Not long ago you were probably drilled with the message low fat everything is the way to optimal health. Times have been changing since then as research into the types of fats and their role in your health have increased. Dairy is one which has been hit hard with the low-fat message and this may have been an unnecessary message for many reasons.
Firstly, full fat dairy tends to taste a lot better than low or reduced fat dairy. If it tastes better, you are more likely to drink it and therefore meet your daily calcium needs. Most adults over 18 years of age need 2 serves of dairy a day which is the equivalent of 2.5 cups of milk or 700g of yogurt or 120g of cheddar or 1.25 cups of cottage or ricotta cheese or a mix of these. Dairy provides your body with 9 essential nutrients which include:
- Calcium, Vitamin D and Phosphorous for strong bones and teeth.
- Calcium and potassium which help maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
- Riboflavin and niacin, two B vitamins which help to convert energy from the food you eat. Riboflavin also plays a role in the development of your central nervous system.
- Protein, a macronutrient which builds every cell in your body.
- Vitamin A which keeps your immune system strong as well as your eye sight optimal and your skin youthful
Two recent studies have helped shift the stigma on full fat dairy. The first was a study of 136,384 people in 21 countries who were followed in their habits for nine years. The study found that those who ate 2 or more servings of dairy a day had 34% decreased risk of having a stroke, 22% less risk of developing heart disease and 23% lower risk of death from it.
A second study of 60,000 people found that those with three different types of fatty acids which are the building blocks of fat, found in their blood and body were less likely to develop type two diabetes. These three fatty acids are all found in full fat dairy and are a marker that a person is including full fat dairy like cheese, milk and yogurt in their diet. The study ran for a 20-year period and after 20 years the people who included full fat dairy the most were found to be 35% less likely to develop type two diabetes.
Take home message: not all fats are equal and dairy fat does not sit in the same bucket as full fat meat products anymore. If you have been afraid to include full fat dairy out of fear of developing heart disease or type two diabetes these concerns may not be substantiated. So, enjoy your full fat milk, yogurt or cheese and know that it may not only save your tastebuds from the pain of no fat milk but may be doing your body a world of good at the same time!
References:
- Dehghan M, Mente A, Rangarajan S, Sheridan P, Mohan V, Iqbal R, et al. Association of dairy intake with cardiovascular disease and mortality in 21 countries from five continents (PURE): a prospective cohort study. Lancet (London, England). 2018.
- Imamura F, Fretts A, Marklund M, Ardisson Korat AV, Yang WS, Lankinen M, et al. Fatty acid biomarkers of dairy fat consumption and incidence of type 2 diabetes: A pooled analysis of prospective cohort studies. PLoS medicine. 2018;15(10):e1002670.
