So high fat dairy is good for you!!!!!

For many years we have been told that we need to eat low fat dairy foods to help our health. However recent research shows that this may not be a good idea after all.

A study done by Lund University in Sweden shows that eating high fat dairy foods may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. The reverse applies to meat consumption.

The focus of the study was to investigate the effect that the source of dietary fat has on type 2 diabetes.

The findings have been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in April 2015. The study was based on previous studies which showed that there was a reduced type 2 diabetes risk in people eating lots of dairy foods, and has extended the findings to show that it is the high fat dairy foods that are particularly good.

Dr Ulrika Ericson, from Lund University, said; “Those who ate the most high-fat dairy products had a 23 per cent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate the least. High meat consumption was linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes regardless of the fat content of the meat.When we investigated the consumption of saturated fatty acids that are slightly more common in dairy products than in meat, we observed a link with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. However, we have not ruled out the possibility that other components of dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese may have contributed to our results.”

The study involved following up on the 27 000 individuals who had been involved in the 1990s in the Malmö Diet and Cancer study.

Dr Ericson said; “Our results suggest that we should not focus solely on fat, but rather consider what foods we eat. “Many foodstuffs contain different components that are harmful or beneficial to health, and it is the overall balance that is important.”

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.