For decades, we were told to avoid full-fat dairy. New research says otherwise
Full-fat dairy may not be the health villain it has long been portrayed as, according to a new study finding that three daily servings did not worsen weight, cholesterol, or insulin resistance over 12 weeks. Researchers also observed improvements in blood pressure and nutrient intake, raising questions about longstanding recommendations to choose low-fat dairy.
Key points
- Adults eating three daily servings of full-fat dairy for 12 weeks showed no harmful changes in weight or cholesterol.
- Higher dairy intake was linked to improved blood pressure and more calcium, protein and vitamin D.
- Researchers say larger, longer studies are needed to confirm lasting health effects.
A new Canadian study led by University of Toronto professor Harvey Anderson found that adults who ate three servings of full-fat dairy daily for 12 weeks showed no harmful changes in body weight, body composition, energy metabolism or blood cholesterol, compared with a diet containing little dairy. The findings were published in The Journal of Nutrition.
Participants who consumed more dairy also saw improvements in blood pressure and took in greater amounts of several important nutrients. The results raise questions about long-standing advice in Canada and elsewhere to choose low-fat or fat-free dairy, which has been based mainly on concerns about saturated fat and LDL cholesterol.
How the study was run
The 12-week study involved 74 adults with overweight or obesity, randomly assigned to one of three diets. One group followed a calorie-restricted diet with little dairy; a second ate three daily servings of dairy on an energy-neutral diet; a third ate three servings of dairy daily without specific calorie limits. All received guidance based on Canada's food guide, and researchers supplied full-fat dairy products.
Anderson said the higher-dairy groups showed no adverse cholesterol, lipid or insulin resistance signals. The study was relatively small and lasted only three months, and the researchers say longer, larger studies are needed to show whether the findings translate into lasting benefits or changes in cardiovascular risk.
Keep it simple, eat a variety of foods and not too much of anything.
— Harvey Anderson
Why dairy may differ
The article describes the dairy matrix hypothesis, which holds that the physical structure of a food affects how the body processes its nutrients. Anderson said dairy contains two proteins, casein and whey, bound together with fat and mixed with nutrients, which can regulate how quickly nutrients are released during digestion.
The researchers suggest the findings may matter for older adults, who often need sufficient protein and nutrients while eating fewer calories. The study did not establish whether long-term full-fat dairy consumption prevents or increases diabetes, heart disease or other chronic conditions.
