Full-Fat Dairy May Actually Be Healthy, Not Harm Weight or Cholesterol, Study Finds

For decades, people have been advised to avoid full-fat dairy over concerns that it could contribute to weight gain and higher cholesterol levels. Now, a new, albeit small, study challenges that view. It found that three daily servings of full-fat dairy did not worsen weight or cholesterol and may even offer some health benefits. The study, led by researchers at the University of Toronto, found that adults who consumed three servings of full-fat dairy each day did not experience adverse changes in blood cholesterol, blood lipids or insulin resistance. The findings were published in The Journal of Nutrition. “Those that had three servings of dairy didn’t have adverse levels of blood cholesterol or lipids or evidence of insulin resistance,” said Professor Harvey Anderson of the University of Toronto. Why Full-Fat Dairy Has Long Raised Concerns Dairy foods contain saturated fat, which has traditionally been associated with higher cholesterol and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. As a result, dietary recommendations in Canada and many other countries have generally encouraged people to choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products to reduce saturated fat intake. However, Anderson, a professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, said human research has not always supported these concerns. Numerous human studies have found no link between full-fat dairy consumption and harmful health outcomes. What Did the Study Find? To examine the link, the 12-week study included 74 adults with overweight or obesity who were randomly assigned to one of three dietary groups: A low-dairy, calorie-restricted dietAn energy-neutral diet that included three servings of dairy each dayAn unrestricted diet that also included three daily servings of dairyAfter 12 weeks, researchers found no meaningful differences in weight gain, body composition or cholesterol levels between people following the low-dairy diet and those consuming three servings of dairy each day. On the other hand, people consuming more dairy showed improvements in blood pressure and consumed more calcium, protein, and vitamin D. The reason may be the “dairy matrix hypothesis,” the researchers said. This suggests that the health effects of a food may depend on how its components interact rather than simply on the amount of one nutrient it contains. “With dairy products, it’s got two proteins — casein and whey — that are bound together with fat and with nutrients mixed in,” Anderson said. According to Anderson, this complex structure allows nutrients in dairy foods to be delivered to the body gradually. That may help explain why the effects of eating dairy can differ from what would be predicted by looking at saturated fat or other individual nutrients in isolation. Why This May Be Helpful for Older Adults Anderson said the findings may be particularly relevant for older adults. As people age, they generally require less energy and may struggle to consume enough protein and other essential nutrients while maintaining an appropriate calorie intake. Dairy is already a familiar food for many older adults and provides energy, protein and other nutrients. Anderson said it could therefore offer a practical way to help meet nutritional needs without increasing the risk of diabetes or other chronic diseases. More broadly, the findings support an approach to nutrition research and dietary guidance that considers whole foods rather than focusing primarily on individual nutrients. With nutrition trends constantly changing and dietary advice sometimes appearing contradictory, Anderson offered a simple message: “Keep it simple, eat a variety of foods and not too much of anything.”