’s how you can prepare badam and milk for weight gain:

1. Take 4-5 almonds and crush them into small pieces.
2. Heat a glass of milk in a pan and add almonds, some sugar, and besan.
3. Stir this mixture to make sure that the besan doesn’t burn.
4. Let the mixture boil, and then pour it into a glass.

Also Check: Foods That Don't Really Go Well With Milk.

Can Drinking Milk Before Bed Help Gain Weight?

Milk contains two types of highly absorbable and digestible proteins: whey and casein. And according to research, consuming these proteins before bedtime, improves protein synthesis better as compared to other times of the day. This protein synthesis helps improve lean muscle mass, which can help gain weight.

So, according to research, drinking milk before bed can help you gain weight. And, this weight is not the one that comes because of fat. This weight gain is because of lean muscles.

What are the Disadvantages of Nighttime Milk?

While you may think drinking milk at night helps improve lean muscle mass, it comes at a cost.

Here are the disadvantages of consuming milk at night or too close to your bedtime:

• Night Sweats and Overheating: Because the body starts to work hard to digest the milk you consume.
• Indigestion: While sleeping, your body isn’t that active. And this can impact digestion negatively.
• Gastroesophageal Reflux: If you hit the bed as soon as you finish your glass of milk, the milk might back up, which can lead to a burning sensation in your esophagus. Consult a Gastroenterologist online to get relief from related problems.

Is Milk for Everyone?

While you may think everyone drinks milk, that’s not the case.

Some individuals are intolerant to lactose, a sugar found in milk. If such individuals consume milk, they start experiencing diarrhea, bloating, and even rashes. So, if you’re lactose intolerant, it’s recommended that you do not consume milk.

If you are looking for healthy alternatives and the perfect diet chart to gain weight, consult a dietitian on The Wellness Corner.

Takeaway

Here are the key takeaways from this blog:

• Consuming milk alone isn’t associated with weight gain.
• The weight gain that you may experience after consuming milk is lean muscle mass, not fat.
• Prevent consuming milk at night as it may cause discomfort.
• If you want to gain weight, you can combine milk with fortified foods such as oats or prepare recipes such as honey and milk, weight gain milk or badam milk, etc.