Why Do I Crave Milk? Is It Normal Or A Sign Of Something?
Milk is one of the best ways to get bones strong and teeth healthy, but you might be wondering: why do I suddenly crave milk? Is craving milk an early sign of something?
Craving milk is a sign that your body is suffering from nutrient deficiency. Since all types of milk contain naturally occurring sugar, you may also crave milk if you desire sugar and sweat treats. Moreover, milk is comfort food, and you may crave milk if you are thirsty. Some pregnant women may experience milk cravings in their 3rd trimester and after having a baby.
To better understand why your body needs dairy products, how much milk is good for you, and other facts about milk and dairy product consumption, keep reading this article explaining why you crave milk.
Why Do I Crave Milk So Bad?
If your body lacks nutrients such as vitamin A, B-12, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, which our bodies cannot produce, it will crave milk or dairy to supplement the nutrients. But the reason for craving milk can also range from a desire for sugar, sweet treats, and thirst, and you may find drinking milk comforting. The U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines claims that consuming dairy products equal to three cups of milk per day is very good for health.
This is why it is perfectly normal for your body to create a source of nourishment from the food it is used to. Here we will further elaborate on why your body might crave milk, including nutrition deficiency and simple hunger.
What Makes You Crave Milk? The Reasons:
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Nutrient Deficiency:
Craving for milk continuously could indicate that you are deficient in some nutrients. To ensure you’re eating a balanced daily diet, keep a weekly food diary and consult with a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Your milk cravings could be caused by a lack of vitamins and minerals in your diet. Milk contains 18 of the 22 vitamins and minerals your body requires, including vitamins A, B12, calcium, magnesium, and zinc.
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Sugar Craving:
When you crave dairy products, your body may be craving carbohydrates or sugar rather than milk. Lactose is a type of natural sugar. A cup of 1% milk contains roughly 13 grams of sugar and simple carbohydrates.
Lactose is also known as milk sugar. It imparts a mildly sweet flavor to the milk. Lactose levels in milk can reach up to 8%.
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Thirst:
One of the reasons you might be craving milk is that you’re thirsty. Since 87% of milk is water, it could simply be that you’re thirsty and feel like drinking a cold milkshake on a hot summer’s day.
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Hunger:
Perhaps you skipped lunch, or it’s still too early for supper, but you’re suddenly hungry. A glass of milk may temporarily satisfy your hunger while also providing some nutrition, as it contains approximately 8 grams of protein and 7 grams of fat.
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Comfort:
You might be craving milk because you’re experiencing mild symptoms of withdrawal. But it’s not just in your head. According to research, foods containing a combination of fats and sugars activate reward centers in the brain. For this reason, milk may be a “comfort food” for you.
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Your Body is Preparing itself for a Baby:
If you’re craving milk, it’s not just your imagination. Just like any other pregnancy symptom, a sudden cravings for milk can show up at your 1st trimester assuming it is a sign that your body is preparing itself for the baby.
The first trimester typically increases appetite, which is why you may start craving more solid foods. But as the pregnancy progresses, the hormone progesterone will make you feel full and keep you from overeating. This means that your appetite decreases, and you’ll begin to crave less-healthy foods like ice cream or chocolate. This is when the craving for milk can start to show up! Although it’s not exactly clear how this happens—but there are some theories that say it’s due to high levels of estrogen—it’s definitely something to look out for if it happens during your pregnancy.
Is Craving Milk A Sign Of Pregnancy?
Craving milk is a sign of pregnancy. When you are pregnant, you start noticing dramatic changes in your body. One of the most common changes is that she begins to crave milkshakes, ice cream and certain other foods. So if a baby is on the way, you may crave milk.
But what does craving milk during pregnancy mean? Craving milk doesn’t mean she’s pregnant, but it does mean that her body may be getting ready for a baby!
Why Do I Crave Milk On My Period?
Drinking milk alleviates associated symptoms of menstruation like nausea, fatigue, bloating or cramps. That is why you may find yourself craving milk before or during the period.
Why Do I Crave Milk After Drinking Alcohol?
Alcohol consumption weakens immunity and causes cell damage. Your body needs the protein in milk to help repair damaged cells. This is why you feel like craving milk after you’ve finished drinking or after a hangover.
How Much Milk Should I Drink?
According to U.S national dietary guidelines, adults in the United States should drink three cups (732 mL) of milk daily. Calcium, vitamin D, and other minerals are required to maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis which is abundant in milk and dairy products. Many nutritional guidelines recommend drinking milk to meet daily calcium, animal protein, and vitamin B12 requirements.
What Are The Benefits Of Drinking Milk?
Milk is one of the healthy foods you can eat. Drinking 3 cups of milk or eating dairy products equivalent to that can be extremely beneficial to your health.
The major health benefits of drinking milk are detailed in the list below.
- Nutritious: Milk is very nutritious because it contains magnesium, zinc, vitamins A and B, and other minerals that our bodies require to function. Inadequate milk consumption can result in a deficiency in the body, leading to health problems later.
- Improved Bone Health: Milk is high in calcium and phosphorus, which are necessary for the growth and upkeep of strong, healthy bones and teeth. These lower the risk of developing osteoporosis and bone fractures later in life. In brief, milk is very good for your bones.
- Better Brain Health: According to some studies, older adults who consume more dairy products have higher levels of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant, in their brains.
- Build and Repair Muscles: Milk is an excellent source of protein, with about 8 g per cup, which is required for repairing body tissues and maintaining or boosting lean muscle mass. A protein-rich diet can improve wound healing and may lead to an increase in muscle mass.
- Reduces Depression: Adequate vitamin D levels promote the synthesis of serotonin, a hormone linked to mood, appetite, and sleep. According to the findings of a 2019 meta-analysis, vitamin D supplementation may help people with major depression manage their symptoms. The research also states that further studies are needed.
- Reduces Nausea During Pregnancy: Milk can also help with nausea and morning sickness during pregnancy because it contains calcium which helps regulate what goes into your stomach (and therefore prevents nausea).
Can Drinking Milk Help You Become Pregnant?
It’s an old wives’ tale, and there is no evidence that state drinking milk can help you conceive. The idea that drinking milk after a period of time can help you get pregnant may have come from the fact that when women are pregnant, they produce more estrogen in their bodies.
Estrogen is a hormone that helps with ovulation and nourishes a developing fetus. So if you’re drinking milk soon after ovulation and before conception, it might make you feel like you want to become pregnant.
But there’s no evidence that drinking milk will help you conceive. And even if it did work, it wouldn’t be good for your body in the long run-milk is high in sugar and low in protein and nutrients, which can lead to weight gain as well as other health problems.
What If I Crave Milk? What Are The Negative Impacts Of Drinking Milk?
Now that we have shown you the health benefits of drinking milk regularly, we have shared some potential health demerits of drinking too much milk in this article.
The health demerits of drinking too much milk and dairy products have been discussed below.
- Lactose Intolerance: Babies and young children’s bodies produce enzymes that enable them to digest and consume lactose. Some adult lose the ability to produce these enzymes as we age and become lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance affects up to 68 percent of the world’s population. Lactose intolerance frequently results in gas, diarrhea, and an upset stomach.
- Can Cause Acne: Several studies, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, have linked drinking liquid milk to acne breakouts. One study of over 47,000 women found that those who drank two or more glasses of milk per day were 44 percent more susceptible to acne.
- Antibiotics in Cattle: The risk of antibiotic resistance is the primary issue regarding antibiotic use in dairy cattle. Many milk cattle are injected with antibiotics which make their way to their milk. This is how consuming antibiotics through milk can wreak havoc on the immune system.
Why Do I Crave Milk: The Summary
It’s not uncommon to have a milk craving. There are a few critical reasons behind milk cravings, which we have already discussed in this article. One of the most obvious reasons is that you may be deficient in calcium.
Milk is a source of calcium, magnesium, and various vitamins and minerals. As a result, your body may be attempting to tell you that you require more of these essential nutrients.
If you’re craving milk regularly or drinking too much of it, consult your doctor or a registered dietitian to ensure you’re getting all the nutrition you need and that there are no negative health effects from drinking too much.
If you are craving milk as a vegetarian and want to avoid cow milk, consider plant-based milk.
Resources:
- https://health.gov/sites/default/files/2019-09/2015-2020_Dietary_Guidelines.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6515787/
- https://wwwncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5644969/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5143456/#:~:text=Milk%20consumption%20is%20recommended%20by,d%20of%20milk%20%5B1%5D.
- https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/101/2/287/4494384
- https://www.healthline.com/health/craving-milk#takeaway
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/430719-1-vs-2-milk/
- https://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g6015
- https://www.eatingenlightenment.com/2020/07/28/why-am-i-craving-milk/
- https://simplycalledfood.com/craving-milk/
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/296564#health_benefits
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/milk
- https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1495/dear-dairy
- https://sentientmedia.org/is-milk-bad-for-you/
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