Full-fat Dairy Is Good After All!
Moneylife Digital Team 13 July 2018
Slowly, but surely, nutritional orthodoxy of the past few decades is being discredited in favour of age-old choices. According to new research by the University of Texas Health Science Center (Houston) (UTHealth), enjoying full-fat milk, yogurt, cheese and butter is good, after all! The study, published on 11 July 2018 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found no significant link between dairy fats and heart disease and stroke, often associated with high intake of saturated fat. It may be remembered that coconut oil is another item high in saturated fat, which used to be demonised once, but is now lauded as a super-food.
 
According to the study, certain types of dairy fat may help guard against a severe stroke. According to Marcia Otto the study's first and corresponding author and assistant professor in the department of epidemiology, human genetics and environmental sciences at UTHealth School of Public Health, “Our findings not only support, but also significantly strengthen, the growing body of evidence which suggests that dairy fat, contrary to popular belief, does not increase risk of heart disease or overall mortality in older adults. In addition to not contributing to death, the results suggest that one fatty acid present in dairy may lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, particularly from stroke.” 
 
The study evaluated the link between fatty acid present in dairy and heart disease and related it over a 22-year period. For the study, about 3,000 adults of 65 years and older, who had three types of fatty acids, were tested at the beginning in 1992 and again after six years and 13 years. This methodology, as opposed to the self-reported consumption, which is more common, gave a better insight into the long-term exposure to these fatty acids, according to the report. None of the fatty acid types was associated with total mortality in a statistically significant way. One type of fatty acid was linked to lower cardiovascular disease deaths! People, who consumed more whole-fat dairy products, had a 42% lower risk of dying from stroke.
 
All this undermines the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (copied in many parts of the worlds) which recommends serving fat-free or low-fat dairy, including milk, cheese, yogurt, and/or fortified soy beverages. What nutritionists and doctors are unaware of, or don’t care about, is that low-fat dairy foods, often, include added sugars which may affect cardiovascular and metabolic health.
 
Whole-fat dairy foods are rich sources of calcium and potassium which are essential for health. Dr Otto said: “Consumers have been exposed to so much different and conflicting information about diet, particularly in relation to fats, that it is important to have robust studies, so people can make more balanced and informed choices based on scientific fact rather than hearsay.” 
 
Comments
Anindya Bhattacharya
6 years ago
It is interesting to note that no doctor reader has participated in the discussion. I request Mr. Debashis Basu to publish follow ups on this topic from experts. Let us have more perspectives from experts. The quest is important and ongoing questioning of the facts ( so called) known to us need to be challenged continuously without bias.
I congratulate Moneylife to bring in the topic into discussion. Can we get more authentic / research based facts directly from published papers avoiding data from You tube / other internet sources who never take responsibility of published data?
Saravanan R
6 years ago
It is silly for Mr. Anand Vaidya to instigate the fight here. If at all, it should be challenged with University of Texas Health Science Center (Houston) (UTHealth). ML Digital team has not done the said research
Anand Vaidya
6 years ago
ML Digital team, hear this "People like to hear good news about their bad habits"
Also remember that many "studies" are biased, lack data or objectivity, have statistical and method errors - even those conducted by US/EU universities.
Many jump to wrong conclusions, especially those funded by Dairy/Meat/Egg industry in the west.
Milk of cows is designed for calves. Milk of another species is unnecessary for human health. Milk is full of sat-fats, anti-biotics, white blood cells (yeah, pus cells) and IGF-1 which is the precursor to various cancers. Cow's milk's role in Type-1 Diabetes is well documented.
Cheese is good? What next? Cigarettes are healthy?

PLEASE DON'T SPREAD SUCH WRONG MESSAGES.
Debashis Basu
Replied to Anand Vaidya comment 6 years ago
It would do no good to cling on to orthodox beliefs which have now been scientifically discredited. You need to educate yourself with facts. Start with this book https://www.amazon.in/Eat-Fat-Thin-Mark-Hyman/dp/1473631149/ref=sr_1_1?s=prime-day&ie=UTF8&qid=1531739947&sr=8-1&keywords=eat+fat+get+thin and follow people like Dr Aseem Malhotra, UK's top cardiologist, on twitter
Parthasarathy J
Replied to Debashis Basu comment 6 years ago
It's today's conclusion by modern science. Tomorrow as per industry requirements they will come with another new discovery. Don't conclude only people living in era are intelligent.
Anand Vaidya
Replied to Debashis Basu comment 6 years ago
Unfair for you to accuse me of "clinging to orthodox beliefs" when I, a typical lacto-vegetarian, cow worshipping Hindu, has realized that Dairy is wrong ethically, healthwise and changed my habits and views, It is you, who is unwilling to learn and clinging to old ideas not supported by hard science by supporting eating of 70% saturated fats and antibiotics and Milk of ANOTHER SPECIES!!!
Anand Vaidya
Replied to Debashis Basu comment 6 years ago
Even Dr Mark Hyman seems to recommend avoiding Dairy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O-ehIkwGME
Anand Vaidya
Replied to Debashis Basu comment 6 years ago
I have done months of reading/listening to great doctors such as Dr John McDougall, Dr Garth Davis (Bariatric Surgeon), Prof Colin Campbell (China Study fame), Dr Neil Barnard (PCRM head) and ofcourse Dr. Dean Ornish and many other vegan gurus. I have altered my food habits as per their advice (Whole Food Plant Based-abbreviated WFPB). and seen significant improvement in weight loss, cholesterol & blood sugar readings without "dieting"... Same results have been obtained by millions others.
Dairy is unethical during "production", unnecessary for human health and ecological disaster (Dairy & meat production). Please watch the video by Joseph Keon - Whitewashed on youtube.
Debashis Basu
Replied to Anand Vaidya comment 6 years ago
“The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie--deliberate, contrived and dishonest--but the myth--persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. Too often we hold fast to the cliches of our forebears. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought. - John Kennedy
Anand Vaidya
Replied to Debashis Basu comment 6 years ago
Don't throw quotes at me. Please watch NutritionFacts.org by Dr. Michael Greger. Then we can discuss
SRIDHAR IYER
Replied to Debashis Basu comment 6 years ago
U r absolutely right, Sir. We need to rethink and revisit all our modern beliefs and practices. Our grandfathers/mothers were more healthier than us. They were physically more capable and also ailment free till their late stages. Nowadays we hear of heart attacks even in twenties. I think our age old Indian practices have been corrupted by the Western influences and habits. Even regarding the benefits of coconut oil...Researches are showing that it is the best oil amongst all. Keralites majorly consume coconut oil on daily basis....look at their skin tone and hair colour.
Thumps up to your views and articles.
Danny Allen
Replied to SRIDHAR IYER comment 6 years ago
Very true. Only in the 20th century the low fat and vegetable oil consumption started growing. One needs to go to dietdoctor.com and read and listen to eminent experts on why saturated fat is good and it is the carbs from genetically modified grains and sugar which is the culprit for inflamation that leads to various diseases.
Abdul Salim Pottengal
Replied to Anand Vaidya comment 6 years ago
Dear Sir
Kindly go through some articles related to Low Carb and High Fat (LCHF) diet. Fats are that much villain as you said? You compared it to cigaretes, please do a thorough study about fats..
Anand Vaidya
Replied to Abdul Salim Pottengal comment 6 years ago
LCHF has been debunked and discredit already. It can lead to weight loss in the short term. But long term safety is a big iffy.

Humans belong to the primate category. We don't handle meat very well, if at all. Unlike cats big & small and other true carnivores.

Watch this video wrt Ketodiets (LCHF is more or less same thing): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gS2F4B4ZT3Q
Danny Allen
Replied to Anand Vaidya comment 6 years ago
I beg to differ. I followed LCHF 3 years back and lost 18 kgs and maintained it !
Todays grains are devoid of nutrition because of pesticides and GM. Also vegetable oils are highly processed to make them fit for consumption. Watch " butter makes my pants fall off" on youtube to get a better insight on how the human body reacts to saturated fats.
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