Reported by ScienceDaily
For years, people have been encouraged to choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products to protect their hearts and manage their weight. But growing scientific evidence suggests that full-fat dairy may not carry the health risks many have come to expect.
A new Canadian study led by University of Toronto professor Harvey Anderson adds to that evidence. Researchers found that adults who consumed three servings of full-fat dairy each day for 12 weeks did not experience harmful changes in body weight, body composition, energy metabolism, or blood cholesterol levels compared with participants following a diet containing little dairy.
Even more surprisingly, participants who consumed more dairy showed improvements in blood pressure and obtained greater amounts of several important nutrients.
More from the original report
The findings, published in The Journal of Nutrition , raise new questions about longstanding dietary recommendations and suggest that the health effects of dairy may be more complicated than its saturated fat content alone would indicate.
For decades, nutrition guidelines in Canada and many other countries have recommended choosing low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, and other dairy products. The main concern has been saturated fat, which can raise levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood.
Often called "bad" cholesterol, LDL can contribute to fatty deposits in the arteries. Over time, this buildup can increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems.
Because full-fat dairy contains more saturated fat than reduced-fat alternatives, health authorities have traditionally encouraged people to limit their intake.
However, research examining what happens when people actually consume full-fat dairy has produced a more complicated picture.
Anderson, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto's Temerty Faculty of Medicine, points out that numerous studies involving humans have failed to find a clear association between full-fat dairy consumption and poor health outcomes.
Other research has even identified potential protective effects. That includes a recent study led by Temerty Medicine professor Kozeta Milliku, which found an association between whole-fat milk consumption and a lower risk of childhood obesity.
These findings have prompted scientists to investigate whether dairy foods behave differently in the body than their individual nutrients…