Dairy products help protect the heart

Participants who were more likely to choose whole-milk products at a young age demonstrated:

• 24% lower risk of coronary artery calcification after 25 years of follow-up.

At the same time:

• Low-fat dairy products did not show a significant association with the risk of calcification.
• The total volume of dairy products also did not correlate with a reduction in risk, and it was the type of dairy products that proved decisive.

Special attention was paid to the role of body mass index. The correction for BMI slightly weakened the connection, which may indicate that a healthier weight partially explains the results, but does not cancel the connection.

Today we are seeing a major revision of the old dietary guidelines. The scientific community is increasingly turning to the idea that it is important to evaluate the product as a whole, rather than individual nutritional components.

As the lead author of the study, Ethan Cannon, notes, the traditional focus on saturated fats could have missed the whole range of positive effects of milk fat and biologically active substances in whole dairy products.

The study does not call for an urgent review of the diet and switch to butter and whole milk. However, it clearly shows:

• Low—fat foods are not always the best choice.;
• Whole-milk products may have a protective effect that was previously underestimated.;
• It is important to consider products in the context of a holistic effect on the body.

It is planned to continue research and study the specific mechanisms of action of milk fat, from individual fatty acids to biomolecules that affect metabolism and vascular health.

So far, the conclusions are cautious, but the direction is clear. The era of “fear of fat” is being replaced by an era of reasonable balance and evaluation of the quality of the product as a whole.

And for many, this is good news: if whole dairy products are liked and well tolerated, they can turn out to be not only delicious, but also healthy in the long run.