Dairy products: Not so bad for heart health after all!

More often than not, the consumption of dairy products has been linked to many health problems, such as cardiovascular disease. Scientists have been stressing that especially those who consume full fat dairy products are at greater health risk. But, a new international scientific study changes everything. It found that those who eat a lot of dairy have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, compared to those who consume less fat from such foods. The researchers, led by Dr. Matty Marklund from the School of Public Health of the university of Johns Hopkins and the Australian George Institute for Global Health, think that the type of fat is more important than the quantity consumed. Also, according to the study, increased consumption of dairy fats was not associated with an increased risk of death. The study analyzed data from more than 4,000 people in Sweden, a country that has a “tradition” in dairy consumption. Participants were approximately 60 years of age. Specifically, the study analyzed the relationship between diet and the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other health problems over a 16-year period. Then the researchers combined these findings with those of 17 other studies from other countries. The “verdict” was clear: people with the highest levels of dairy fatty acids in their bodies had, on average, a 25% lower cardiovascular risk than those with the lowest levels. In other countries a similar relationship was observed m(in the US the cardiovascular risk was 12% lower). «Although dairy can be high in saturated fat, it can also be rich in many other nutrients and thus can be part of a healthy diet. There is growing evidence that the impact of dairy products on health may depend more on the type – e.g. milk, cheese, yogurt, butter etc. – rather than their fat content», researcher Dr. Kathy Trie said. Giota Florou source: Athens News Agency Recent Articles