Friday 10 October 2014

Drinking and eating full fat dairy products to reduce risk of diabetes


There are so many selections of milk to choose from in the grocery stores today. More than likely, most of them aren't even healthy at all. Full-fat, low-fat, or non-fat pasteurized milk fills the shelves in the refrigerator section.

The dairy industry typically recommends low-fat or non-fat milk, however, if you're lactose intolerant then non-dairy milks are the options. Even with non-dairy milk, you have to be careful with the additives that are included. While the FDA is still arguing that pasteurized milk is healthier, they further argue that low-fat milk is the healthier option than full-fat. Research has shown otherwise.

Eating full fat dairy products to reduce diabetes


As reported in The Telegraph, a study included about 27,000 people, ranging from 45 to 74 years of age, and was monitored for 14 years. Researchers found that those who ate eight portions of full-fat dairy cut their risk of diabetes by 25% compared to those who ate fewer portions. (1)

Dairy foods typically contain high amounts of saturated fats and the conventional thinking is that saturated fats are bad for you. However, in 2010 a scientist declared, "...there is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of [coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease.]" (2)

Additionally, another study found that palmitoleic acid that is naturally occurring in full-fat dairy products is what actually protects against insulin resistance and diabetes. Those who consumed full-fat dairy actually had higher levels of trans-palmitoleate in their blood. As a result, these people have about two-thirds lower risk in developing type-2 diabetes compared to others. (3)

Other research shows that full-fat dairy is good for you


Besides lowering your risk for diabetes, research is also showing that full-fat milk helps improve cancer, weight, and heart disease.

One study found that conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is naturally found in cow's milk, reduces the risk of cancer by a lot. Women who ate at least four servings of high-fat dairy each day had a 41% lower risk of bowel cancer; and at each increment of two servings of dairy product reduced the risk by 13%. (4,5)

Another study showed that perimenopausal women who ate at least one servings of full-fat dairy a day gained 30% less weight over a 9-year period compared to women who ate only low-fat or non-fat dairy products. (4,6)

It also appears that full-fat dairy helps with heart disease as well. In a 16-year study, researchers found that Australian adults who ate full-fat dairy were less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. (4,7)

Opt for full-fat raw dairy products


If you have been consuming dairy products, it's best to choose the full-fat version and even much better to go for the raw products! The nutritional benefits in raw milk products have been found to be far superior than pasteurized. The health promoting benefits of raw milk can include valuable enzymes, natural butterfat, good sources of unoxidized cholesterol, includes CLA, and has excellent omega-3 to omega-6 ratios! (8)

Sources for this article include:

(1) www.telegraph.co.uk
(2) ajcn.nutrition.org
(3) www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
(4) articles.mercola.com
(5) ajcn.nutrition.org
(6) ajcn.nutrition.org
(7) www.nature.com
(8) news.therawfoodworld.com

Image source: https://flic.kr/p/eM6vje

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