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Not all fats are created equal. There are dangerous trans fats, healthy unsaturated fats and medium saturated fats, but even in the latter category there are variations. This marbled steak? Bad for you, in unmoderated quantities. But this creamy yoghurt?
A recent study made headlines this week, but this study is far from being the first to question the alleged insalubrity of dairy fats. Researchers have long been studying the health consequences of dairy fat. Overall, studies show that people who eat whole dairy products tend to be as healthy or even healthier than those who choose low fat options. Let's talk about it.
Saturated fats get their name because the long carbon chains that make up molecules are filled with hydrogen molecules. And they are easily distinguishable from their unsaturated counterparts because they become solid at room temperature. Animal meats contain almost exclusively saturated fats, as do dairy products and some other oils such as coconut. Numerous large-scale studies have linked saturated fat intake to obesity, hypercholesterolemia and heart disease. It was badumed that the link was valid for all saturated fats, but some more recent studies suggest a potentially different conclusion, that only fats in animal meat, not dairy fats, increase the risk of heart problems.
The most recent study followed 2,907 Americans over the age of 65 without cardiovascular disease for 22 years to see what might develop heart problems. Observational studies such as this one would generally allow participants to see who was eating whole dairy products and who opted for low-fat versions, then compare these two categories. Instead, this group measured the levels of fatty acids in the participants' blood. Fatty acids are a kind of blood lipid (the other main is the well-known cholesterol), and the levels of these molecules help determine your risk of cardiovascular disease. Lipids in saturated fats tend to be unhealthy, but these researchers have found that the fatty acids in dairy products are different. By measuring specific levels of dairy-specific fatty acids, researchers were able to determine which people ate more dairy fats than others and link that to health problems like stroke, disease cardiovascular and overall mortality. In fact, most of them had no influence on mortality. One, called heptadecanoic acid, was badociated with a lower risk of stroke. But overall, the authors wrote, "The results of our investigation and previous studies suggest no major effect of dairy fatty acids on the risk of CVD."
Another study on cardiovascular disease found that among the 3333 adults who were not diabetic at the start of the study, those who had higher fatty acids in the blood (and therefore were consuming more than dairy fats) had a lower risk of developing diabetes. A clinical trial that allowed 164 people to consume whole cheese, low fat or no cheese (but an equal amount of carbohydrate) for 12 weeks found no difference in their LDL ("bad") cholesterol or in their risk factors. metabolic problems, such as diabetes. Levels of "good" HDL cholesterol were higher in those who ate cheese, but rejoice in it.
An article that used data from the Women's Health Study, a mbadive, long-term observational study, involved 18,438 women. normal weight over 45 to see if the consumption of dairy products has influenced their likelihood of becoming overweight during menopause. Women who ate high-fat products had a low but significant risk of gaining weight, and those who ate the largest dairy had the lowest risk. Those who ate low-fat versions were no less likely to be obese than those who ate no dairy.
A meta-badysis of 16 of these types of studies found that, overall, consumption of fat dairy products was badociated with risk of obesity and lower or equal risk of problems metabolic health (such as diabetes). Another meta-badysis specifically focusing on the causes of hypertension also showed that fat intake from dairy products was inversely correlated with hypertension (aka Hypertension, itself badociated with cardiovascular disease).
Dairy fats are better for you than animal fats. Various theories suggest that this could be how much they are filled (maybe you eat fewer calories in general when you have fat yogurt), or maybe there is an impact on the regulation of l & # 39; insulin. Cultivated dairy products, such as yogurt and cheese, also contain microbes that can contribute to the health of the microbiome – perhaps it will also help you in terms of weight. Manufacturers also tend to add sugar when they remove fats from dairy products, so some scientists think that low-fat versions might be a little worse for your metabolism this way. And no matter what low-fat yoghurt with added flavor tends to come with a much higher sugar load.
But all this should not mean that you go out and buy all those creamy yogurts just yet. Although fat is more satisfying and can actually improve the health of your heart, it is also important to remember that fat is very caloric. It contains nine calories per gram, which is double that of sugar and protein, so we should all eat fat (and everything) in moderation. Eating whole cheese will not help you lose weight if you eat it on a whole pizza. Harvard researchers suggest eating cheese and yogurt with something healthier, such as whole grain fruits or nuts or crackers rather than refined carbohydrates.
So, eat this ultra-creamy brie. And do not overdo it.
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