5 ‘Bad’ Drinks You Should Be Drinking for Better Blood Sugar, According to Dietitians – EatingWell
2025-05-01T09:00:00Z
If you’re avoiding coffee, tea, fruit juice, dairy milk or soy milk because you think they’ll raise your blood sugar, dietitians say you don’t have to.
Key Takeaways Drinks we’ve heard are bad for blood sugar may actually be helpful, say dietitians.
These include unsweetened coffee and tea, milk, juice and soy milk.
Instead, try to avoid sugary drinks like soda, sweet tea and syrupy lattes.
When you’re trying to manage your blood sugar, finding a drink that won’t spike your numbers can seem like a challenge. But what if we told you there are beverages you may be avoiding that are compatible with—and even advantageous for—blood sugar management? It’s true! Many of the drinks we’re often told are bad for blood sugar contain compounds that may support healthy blood sugar levels.
Of course, there are some drinks that really are problematic for blood sugar. To set the record straight, we asked dietitians to weigh in on drinks that get an unfair rap for blood sugar management, plus ones to avoid. Here’s what they told us.
1. Coffee
Coffee fans, we’ve got good news! “Coffee without added sweetener may actually be beneficial to blood sugar,” says Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, a registered dietitian and author of 2 Day Diabetes Diet. “Drinking black coffee has been associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes and a slowed progression of the disease.”
Palinski-Wade points to the presence of chlorogenic acids in coffee. These compounds function as antioxidants that may reduce inflammation. That’s important because unchecked inflammation can make it harder for your body to use its own insulin, impairing glucose metabolism. And it doesn’t matter if you prefer full-test or decaf; both kinds of coffee contain chlorogenic acid. The most important thing is to make sure your coffee is unsweetened to avoid added sugars.
2. Dairy Milk
Dairy milk gets an unfair reputation in so many ways. Perhaps you’ve heard it promotes inflammation or that its sugars can raise blood sugar. You can relax, says Palinski-Wade. “Dairy milk often is looked at as being bad for blood sugar due to the natural sugar (lactose) it contains,” she says. “However, this drink is balanced with protein, carbs and fats, allowing it to have a minimal impact on blood sugar.”
In fact, some research has found a correlation between increased dairy intake and a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. “The exact reason isn’t known, says Palinski-Wade. “However, it may be due to beneficial nutrients, including vitamin D and magnesium found in dairy, which can help to improve insulin sensitivity.”
3. 100% Fruit Juice
“100% fruit juice can be part of a diabetes meal plan and keep blood sugar balanced,” says Palinski-Wade. Trouble is, the natural sugar in juice frequently causes people to avoid it, even though natural sugar is very different from added sugar. How so? “Natural sugars—unlike added sugar—are generally bound in a matrix of fiber, antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients that can help blood sugar, not hurt it,” says Palinski-Wade.
If you’re skeptical, consider the results of a recent study that found that moderate fruit juice consumption doesn’t increase the risk of type 2 diabetes or negatively impact blood sugar control. In addition to fruit juice’s impressive nutrition and antioxidant profile, it has a lower glycemic index than sugar-sweetened beverages. So, it’s unlikely to flood your bloodstream with sugar the same way as soda or sweet tea.
“Juice can be enjoyed alone or used in recipes as a natural way to sweeten your dish,” says Palinski-Wade. “I recommend looking for juice that contains fiber naturally, such as 100% prune juice, and keeping your portion size to a half-cup at a time for blood sugar balance.” Or, pair it with a source of protein to slow the absorption of its sugars, like a handful of nuts or slice of cheese, says Samantha Cassetty, M.S., RD, a nutrition and wellness expert and co-author of Sugar Shock.
4. Soy Milk
There are a lot of unfounded myths about soy. One that you might have heard is that soy milk raises blood sugar. Is it true? “Unsweetened soy milk is one of my go-to plant-based milks because it matches the protein in dairy milk,” says Cassetty. It’s also low in carbs, making it a healthy option when you’re managing your blood sugar, she says. In fact, 1 cup of unsweetened soy milk provides 8 grams of protein, just like dairy milk, and roughly 9 grams of carbohydrates, depending on the brand., Plus, soy milk’s protein can further slow down the impact of other carbs in your meal or snack. “So, if you’re having a bowl of cereal or oatmeal, serving it with soy milk can help stabilize your blood sugar,” says Cassetty.
However, looking for a variety with no added sugars is key, she adds. “Sometimes plain versions contain a small amount of sweetener, so you need to read labels until you find a brand that doesn’t,” she says.
5. Tea
Remember how coffee’s chlorogenic acids do good things for blood sugar? Turns out, tea boasts its own blood sugar–friendly compounds called catechins. Research has found that catechins from both green and black tea may regulate blood sugar in multiple ways, such as improving the body’s ability to use insulin, guarding against inflammation and functioning as antioxidants to combat oxidative stress. “They may also feed your good gut bacteria, which may help your body’s insulin work more effectively to clear sugar from your blood,” says Cassetty. No wonder tea is among our top antioxidant-rich drinks for diabetes.
However, when it comes to reaping tea’s benefits, the less you add, the better, says Cassetty. “Try to drink tea plain without any sweetener, whether that’s sugar or a zero-calorie sweetener,” she says.
Strategies to Select Blood Sugar–Friendly Beverages
Even healthy drinks can raise blood glucose if they contain added sugar. In addition to searching the Nutrition Facts panel for added sugars, try these strategies:
Retrain Your Taste Buds. If your favorite beverages contain added sugars, Cassetty recommends slowly weaning yourself off them. “The real key is to get your taste buds used to drinking plain, unsweetened drinks with no added sugar and no other sweeteners,” she says. (More on this next!)
If your favorite beverages contain added sugars, Cassetty recommends slowly weaning yourself off them. “The real key is to get your taste buds used to drinking plain, unsweetened drinks with no added sugar and no other sweeteners,” she says. (More on this next!) Swap Part of Your Sugary Drink with an Unsweetened Version. This works for tea, coffee, and plant-based and flavored milks. Start with a ratio of 75% sweetened to 25% unsweetened. Then, keep adjusting until you’re favoring the unsweetened. Over time, you may not need the sweetened at all!
This works for tea, coffee, and plant-based and flavored milks. Start with a ratio of 75% sweetened to 25% unsweetened. Then, keep adjusting until you’re favoring the unsweetened. Over time, you may not need the sweetened at all! Downsize. If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to your sugar-sweetened coffee or tea habit, switch to a smaller cup. It’s a small change that can help until you’re ready to make the move to unsweetened versions.
If you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to your sugar-sweetened coffee or tea habit, switch to a smaller cup. It’s a small change that can help until you’re ready to make the move to unsweetened versions. Watch the Caffeine. Some people can experience an increase in blood sugar levels when they consume large amounts of caffeine. If you notice that caffeine makes your numbers spike, switch to decaf or a half-caf blend.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to what to drink for better blood sugar, there’s a lot of confusion and misinformation! The truth is, many drinks you might have heard are bad for your blood sugar (and that you may be avoiding!) may help with blood sugar management. According to dietitians, unsweetened coffee and tea, dairy milk, 100% fruit juice and soy milk can all be part of a blood sugar–friendly diet. Ideally, the goal is to aim for drinks that are free of added sugars. However, if you’re not ready to say goodbye to sugar entirely, think baby steps. By slowly weaning yourself off of sugar-sweetened drinks, you can retrain your taste buds over time.
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