Buttermilk nutrition, glycemic index, calories, net carbs & more
Buttermilk Glycemic index (GI)
Buttermilk is cultured milk fermented by bacteria. It contains no dietary fiber and almost 5g of sugars in every 100g serving.
The glycemic index of buttermilk has not been measured by researchers so far. Here, we will try to get an idea of how buttermilk affects blood glucose levels.
Low-fat milk contains nearly the same amount of sugars and fats as buttermilk. The average glycemic index of most types of milk is 31±4 (1). Based on this comparison, we can assume that the glycemic index of buttermilk falls in the low category.
It has been researched that the glycemic index of buttermilk with added powder of dried bottle gourd pulp is 14±12, while the GI of buttermilk with added powder of whole bottle gourd pulp falls in the range of 20±3 (2).
Fermented dairy products, such as buttermilk, have also been found to have an inverse association with the development of diabetes and prediabetes, as they may have the potential to reduce fasting plasma glucose and glycated hemoglobin (3, 4).
In summary, buttermilk can be assumed to have a low glycemic index and can be recommended to people with diabetes or prediabetes.
References
Important nutritional characteristics for Buttermilk

Mineral coverage chart
Mineral chart - relative view
Vitamin coverage chart
Vitamin chart - relative view
Macronutrients chart
Protein quality breakdown
Fat type information
Fiber content ratio for Buttermilk
All nutrients for Buttermilk per 100g
Nutrient | Value | DV% | In TOP % of foods | Comparison |
Calories | 40kcal | 2% | 91% |
1.2 times less than Orange![]() |
Protein | 3.31g | 8% | 69% |
1.2 times more than Broccoli![]() |
Fats | 0.88g | 1% | 76% |
37.9 times less than Cheese![]() |
Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% | 42% |
53 times less than Lemon![]() |
Net carbs | 4.79g | N/A | 57% |
11.3 times less than Chocolate![]() |
Carbs | 4.79g | 2% | 61% |
5.9 times less than Rice![]() |
Cholesterol | 4mg | 1% | 54% |
93.3 times less than Egg![]() |
Vitamin D | 0µg | 0% | 100% |
N/A![]() |
Iron | 0.05mg | 1% | 95% |
52 times less than Beef![]() |
Calcium | 116mg | 12% | 20% |
1.1 times less than Milk![]() |
Potassium | 151mg | 4% | 70% |
Equal to Cucumber![]() |
Magnesium | 11mg | 3% | 82% |
12.7 times less than Almond![]() |
Sugar | 4.79g | N/A | 48% |
1.9 times less than Coca-Cola![]() |
Fiber | 0g | 0% | 100% |
N/A![]() |
Copper | 0.01mg | 1% | 95% |
12.9 times less than Shiitake![]() |
Zinc | 0.42mg | 4% | 73% |
15 times less than Beef![]() |
Phosphorus | 89mg | 13% | 67% |
2 times less than Chicken meat![]() |
Sodium | 190mg | 8% | 43% |
2.6 times less than White Bread![]() |
Vitamin A | 47IU | 1% | 50% |
355.4 times less than Carrot![]() |
Vitamin A RAE | 14µg | 2% | 46% | |
Vitamin E | 0.05mg | 0% | 91% |
29.2 times less than Kiwifruit![]() |
Selenium | 2µg | 4% | 77% | |
Manganese | 0mg | 0% | 98% | |
Vitamin B1 | 0.03mg | 3% | 80% |
7.8 times less than Pea raw![]() |
Vitamin B2 | 0.15mg | 12% | 57% |
1.2 times more than Avocado![]() |
Vitamin B3 | 0.06mg | 0% | 94% |
165.1 times less than Turkey meat![]() |
Vitamin B5 | 0.28mg | 6% | 76% |
4.1 times less than Sunflower seed![]() |
Vitamin B6 | 0.03mg | 3% | 86% |
3.5 times less than Oat![]() |
Vitamin B12 | 0.22µg | 9% | 58% |
3.2 times less than Pork![]() |
Vitamin K | 0.1µg | 0% | 88% |
1016 times less than Broccoli![]() |
Folate | 5µg | 1% | 79% |
12.2 times less than Brussels sprout![]() |
Saturated Fat | 0.55g | 3% | 68% |
10.8 times less than Beef![]() |
Monounsaturated Fat | 0.25g | N/A | 76% |
38.6 times less than Avocado![]() |
Polyunsaturated fat | 0.03g | N/A | 92% |
1429.5 times less than Walnut![]() |
Tryptophan | 0.04mg | 0% | 87% |
7.3 times less than Chicken meat![]() |
Threonine | 0.14mg | 0% | 86% |
5.1 times less than Beef![]() |
Isoleucine | 0.17mg | 0% | 86% |
5.3 times less than Salmon![]() |
Leucine | 0.31mg | 0% | 86% |
7.8 times less than Tuna![]() |
Lysine | 0.28mg | 0% | 82% |
1.6 times less than Tofu![]() |
Methionine | 0.09mg | 0% | 84% |
1.1 times less than Quinoa![]() |
Phenylalanine | 0.17mg | 0% | 87% |
3.9 times less than Egg![]() |
Valine | 0.22mg | 0% | 86% |
9.4 times less than Soybean raw![]() |
Histidine | 0.1mg | 0% | 86% |
7.5 times less than Turkey meat![]() |
Omega-3 - EPA | 0g | N/A | 100% |
N/A![]() |
Omega-3 - DHA | 0g | N/A | 100% |
N/A![]() |
Omega-3 - DPA | 0g | N/A | 100% |
N/A![]() |
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NUTRITION FACTS LABEL
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Health checks




Buttermilk nutrition infographic

References
The source of all the nutrient values on the page (excluding the main article and glycemic index text the sources for which are presented separately if present) is the USDA's FoodCentral. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.