Is curd good for diabetes?

Are you living with diabetes and looking for ways to manage your blood sugar levels through your diet? One food that may be beneficial for people with diabetes is curd, also known as yoghurt.

Curd has a low glycemic index, making it a suitable choice for people with diabetes who are trying to regulate their blood sugar levels.

In this article, we will discuss the benefits of including curd in a diabetes-friendly diet, as well as other considerations for people with diabetes when it comes to food choices.

What is curd?

Curd, also known as Dahi in Hindi, is a fermented milk product, which originates from the Indian Subcontinent. This includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Curd is obtained by coagulating milk in a successive process called curdling. It can be a final dairy product or the first stage in cheesemaking. Coagulation of milk to obtain curd can be achieved by adding rennet or any edible acidic substance, such as lemon juice or vinegar, and then allowing it to coagulate.

Is curd good for diabetes?

Curd, also known as yoghurt, can be a nutritious and delicious part of a healthy diet for people with diabetes. However, it’s important to pay attention to the type and amount of curd you consume, as some types and serving sizes may have a higher impact on your blood sugar levels.

One serving of plain, unsweetened curd is usually a good source of protein and calcium, and it contains only a small amount of carbohydrates. This makes it a suitable choice for people with diabetes who are trying to manage their carbohydrate intake.

However, flavoured or sweetened curds may contain added sugars, which can increase carbohydrate content and potentially have a greater impact on blood sugar levels. It’s important to read the nutrition label and ingredient list on the curd package to check for added sugars.

It’s also important to pay attention to portion sizes when consuming curd. One serving of curd is typically considered to be 1 cup (8 ounces) or 2/3 cup (5.3 ounces) of Greek-style curd. Consuming larger portions or consuming curd more frequently may cause your blood sugar levels to rise.

Overall, it’s important for people with diabetes to work with a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian to determine the appropriate types and amounts of foods to include in their diet.

How is curd formed?

When the bacteria, lactobacillus, act on milk sugar (lactose), the sugar undergoes fermentation and lactic acid is produced. This bacteria denatures the milk proteins, casein so that they clump together to form curd. In the end, the milk is separated into curds and whey.

An image of curd and whey.

The pH of curd is 4.5 – 5.5. So, we can say curd is more acidic in nature as compared to milk.

Curd is a healthy food containing a high amount of protein, calcium, potassium, and vitamin D. It is also low in carbohydrates and has a low glycemic index and therefore good for diabetes.

Nutritional information on curd

Curd contains about 80% water. Curd equally contains high amounts of methionine which protects your liver against fat.

Curd contains 12% protein content and about 3% carbohydrates. Curd has low levels of lactose and therefore people who are lactose intolerant and can’t easily digest milk can digest curd with ease.

Natural curd also contains about 25% mono-unsaturated fatty acids which are healthy for you.

Curd also contains some phosphorus, lactic acid, riboflavin, vitamins A, B6 and B12 [source].

How is curd consumed?

Curd can be consumed directly, with or without salt or sugar. You can also top up your curd with some fruits and enjoy as a dessert.

Curd can be used to make cheese for consumption and is equally turned into yoghurt.

Curd is healthy and good for the heart and can be used to prepare sweet dishes such as Mishti Doi which is a common dessert in West Bengal.

Uses of curd.

1. Curd can be eaten fresh, with or without salt or sugar. This is common amongst Indians. Eating curd everyday will help reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Curd helps to balance cholesterol levels in the body and maintains a healthy heart.
2. Curd can equally be used in the preparation of some dishes, mostly Indian dishes such as Kadai paneer, Chicken yoghurt curry, Dahi Aloo, low fat Dahi chicken e.t.c.
3. Curd can be mixed with other ingredients to make a homemade beauty paste for hair and skin.

Benefits of curd

1. Curd contains calcium and phosphorus and therefore essential for the growth of strong bones and teeth.
2. Accumulation of cortisol in the body eventually leads to obesity and hypertension. Eating curd on a daily basis helps to prevent accumulation of cortisol therefore leading to a reduction in weight
3. It helps to reduce cholesterol levels in the body. A 2000 study showed that a fermented yoghurt product produced a 4% decrease in total cholesterol and a 5% decrease in LDL-cholesterol.
4. Curd equally lowers blood sugar due to its low glycemic index. According to Harvard Health Publishing foods low on glycemic index releases glucose slowly and steadily whereas those high on glycemic index release glucose rapidly. To explain further, glycemic index (GI), is simply the number of carbohydrates in any food that causes an increase in blood glucose levels. The glycemic index (GI) of curd is 45 while its glycemic load (GL) is 10.3, which classifies curd as a low GI and GL food respectively.
5. Curd helps prevent vaginal infections. It inhibits yeast infection growth. It restores the yeast balance of the vagina due to the lactobacillus bacteria in the curd.
6. Curd contains probiotics that improve the function of the digestive system. During the fermentation process, lactose is broken down and therefore people who are lactose intolerant can consume curd freely.

Difference between yoghurt and curd

What is the difference between yoghurt and curd? Is yoghurt the same as curd or is there actually a difference?

Yes, yoghurt and curd may seem the same however there are some slight differences between those two.

1. Yoghurt is a semi solid food prepared by fermentation of milk whereas curd is equally a semi-solid food but prepared by curdling of milk using an edible acid such as lemon juice or vinegar.
2. With yoghurt, artificial sweeteners and flavours are added, however, curd on the other hand is consumed in its own natural flavour form.
3. In the preparation of yogurt, two bacterial strains are included, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. For the preparation of curd, a wide range of lactic acid bacteria such as lactobacillus acidophilus is involved.
4. Yoghurt can be made in different types such as Greek yoghurt, low-fat yoghurt, non-fat yoghurt, sheep’s milk yoghurt and drinking yoghurt. Curd, on the other hand, doesn’t have many varieties, it only depends on the type of milk used such as cow, goat or buffalo.
5. In the preparation of yoghurt, the curd is mixed together with the whey whereas to obtain your curd, you need to drain the whey.
6. Yoghurt cannot be used to make cheese but curd can be used to make cheese.

Summary

In short, curd is a healthy food commonly referred to as Dahi in Hindi and can be consumed with or without sugar or salt.

Curd happens to be one of the foods with a low glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) and therefore you can say curd is good for diabetes. Just like yoghurt, curd has a low glycemic index as I explained earlier in this article, which makes it one of the foods good for any diabetic.

Curd is healthy and helps to reduce blood glucose levels so you can say curd is good for diabetes. Curd equally helps in weight loss and aids in digestion.

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