High Yoghurt Consumption Linked to Lower Diabetes Risk
You know that yoghurt is good for your tummy. But did you know it is also good for your blood sugar levels? Scientists from the University of Cambridge found that higher yoghurt consumption resulted to 28 per cent reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes, compared to non-consumption. Furthermore, higher consumption of low-fat fermented dairy products, which include all yoghurt varieties and some low-fat cheeses, may also cut diabetes risk by as much as 24 per cent.
"This research highlights that specific foods may have an important role in the prevention of type 2 diabetes and are relevant for public health messages", says Dr Nita Forouhi from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, the lead author of the study.
Dairy products are known for their high protein content. However, these foods are also high in saturated fats. That’s why current dietary guidelines advise people to consume low-fat varieties. There have been several studies in the past which investigated the link between dairy consumption and type 2 diabetes but findings were non-conclusive. For this reason, the team from Cambridge University carried out a more detailed assessment of dairy product consumption and how it affects diabetes risk.
Their study involved 25,000 men and women living in Norfolk, UK who submitted a detailed daily record of all the food and drinks they consumed over a week at the time of study. It compared with 753 people who developed new-onset type 2 diabetes over 11 years of follow-up with 3,502 randomly selected study participants. This approach allowed the researchers to compare diabetes in relation to the consumption of total dairy products and also types of individual dairy products.
The consumption of total dairy, total high-fat dairy or total low-fat dairy was not associated with new-onset diabetes once other factors were taken into account, like education, obesity levels, other eating habits and total calorie intake. There was also no association found between total milk and cheese intakes.
In contrast, participants who had the highest consumption of low-fat fermented dairy products like yoghurt, cottage cheese and fromage frais were 24 per cent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes over the 11 years, compared with non-consumers.
When examined separately from the other low-fat fermented dairy products, yoghurt, which makes up more than 85 per cent of these products, was associated with a 28 per cent reduced risk of developing diabetes. This benefit was observed among participants who consumed an average of four and a half standard 125g pots of yoghurt per week.
“At a time when we have a lot of other evidence that consuming high amounts of certain foods, such as added sugars and sugary drinks, is bad for our health, it is very reassuring to have messages about other foods like yoghurt and low-fat fermented dairy products, that could be good for our health". Dr Forouhi said. Their findings were published in the journal Diabetologia.
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