Is skimmed milk healthier than whole milk? – 15/12/2023 – Balance

Peruse the dairy section of any supermarket and you’ll find rows and rows of products with different fat levels. Fat-free, low-fat, whole-fat: which is the healthiest option?

If you consult the United States dietary guidelines or health authorities like the American Heart Association or the WHO (World Health Organization), the answer is clear: choose a fat-free or low-fat version.

This recommendation is based on the idea that full-fat dairy products are high in saturated fats, so choosing lower-fat versions may reduce your risk of heart disease, says Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at Tufts University.

But that guidance dates back to 1980, when the first edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans was published, he says. Since then, most studies on the health effects of dairy fat have found no benefit to prioritizing low-fat versions over full-fat ones, says Mozaffarian.

What seems to be more important than fat level, he adds, is which dairy product you choose first.

WHAT THE RESEARCH SUGGESTS

In studies that researched people’s diets and tracked their health over many years, researchers found associations between dairy consumption and lower risks of certain conditions, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, says Mozaffarian.

These benefits, he adds, were often present regardless of whether people chose yogurt, cheese, or reduced-fat or full-fat milk. And although full-fat dairy products are higher in calories, studies have found that those who consume them are no more likely to gain weight.

In a study published in 2018, for example, researchers followed 136,000 adults from 21 countries for nine years. They found that during the study period, those who consumed two or more servings of dairy products per day were 22% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease and 17% less likely to die than those who did not consume dairy products. Notably, those who consumed higher levels of saturated fat from dairy were no more likely to develop heart disease or die.

In another broad analysis, also published in 2018, researchers brought together the results of 16 studies involving more than 63,000 adults. They found that over an average of nine years, those who had the highest levels of dairy fats in their blood were 29% less likely than those with the lowest levels to develop type 2 diabetes.

This finding suggests there may be a benefit to consuming dairy fat rather than avoiding it, says Mozaffarian.

Of course, these studies cannot prove that dairy products themselves reduce certain disease risks. This would require long-term clinical trials, which have not been carried out, says the professor. But short-term trials showed that consuming dairy products, including full-fat dairy, lowered participants’ blood pressure and did not increase their weight or levels of LDL, or “bad cholesterol” — again suggesting that dairy fat is not harmful to heart health.

WHY DAIRY FATS MAY BE GOOD FOR YOU

There are several possible explanations for why dairy fats may not be as harmful as previously thought — and may even be healthy, says Ronald Krauss, professor of pediatrics and medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

Among the various types of saturated fats found in foods, dairy products contain certain types that appear to be neutral or beneficial to health, says Krauss, including those associated with reduced risks of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease.

Milk fat is also naturally packaged in a unique structure called the milk fat globule membrane, says Marie-Caroline Michalski, director of research at France’s National Institute for Agricultural, Food and Environmental Research. Components of this structure can help bind cholesterol in the digestive tract, potentially improving blood levels.

It’s also becoming clear that certain types of dairy foods may be better for you than others, says Michalski.

Yogurt and cheese, for example, seem to be more associated with health benefits. This may be because they are both fermented foods that can provide good bacteria for your gut, says the director. They also contain other beneficial molecules produced during fermentation, including vitamin K, which is linked to heart health, says Mozaffarian.

Harder cheeses, like Cheddar and Parmesan, also seem to result in a more gradual absorption of fats into the blood than softer cheeses and butter, which can help you feel fuller for longer, says Michalski.

ADVICE FOR THE DAIRY SECTION

Penny Kris-Etherton, professor emeritus of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University, says an independent panel of nutrition experts is currently reviewing the evidence on how saturated fat consumption affects the risk of cardiovascular disease. And that could lead to future changes to dairy food recommendations in the United States, she says.

Until then, she believes it’s best to aim for three servings of dairy a day as part of a balanced diet, as recommended by current dietary guidelines. Based on the latest data on dairy fat, however, it’s probably OK if one or two of those servings are whole milk, yogurt, or cheese, she says, noting that more than that can add up to too many calories.

Mozaffarian suggests incorporating at least one or two servings of yogurt and cheese per day, given the health benefits of these foods — preferably unsweetened versions to avoid added sugar.

As for what fat content you should choose, “pick what you like,” says Mozaffarian. Some studies suggest there may be a benefit to consuming full-fat dairy products, “but I don’t think the evidence is compelling enough yet to make this a dietary recommendation,” he adds.

Michalski prefers to consume full-fat yogurt without added sugar; When you remove the natural fats, you lose some vitamins, like vitamins A and D, as well as the “pleasure” and good texture, she says.

Instead of butter, Kris-Etherton encourages people to use vegetable oils like olive, canola, or soybean oils; or margarines made from the same oils.

Butter and cream appear to raise blood cholesterol levels more than other sources of dairy fat, says Krauss, and he recommends limiting them if you have high cholesterol.

While there’s no good evidence that low-fat dairy products are a healthier choice for everyone, says Krauss, people respond differently to different foods. If you have high blood cholesterol, he adds, it’s worth discussing your dairy choices with your doctor.