For years, Americans have been told to cut down on fat, especially in dairy products, to protect their hearts.
This advice led to the rise of low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese.
But new research is challenging that long-held belief, suggesting that full-fat dairy might not be so bad after all—in fact, it might even be good for heart health.
A new study from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health looked at how eating different kinds of dairy in young adulthood affects heart health later in life.
The researchers used data from more than 3,100 people who were part of a long-term health study called the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study.
This group was first surveyed in the mid-1980s, when they were between 18 and 30 years old, and then followed for 25 years.
The scientists wanted to know whether whole-fat, low-fat, or total dairy intake had any connection to the buildup of calcium in the heart’s arteries—a condition called coronary artery calcification. This buildup can be an early sign of heart disease.
Their results, published in The Journal of Nutrition, were surprising. People who consumed the most whole-fat dairy had a 24% lower chance of having calcium buildup in their heart arteries than those who ate the least whole-fat dairy. In contrast, eating low-fat dairy or total dairy (which includes both types) didn’t show any strong connection to heart disease risk.
The researchers also looked at body weight to see if it played a role. After adjusting for participants’ body mass index (BMI), the protective link between whole-fat dairy and heart health became slightly weaker. This suggests that people who regularly consume dairy may have slightly lower body weights, which could partly explain the better heart outcomes.
Lead researcher Ethan Cannon said, “People who consumed more whole-fat dairy in young adulthood were less likely to have early heart disease decades later.”
He added that although nutrition experts have often warned against the saturated fat in whole-fat dairy, this study reminds us that looking at one nutrient in isolation doesn’t always give us the full picture. The overall effect of a whole food might be very different.
The findings point to a growing belief in nutrition science: that whole foods should be studied for their full effects on the body, not just for the nutrients they contain. Whole-fat dairy contains more than just fat—it also has a mix of other nutrients and compounds that could be beneficial for health.
More research is still needed. Scientists want to explore what exactly in whole-fat dairy may help protect the heart. It could be specific types of fats or other active ingredients in dairy that play a role.
For now, this study suggests that full-fat dairy may not be something to avoid—and in some cases, it could even be good for your heart.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about a new cause of heart rhythm disorders and eating just one cup of nitrate-rich vegetables daily can reduce heart disease risk.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about blood thinners that may not prevent stroke in people with heartbeat problems and this diabetes drug may protect heart health in older veterans.
The study is published in The Journal of Nutrition.
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