If You’re Concerned About Diabetes, Think Twice About Buying Skim Milk
For years, people trying to lose weight and avoid type 2 diabetes have been advised to stick to a low-fat diet—and the nation’s grocery shelves are accordingly well stocked with low- and reduced-fat processed foods. After all, a low-fat cookie is seemingly perfect for dunking in a glass of skim milk. But as some health experts question the wisdom of ditching full-fat foods—particularly when the alternatives tend to be pumped full of sugar and additives—a new study reveals that full-fat dairy products could be a boon to folks looking to dodge a diabetes diagnosis. RELATED: The Dairy of the Future Could Come From 3-D Printers, Not Cows The research, which was published late March in the American Heart Association’s journal, Circulation, found that dairy fat may help prevent type 2 diabetes. The authors analyzed blood sample data from roughly 3,300 adults ages 30 to 70 in the late 1980s, the early 1990s, and again in 2010. “People who had the most dairy fat in their diet had about a 50 percent lower risk of diabetes,” study coauthor Dariush Mozaffarian told NPR on Monday. Previous research has shown that full-fat dairy is not necessarily tied to obesity or even a higher weight. A 2013 study showed that kids who drink nonfat or low-fat milk were more likely to become overweight or obese than their counterparts who drank 2 percent or whole milk. Another found that the consumption of high-fat dairy lowered the risk of stroke, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. This latest research comes at a time when, on average, Americans simply aren’t drinking as much milk as they used to. Since the 1970s, adult consumption of liquid milk has decreased by almost 40 percent, whereas consumption of dairy products such as yogurt has risen significantly each year. Even the f Continue reading >>
Is Whole-milk Yogurt A Whole Lot Better?
It may not only taste superior to low-fat but also could have more health benefits We respect your privacy . All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story. Stroll through the dairy aisle of your grocery store and you may notice that fat is back at least in the yogurt case. Although low-fat and nonfat yogurts still dominate the dairy aisle, according to market research firm Mintel, there has been an astounding 2,675 percent increase in the number of whole-milk yogurt products on store shelves in the past decade as consumers more and more perceive whole products to be healthier. Switching to whole milk could be a revelation for your taste buds, too. The flavor is rich, and the texture is often creamier than even the creamiest low-fat versions. Plus you might not need to choose between health and taste. Scientists are just now starting to dig into the research about whole-milk dairy products, says Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., Dr.P.H., dean of the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. What it suggests is that there may be health benefits to whole-fat dairy. But not all yogurts are created equal. (Learn about the "grass fed" label you might find on some yogurt .) Consumer Reports food testers looked at 23 whole-milk regular and Greek products in two flavors, plain and berry. In observational studies we see clear associations between consumption of all types of yogurt and lower risk of obesity, weight gain, and type 2 diabetes, says Mario Kratz, Ph.D., an associate member at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. For example, a 2014 Harvard analysis of studies found that a daily serving reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 18 percent. A study of 1,500 adults published recently in the jour Continue reading >>
The Full-fat Paradox: Dairy Fat Linked To Lower Diabetes Risk
If you melt at the creaminess of full-fat yogurt, read on. A new study finds the dairy fats found in milk, yogurt and cheese may help protect against Type 2 diabetes. The research, published in the journal Circulation, included 3,333 adults. Beginning in the late 1980s, researchers took blood samples from the participants and measured circulating levels of biomarkers of dairy fat in their blood. Then, over the next two decades, the researchers tracked who among the participants developed diabetes. "People who had the most dairy fat in their diet had about a 50 percent lower risk of diabetes" compared with people who consumed the least dairy fat, says Dariush Mozaffarian, dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, who is also an author of the study. The study does not prove a cause and effect, but it builds on a body of evidence suggesting that dairy fat may have protective effects, both in cutting the risk of diabetes and in helping people control body weight. "For a long time we've had this notion that saturated fat [the kind found in dairy products] is always bad for you," says Mark DeBoer, a pediatrician at the University of Virginia. But this assumption is being questioned. As we've previously reported, DeBoer has studied the connection between dairy fat and children's body weight. And he published a surprising finding. "It appears that children who have a higher intake of whole milk or 2 percent milk gain less weight over time" compared with kids who consume skim or nonfat dairy products, explains DeBoer. And there's some evidence that dairy fat may help adults manage weight as well. As we've reported, researchers in Sweden found that middle-aged men who consumed high-fat milk, butter and cream were significantly less likely to Continue reading >>
Wait. Full-fat Dairy Is Better For You Than Low-fat? Gulp.
By Karen D'Souza | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group Most of us have spent our whole lives suffering through skim milk and low-fat yogurt because it was supposed to be healthier for us. Cut the fat out of the dairy experience and you can keep the inches off, right? Well, maybe not. Now, more and more research is suggesting that the way our bodies break food down is much more complicated than we thought. Milk fat just may keep you from getting fat. Going the full monty by drinking whole milk and noshing on full-fat cheese and yogurt may actually help you keep the pounds off. As Time reported ,some research suggests people who consume full-fat dairy weigh less and are less likely to develop diabetes to boot. In a study published in the journal Circulation, scientists analyzed the blood of 3,333 adults enrolled in the Nurses Health Study of Health Professionals Follow-up Study over about 15 years. They found that people who had higher levels of three different byproducts of full-fat dairy had, on average, a 46% lower risk of getting diabetes than those with lower levels. This Jan. 13, 2012 photo shows cups of Chobani Yogurt at Chobani Greek Yogurt in South Edmeston, N.Y. Another study, published in the American Journal of Nutrition, analyzed the effects of full fat and low fat dairy on obesity. Guess what? Among the 18,438 women in the Womens Health Study, those who consumed the most high-fat dairy products lowered their risk of being overweight of obese by 8%. And theres even evidence that milk fat may be good for your ticker. A 2014 review published in Current Nutrition Reports, as U.S. News and World Report noted , concluded that fat from milk, cheese and yogurt does not contribute to the development of coronary artery disease. Researchers note that da Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Yogurt: The Do’s And Don’ts
Yogurt can be a great nutrient-dense breakfast option or an easy snack. It is low in carbohydrates, meaning it won’t cause blood sugar spikes in people with diabetes. There may even be additional benefits for people with diabetes. What Research Shows Fermented foods, such as yogurt, contain good bacteria called probiotics. Probiotics have been shown to improve gut health. Research on gut health is ongoing, but gut bacteria and overall health could play a factor in a number of health conditions, including obesity and diabetes. What Do I Need to Know About Probiotics? Recent research shows that yogurt consumption might be associated with lower levels of glucose and insulin resistance, and lower systolic blood pressure. Another study found a potential link between regular yogurt consumption and a reduced risk for type 2 diabetes. These studies are encouraging, but more research is needed to determine what link, if any, exists between yogurt and type 2 diabetes. What Makes Yogurt Great Most dairy products are low on the glycemic index. This makes them ideal for people with diabetes. To get the most out of your yogurt, check the labels before you purchase. If you want the gut benefits from the probiotics, choose a yogurt that contains live and active cultures. Also pay attention to the nutrition facts. Many yogurts have added sugars. Look for yogurts with high protein content and low carbohydrates, such as unflavored Greek yogurt. Sugar content among brands, and even among flavors within the same brand, can vary drastically, so check labels closely. Carbohydrates By Yogurt Type Yogurt Type (6 ounces) Carbohydrates Sugar plain Greek yogurt 6-8 grams 4-8 grams flavored Greek yogurt 16-22 grams 12-18 grams plain yogurt 11-15 grams 10-12 grams vanilla yogurt 22-33 grams 21-28 Continue reading >>
Bring On The Full-fat Dairy? Not So Fast
Full-fat dairy was linked with reduced risk of diabetes, but experts say it's not a green light to load up on milk, cheese and butter. With commentary by researcher Frank Hu, MD, MPH, PhD, professor of nutrition and epidemiology, Harvard Medical School and T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The debate about high-fat versus low-fat dairy foods is simmering again. In the latest study, adults who consumed more full-fat dairy products(as reflected by higher levels of certain fatty acids in their bloodsamples) had a lower risk of getting type 2 diabetes over a long-term follow-up. In some press reports, that finding was translated to mean it's time to switch to whole-fat dairy foods, despite current dietary guidelines that suggest choosing low-fat or non-fat dairy as part of a healthy diet.1 Not so fast, says Frank Hu, MD, PhD, MPH, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H.Chan School of Public Health and a study coauthor. "I wouldn't use this research to give a green light for people to drink whole milk [or other high-fat products]," he says. "This is a very preliminary result." Dr. Hu and his colleagues followed more than 3,300 adults, ages 30 to 75, enrolled in two different long-term studies. One, the Nurses' Health Study, began in 1989. The other, the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, began in 1993. The researchers tracked the men and women through 2010. During that time, 277 new cases of diabetes were diagnosed. The researchers then looked at blood samples taken at the start of the studies, measuring circulating levels of fatty acid biomarkers found in high-fat dairy foods.The higher these biomarkers, the lower the risk of getting diabetes, with the risk reduction ranging from 43 to 52%. The link held after adjusting fo Continue reading >>
The Best Yogurt For People With Diabetes
Yogurt, typically made from cow's milk (however, nowadays there are many alternatives), is a source of carbohydrate which is also full of good bacteria, calcium, and protein. If you have diabetes, yogurt can be a smart food choice; however, the trick is to know which kind of yogurt to choose and which to skip out on. In the best kinds of yogurt, you get a good balance of protein and carbohydrate, along with calcium and healthy probiotics . You alsodon'tget a lot of added sugar, additives, food coloring, or saturated fat. Choosing a low-fat or non-fat yogurt version can help you to reduce your total calorie intake as well as keep your saturated fat (the type of fat that increase bad LDL cholesterol) low. In addition, since yogurt is a source of carbohydrate, you'll want to choose a yogurt that is low in added sugars such as fruited yogurts or those yogurts with added granola, or other toppings that are rich in sugar. Therefore, it's best to choose plain, low-fat yogurt.If you need to add sweetness, top your yogurt with some berries or peaches. Frozen varieties can make your yogurt seem "syrup-y", too, for more fiber and less added sugar. If you are looking to be "greener" and have some added healthy fats to your diet, you can choose a yogurt that is made from grass fed cows. Greek yogurt is regular yogurt that's been strained, removing some of the whey and leaving behind a thicker, more protein-rich yogurt.Greek yogurt is readily available in regular grocery stores; find it in the refrigerated dairy section. Regular yogurt provides 5 grams of protein per 6-ounce serving, while Greek yogurt provides up to 20 grams, depending on the brand. Because it has more protein, Greek yogurt has about 1/3 the carbohydrate of regular yogurt. And, because lactose is a source of carboh Continue reading >>
Could Switching To Whole-fat Yogurt Protect Us From Diabetes?
Switching from other dairy types to whole-fat yogurt may play a role in preventing diabetes, research has suggested. Modifying diet is key in the prevention of type 2 diabetes, as confirmed in large-scale trials of lifestyle change. Most dietary guidelines recommend low-fat dairy products for adults However, recent research has cast doubt over the assumption that whole-fat dairy products increase the risk of type 2 diabetes; indeed, one recent large-scale study has suggested the opposite is true. In this large-scale cohort study, the authors looked into the effects of swapping between the types of dairy products we eat, without changing our overall energy intake. They discovered that whole-fat yogurt, eaten in place of full- or low-fat milk or even low-fat yogurt, is linked with a reduced rate of type 2 diabetes. Comparing dairy product types In the study, participants with a higher intake of one dairy product type and a lower intake of another type were compared with those who had the opposite intakes. This allowed the authors to assess the effects of substituting between dairy types without changing overall energy intake. The authors used data from 54,277 people who entered the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort at age 50-64 years. They were asked to complete a food frequency questionnaire about the dairy products they consumed. The participants were followed up for a median of 15.3 years. During this time the authors identified 7,137 cases of type 2 diabetes among the participants via the Danish National Diabetes Register. Whole-fat yogurt in place of other dairy products was linked to lower rate of diabetes Analysis of the results showed that when whole-fat yogurt products were replaced with low-fat yogurt products, there was a higher rate of type 2 diabetes per Continue reading >>
What Is The Best Milk For People With Diabetes?
Whether served with cereal or an afternoon snack, milk is a dairy product that's a common part of many people's diets. But for those with diabetes, milk's carbohydrate count can impact blood sugar. Milk contains lactose, a natural sugar or carbohydrate the body uses for energy. An 8-ounce serving of milk has 12 grams of carbohydrate. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommend eating between 45 and 60 grams of carbohydrate per meal. A standard glass of milk will then represent one-third to one-fourth of a recommended carbohydrate intake for a meal. While cow's milk offers calcium and taste benefits to those with diabetes, its impact on blood sugar may make other choices better ones. Milk nutrition facts for people with diabetes Many milk options can be found at the grocery store. These include varying percentages of cow's milk to rice milk to almond milk. Consider the nutrition facts for some of the following milk options (all serving sizes are for one cup, or 8 ounces, of milk): Calories: 149 Fat: 8 grams Carbohydrate: 12 grams Protein: 8 grams Calcium: 276 milligrams Calories: 91 Fat: 0.61 grams Carbohydrate: 12 grams Protein: 8 grams Calcium: 316 milligrams Calories: 39 Fat: 2.88 grams Carbohydrate: 1.52 grams Protein: 1.55 grams Calcium: 516 milligrams Calories: 113 Fat: 2.33 grams Carbohydrate: 22 grams Protein: 0.67 grams Calcium: 283 milligrams While these aren't the only milk options for those with diabetes, they show how there are many different types of milk. Each milk type has its own qualities, from more to less calcium and more to fewer carbohydrates. For example, almond milk has nearly zero carbohydrates while both whole and skim milk have 12 grams of carbohydrates. Some varieties of almond milk also have more calcium per cup than dairy milk does. So Continue reading >>
Milk Products And Type 2 Diabetes: An Update
The relationship between milk product consumption and type 2 diabetes has been examined in several meta-analyses. Evidence to date suggests that milk product consumption is associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Highlights Milk product consumption is associated with a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes; Total dairy and low-fat milk products are largely associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes; High-fat dairy/dairy fat is either not associated or inversely associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes; Fermented dairy, including cheese and yogurt, is either not associated or inversely associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes; There appears to be an inverse dose-response relationship between yogurt and cheese and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Synopsis Several meta-analyses of numerous prospective cohort studies have examined the role of milk products in the development of type 2 diabetes. The totality of the evidence to date suggests that there is an inverse association between milk product consumption, including specific milk products such as yogurt and cheese, and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The Evidence A meta-analysis published in 2014 investigated the association between the consumption of different types of dairy products and the risk of type 2 diabetes. The analysis consisted of data from 14 prospective cohort studies (N = 459,790), including the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, the Nurses’ Health Study and the Nurses’ Health Study II.1 Total, high-fat and low-fat dairy intake were not associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes; Yogurt consumption (both plain and flavoured) was associated with an 18% decreased risk of type 2 diabetes (pooled relative risk of 0.82 per one serving of yogurt/day, 95% CI: Continue reading >>
Why Greek Yogurt Should Be Part Of Your Type 2 Diabetes Diet
Smooth, creamy, thick — Greek yogurt is one of the hottest foods around, and its popularity shows no signs of abating. With a pudding-like texture and a slightly tart flavor, Greek yogurt also has more protein and fewer carbs and fewer sugars than traditional yogurt. This means that Greek yogurt can be even better for people with type 2 diabetes, says Tami Ross, RD, CDE, a diabetes educator in Lexington, Kentucky. "My patients love the consistency of it," Ross explains. "Even the patients who are not big on yogurt or milk products overwhelmingly seem to like Greek yogurt." Greek yogurt's thick consistency comes from straining it to remove liquid whey. This process increases the amount of protein per serving and removes some of the carbohydrates, which people with diabetes must watch carefully. "For folks with diabetes, the lower carbs are a plus," Ross notes. "You can work in the yogurt for a snack without having to account for so many carbohydrates." The increased protein can also help you feel that you've had a more substantial snack, so you'll feel more satisfied and won't be hungry for something else quite so quickly. "In terms of promoting satiety and helping people feel full, it's great," Ross says. And starting your day with Greek yogurt may even help you manage your blood sugar throughout the day. Eating low-GI foods for breakfast helps prevent blood-sugar spikes later on, one recent study found. How to Find the Right Greek Yogurt Of course, not all Greek yogurts are created equal. With many brands and flavors on the market, it's important to read nutrition labels carefully to find one that will work with a diabetes-friendly diet. Carbohydrate content is the most important item to look for on the nutrition label of Greek yogurt, since it accounts for the sugar Continue reading >>
The Case Against Low-fat Milk Is Stronger Than Ever
TIME Health For more, visit TIME Health. For years you’ve been told to go for skim over full-fat dairy. Even the latest dietary guidelines for Americans urge people to avoid the full fat, and following this lead, school lunch programs provide only low-fat milk and no whole milk at all, even though they do allow chocolate skim milk with its added sugars. But large population studies that look at possible links between full-fat dairy consumption, weight and disease risk are starting to call that advice into question. And some research suggests people who consume full-fat dairy weigh less and are less likely to develop diabetes, too. MORE: Why Full-Fat Dairy May Be Healthier Than Low-Fat In a new study published in the journal Circulation, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian and his colleagues analyzed the blood of 3,333 adults enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study of Health Professionals Follow-up Study taken over about 15 years. They found that people who had higher levels of three different byproducts of full-fat dairy had, on average, a 46% lower risk of getting diabetes during the study period than those with lower levels. “I think these findings together with those from other studies do call for a change in the policy of recommending only low-fat dairy products,” says Mozaffarian. “There is no prospective human evidence that people who eat low-fat dairy do better than people who eat whole-fat dairy.” MORE: Ending the War on Fat Since full-fat dairy products contain more calories, many experts assumed avoiding it would lower diabetes risk. But studies have found that when people reduce how much fat they eat, they tend to replace it with sugar or carbohydrates, both of which can have worse effects on insulin and diabetes risk. In the current study, Mozaffarian adjusted Continue reading >>
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Diabetes And Dairy
When it comes to the whole dairy group of foods, it can also be another area you can get stuck if you've got diabetes. Do I eat low fat? Is it okay to eat cheese? And is milk okay? Well, hopefully by the time you're done reading this you'll have a whole new perspective on diabetes and dairy. Low Fat vs. High Fat Compared We've all been so used to choosing low fat options but let's look at some low fat yogurt. Full fat Greek yogurt has far less carbohydrates/ sugar than a low fat option, coming in at around 6 g per serve. As a diabetic, one of the most important things for lowering blood sugar and A1C levels is monitoring carbohydrate intake, so don't exclude monitoring (some) dairy from this list (see more on this below). The Research on Diabetes And Dairy In the past 12 months we have seen new science emerge showing that full fat products are not an issue. As Time magazine clearly puts it: “A recent review published in the European Journal of Nutrition of the existing research on dairy fat came to some surprising conclusions: People who eat full-fat dairy are no more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes than people who stick to low-fat dairy. When it comes to weight gain, full-fat dairy may actually be better for you, the review found.” Keeping fatty red meats in lower proportion is a good idea, but full fat dairy is better than low fat. Quoted from Independent, Dr Ulrika Ericson, from Lund University, Sweden said: “Those who ate the most high-fat dairy products had a 23 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate the least.” Ericson's study looked at almost 27,000 people to see what dietary fat food sources might lead to increased rates of type 2 diabetes. What they found was that those consuming more high-fat da Continue reading >>
Is Skim Milk Better Than Whole Milk For People With Diabetes?
Skim milk has all of the same nutrients as whole milk but without extra fat. If whole milk is not homogenized to reduce the size of fat particles, it naturally separates into skim milk with the cream layer on top. Skim milk has the same amount of calcium, vitamin D, riboflavin, and protein as whole milk does. However, skim milk is a better dietary choice for managing diabetes because of its lower fat content making it a healthy heart choice and its lower caloric content to prevent weight gain. Skim milk has less calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol. A cup of skim milk has 12 grams of carbohydrate, 8 grams of protein, 0 grams of fat, and 128 mg of sodium. Transitioning from whole to nonfat milk is a good place to start to assist with weight management and a healthier heart since skim milk provides all of the essential nutrients without extra calories from saturated fat. Make it a gradual process to let your taste buds adjust to a new flavor and texture by switching to 2% milk first. Another option is to begin by substituting nonfat milk in your favorite recipes, beverages, and with your cereal. Just about every piece of dietary advice out there recommends that you consume low-fat or nonfat versions of milk, yogurt, or other dairy food. The fat in dairy foods, even reduced-fat versions, is roughly 50 to 60 percent saturated fat, which is supposed to be bad for your heart. However, a growing number of experts say this is nothing more than a mistaken interpretation of the science. And recent research suggests that the other fats in milk and other dairy foods can be good for you. For instance, dairy fat contains lots of oleic acid (the stuff that makes olive oil so healthy), along with a type of fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) that may help with weight loss. In Continue reading >>
Are Full-fat Dairy Foods Better For You After All?
Can we go back to putting whole milk in our coffee and slurping down real ice cream? Two recent studies suggest eating full-fat dairy foods instead of their thinner tasting, low-fat or non-fat counterparts may help cut the risk for diabetes and obesity. But the research is still early, experts told CBS News. Tufts researchers report in the journal Circulation that people who consumed full-fat dairy products had as much as a 46 percent lower risk of developing diabetes over the course of the 15-year study compared with people who opted for skim milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cheese. The research was based on an analysis of blood test results showing biomarkers of full-fat dairy consumption. A second study of more than 18,000 middle-age women who were part of the Women's Health Study -- and normal weight, free of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes at the start of the research -- found that those who ate more high-fat dairy had an 8 percent lower chance of going on to become obese over time compared to those who ate less. No association was observed with low-fat dairy product intake. "We saw less weight gain for higher total dairy and high-fat dairy intake and also a lower risk of becoming overweight and obese in those who consumed more high-fat dairy," said study author Susanne Rautiainen, a research fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend keeping saturated fat consumption to less than 10 percent of calories per day. A latte made with one cup of whole milk, for example, contains 4.6 grams of saturated fat -- almost a quarter of the daily total. Changing the dietary guidelines might be premature at this point, but they should be re-evaluated, nutrition experts said. "I am conservative ab Continue reading >>
