Three daily servings of dairy may keep your heart healthy
A large observational study recently published in the journal The Lancet examines the link between the consumption of whole-fat dairy and cardiovascular health.
The United States Department of Agriculture and American Heart Association (AHA) both recommend that adults do not exceed three servings of low-fat dairy per day.
The high content of saturated fat found in dairy products, they warn, may raise the levels of "bad" cholesterol, which poses a threat to cardiovascular health.
However, new research is challenging these guidelines.
For instance, a recent study has suggested that the fatty acids found in whole-fat dairy may have a protective role against heart disease and stroke.
Now, a large-scale observational study has reviewed the dietary habits of over 130,000 people in 21 countries across five continents and found that whole-fat dairy correlates with a lower risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Mahshid Dehghan — from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada — is the lead author of the new research.
Whole-fat dairy lowers mortality risk
Dr. Dehghan and colleagues used food questionnaires to collect self-reported data on the eating habits of 136,384 people over a follow-up period of 9.1 years. The people surveyed were aged between 35 and 70, and the dairy products they consumed were milk, yogurt, and cheese.
For the purposes of the study, a portion of dairy comprised either a glass of milk of 244 grams, a cup of yogurt of 244 grams, a 15-gram slice of cheese, or a 5-gram teaspoon of butter.
Based on these intakes, the team divided the volunteers into four groups: those who consumed no dairy, those whose intake did not exceed one serving per day, those who consumed one to two servings daily, and the "high-intake" group, who consumed over two daily servings — or 3.2 servings, on average — every day.
The study revealed that people in the high-intake group were less likely to die from any cause, less likely to die of cardiovascular disease, and less likely to have a stroke or develop major heart disease.
Also, within the group that regularly consumed full-fat dairy only, the researchers found that the more whole-fat dairy was consumed, the lower the risk of mortality and cardiovascular issues.
"Our findings support that consumption of dairy products might be beneficial for mortality and cardiovascular disease, especially in low-income and middle-income countries where dairy consumption is much lower than in North America or Europe."
Dr. Mahshid Dehghan
