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21 Jun 2018
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5 min read
ASN Nutrition 2018 Diabetes prevention Fermentation benefits

Lactic fermentation and bioactive peptides in the health effects of yogurt

cardiometabolic risk event fermentation type 2 diabetes YINI summit
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The last YINI Summit “Yogurt, more than the sum of its parts” was held on Boston on 10th June 2018 as part of Nutrition 2018. This scientific symposium gathered together renowned nutrition scientists to discuss the role of the yogurt dairy matrix. Anne Guzman reports for us the presentation made by Pr. André Marette  (Laval University, Canada) about lactic fermentation, bioactive peptides and health effects of yogurt.

Epidemiological studies suggest that yogurt consumption is strongly associated with better lifestyle, diet quality, sleep, healthier dieting behaviours and improved cardiometabolic health particularly with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. For these reasons, it is not a simple task to separate out the benefits of yogurt from all the other accompanying healthy lifestyle choices this group of the population makes. As the Professor Marette points out, more studies are required to prove a “cause and effect” for the benefits of yogurt. Regardless, the overall correlations are encouraging and despite the lack of concrete evidence we should remember “absence of proof does not equal proof of absence”.

Yogurt consumption and Type 2 diabetes

Globally, obesity and type 2 diabetes are reaching levels of epidemic proportions with diet and lifestyle factors being large contributors to both conditions.
Although to date, there are no randomized controlled trials to determine a causal link between yogurt consumption and decreased rates of type 2 diabetes, several meta-analysis have consistently shown an inverse association between yogurt consumption and type 2 diabetes.
The Nurses’ Health Study demonstrates a strong relationship between dietary intakes of red meat, sweets, sugar sweetened beverages, chips and weight gain. Conversely, consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, milk and yogurt lead to weight loss.

Yogurt eaters have healthier habits overall, which could impact the frequency of diabetes in the yogurt eating population.

healthy men and women experience less weight gain over time while increasing consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and yogurt

Possible mechanisms of yogurt’s impact on health

Although the mechanisms have not been identified as to why the associations are strong between improved cardiometabolic health and yogurt consumption, the hypotheses noted in the Professor Marette’s presentation include:

  • The impact of the nutrient density of yogurt – protein, calcium carbohydrates and fat content
  • The live bacteria resulting from the fermentation process and it’s impacts on the microbiome
  • The possibility that as a whole, yogurt and all of its elements which combine to create the yogurt matrix, may have powerful impacts on body composition and cardiometabolic health

What makes yogurt unique: high nutrient density, low energy density, lactic acid bacteria and food matrix

By choosing yogurt in the diet, people may have more satiety, improved calcium and bone health, improved weight management and may be more likely to consume nutrient dense snacks; replacing calorie dense, nutrient poor alternatives. All of these factors together will have impacts on general health that cannot be ignored. Small consistent dietary changes can have significant health outcomes.

Fermentation of dairy products and impacts on cardiometabolic health

Fermentation of food has a long history, however recently more attention has been given to it in the health food industry.
The many benefits of fermented foods include:

  • an increased shelf life,
  • improved nutrient density of foods,
  • improved digestion
  • a healthier gut environment including increased prebiotic concentrations in the gut.

In mice model studies, depending on the type of dairy consumed, there are different metabolic impacts on glucose and lipid metabolism. When comparing dairy products, the fermented peptides, and yogurt peptides in particular, exert the largest impact in regards to cardio metabolic and anti-inflammatory effects.
It’s been demonstrated that an imbalance in the microbiota, or dysbiosis, of diet-induced obese and pre-diabetic mice can be reversed to normalcy through consumption of fermented dairy products, especially yogurt derived peptides. Further trials would be needed to determine if this phenomenon would be transferable to the human population.
The observations noted in this research may explain some of the mechanisms that give yogurt its strong association with improved cardiometabolic health and associated conditions such as obesity.

[bctt tweet=”There is recent evidence that peptides released during fermentation of #dairy products act as key immunometabolic factors and can impact the gut #microbiota. #yogurt2018″ username=”YogurtNutrition”]

Future research in cardiometabolic health and yogurt is needed

Future research in the field will focus on in vitro, animal models and human research. In humans, much needed randomized placebo controlled trials will aim to research the effect of yogurt consumption on satiety, weight gain, insulin resistance, lipid profiles, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular risk factors, intestinal microbiota and other cardiometabolic diseases.
More trials are needed to remove the confounding factors affecting yogurt’s impacts on metabolic syndrome. We can imagine a lengthy trial will be required to single out yogurts beneficial effects from all the other associated good habits that yogurt eaters appear to have.

Take-home messages from Prof. Marette’s presentation

  • Populations consuming yogurt have healthier lifestyles, better weight management and less metabolic syndrome.
  • Fermented yogurts exert the strongest effects on cardiometabolic inflammation and intestinal inflammation in mice. Research is needed in humans.
  • Future research will focus on metabolites from yogurt ferments In Vivo and in animals while focusing on impacts on cardiometabolic disease in humans.
  • Randomized Clinical Trials are required to prove “Cause and Effect” of yogurt consumption benefits, independent of other accompanying lifestyle choices.

By Anne Guzman (twitter: @guzmannutrition)

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18 Jun 2018
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5 min read
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by YINI Editorial team
Bone health Nutri-dense food

Milk may not save you from broken bones – but what about yogurt and the dairy matrix?

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
bone density Bone health dairy hip fracture Lactose matrix milk Osteoporosis Prevention vitamin D
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As people are living longer, scientists are determined to conquer one of the commonest conditions of old age: fragile bones. But it’s proving a tough problem to crack. This latest study – the largest of its kind – suggests that the answer does not lie in drinking copious amounts of milk, or scoffing chunks of cheese.

Instead, we must look to a more holistic approach, the authors conclude – perhaps to other dairy products and how they may interact with the rest of our diet to protect our bones.

As we get older, bone loss due to osteoporosis puts us at risk of painful and disabling breaks. And with an estimated one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50 years suffering an osteoporotic fracture, the condition places a heavy burden on our global society.

We know that milk and other dairy products, such as yogurt and cheese, can provide us with the right cocktail of nutrients – calcium, vitamin D (in fortified products), and protein – needed to keep our bones healthy. But so far studies haven’t told us whether drinking milk, for example, can actually prevent bone breakages. That’s at least partly because it’s too much to expect people to stick to restrictions in their diet for the long periods that are needed in such studies. And the studies that have been carried out have given inconsistent results.

Lactose intolerance: an unexpected source of help

So how do we solve this conundrum? It may sound strange, but some important clues are coming from a certain group of people who have a genetically-determined difficulty in digesting milk. The predominant sugar in milk – lactose – is broken down in the gut by the enzyme lactase. Whereas most people in Northern Europe continue to produce lactase throughout life, those who have ‘lactase non-persistence’ show a decline in the enzyme. For them, drinking milk can spell a digestive disaster, triggering symptoms of lactose intolerance such as stomach aches and diarrhoea.

So it comes as no surprise that people with this genetic trait aren’t exactly queuing up to buy their bottle of milk. And if they’re avoiding milk because it makes them ill, it stands to reason that studying bone health in this group is a sure-fire way to get a more accurate picture than studies that rely on diet changes.

Relating milk intake to risk of broken bones

People with lactase non-persistence might be expected to have weaker bones and be more prone to breaking their bones. Hence the authors of this article looked at the links between milk intake, lactase persistence (shown by genetic testing), and risk of hip fracture in three large Danish studies. They also analysed data from lactase persistence, any broken bones, and bone density from five previous studies in Northern Europe.

Drinking more milk may not protect against a broken hip

Among more than 73,000 people whose data they examined, the authors found no evidence that increasing the amount of milk we drink makes a difference to our risk of a broken hip. No marked differences were seen when milk intake was doubled from two to four glasses per week, or when milk intake was compared with no milk intake. Similarly, eating cheese wasn’t associated with any difference to hip fracture rate.

People who can’t digest lactose drink less milk…

As expected, people who couldn’t digest lactose due to ‘lactase non-persistence’ drank less milk (median of 3 glasses per week) than those who could digest lactose normally (5 glasses per week), as shown by their genetic tests.

…but are no more likely to break their hip

Despite drinking less milk, people who struggle to digest milk were not more likely to break their hip than those who could digest milk normally, the authors discovered. So being able to drink more milk does not seem to offer any protection against broken bones.

‘observationally and genetically lifelong lactase persistence was not associated with hip fracture’ –  Bergholdt HKM et al, 2018.

Combining the Danish studies with the analysis of previous Northern European studies also suggested that fracture risk wasn’t affected by lactase persistence.

Bone strength was mostly similar regardless of milk intake

When it came to measuring the strength of the bones, the bone mineral densities in the hip and spine was almost the same in people who digest lactose (and therefore drink more milk) as in those who cannot digest lactose (and therefore drink less or no milk). However, milk drinkers were found to have stronger thigh bones (femoral neck density).

Can we protect ourselves from broken bones through other dairy foods, such as yogurt?

The authors point out that this study only looked at the effects of single products — milk or cheese — on the risk of broken bones. However, different types of dairy product have different characteristics. For example, in a previous study, people who increased their cheese intake were just as likely to break their hip as those that did not, whereas people who consumed different types of dairy, including yogurt, were less likely to break their hip.

It may be more relevant to look at the whole dairy matrix, and even the whole diet matrix – nutrients, fermentation and processing – which may affect how nutrients work in the body, the authors suggest.

 ‘the whole dairy matrix consisting of macro- and micronutrients such as fat, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, sodium, and minerals, as well as the dairy structure … fermentation, and processing should be taken into consideration’ – Bergholdt HKM et al, 2018.

Find out more: read the original article.

Source: Bergholdt HKM, Larsen MK, Varbo A, et al. Lactase persistence, milk intake, hip fracture and bone mineral density: a study of 97 811 Danish individuals and a meta-analysis. J Intern Med. 2018 Mar 14.

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
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18 Jun 2018
•
5 min read
ASN Nutrition 2018

Low-fat dairy vs full-fat dairy: why it is key to consider the whole matrix

Astrup cardiovascular diseases event food matrix Full-fat dairy lipids low-fat dairy YINI summit
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The last YINI summit “Yogurt, more than the sum of its parts”  was held in Boston on 10th June 2018 as part of Nutrition 2018.  This scientific symposium gathered together renowned nutrition scientists to discuss the role of the yogurt dairy matrix.  Charlotte Debeugny reports for us the presentation made by Pr Arne Astrup.

The presentation of Pr. Astrup (head of the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at the University of Copenhagen) reviewed the consumption of low-fat and full-fat dairy in the context of chronic disease and highlighted the importance of the whole dairy matrix when critically assessing health outcomes.

The challenges of overweight and obesity: a major public health concern

The increasing rates of overweight and obesity remain a major public health challenge with more than in 1 in 2 adults and nearly 1 in 6 children overweight or obese in OECD countries.  Overweight and obesity are associated with a greater risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes type 2.

[bctt tweet=”Weight gain and #obesity are major #publichealth problems. #Dairy, and yogurt in particular, may potentially contribute to weight management and reduction of cardio-metabolic risks. #yogurt2018″ username=”YogurtNutrition”]

Saturated Fat and Cardiovascular Diseases: what is currently recommended?

Current US dietary guidelines (2015-2020), supported by EFSA, highlight the importance of moderating total fat intake with a further recommendation of keeping saturated fat intake as low as possible.  This advice is based on previous nutrition studies which found an association between saturated fat consumption, raised cholesterol levels and an increased risk of CVD. As full fat dairy products can be high in saturated fat, these guidelines recommend the consumption of low fat dairy products.

However, recent scientific research has not found a strong association between saturated fat intake and CVD risk.  The latest research has concluded that the replacement of saturated fat with omega 6 fats does not reduce the risk of either CVD or coronary heart disease (CHD) while replacement of saturated fat with refined carbohydrates is associated with an increased risk of CHD.

A clinical study comparing a low-fat dairy standard DASH diet* with a full-fat dairy DASH diet found that consumption of full fat dairy was not associated with an increase in blood pressure and there was also a positive impact of the full-fat dairy DASH on blood lipid profiles.

The food matrix and the nutritional profile of dairy products: what effects on health?

Increasing research highlights the importance of focusing on the food matrix, as opposed to the single nutrients found in food. A food product is indeed more than the sum of its individual components as it has a physical and nutritional complex structure which can, for example, influence the digestion, the absorption and the bioactive properties of the nutrients it contains.  For full fat dairy products, it is possible that the combined action of short chain fatty acids, protein, calcium, vitamin D and probiotics present in its food matrix results in their powerful beneficial health effects regardless of the saturated fat content.

Dairy consumption and chronic diseases: effect of the food matrix

Observational studies have not found any association between full-fat and low-fat dairy product intake and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The consumption of fermented dairy products such as yogurt and cheese are associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases and this is likely to be due to the food matrix effect outlined above, with the calcium, protein and microbiota working synergistically to help exert a positive effect on blood lipid profiles, blood pressure and insulin resistance.

The food matrix effect firmly demonstrates the importance of focusing on foods as opposed to the individual nutrient components in food.  The positive association between fermented dairy product consumption such as yogurt and cheese and a lower risk of chronic disease applies to both full-fat and low-fat dairy foods.

Fermented dairy products: a daily necessity

The consumption of fermented dairy products such as cheese and yogurt has been found to have a positive impact on body composition, blood lipid profile and cardiometabolic risk notably due to its food matrix which is rich in microbiota metabolites such as short chain fatty acids. Despite the concerns related to saturated fat content, this beneficial effect is seen regardless of whether the dairy product is low-fat or full-fat.  The importance of the food matrix can explain why high fat dairy product consumption is not associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease or of weight gain.

A complete review of existing studies, including meta-analyses of observational studies and randomised controlled trials (RCT) did not find any negative impact of cheese consumption on body weight, metabolic and cardiovascular risk, despite its saturated fat and sodium content.

[bctt tweet=”Both full fat and fat-reduced yogurt and other fermented #dairyproducts reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 #diabetes and certain cancers. #fermented dairy products should be part of a daily #diet. #yogurt2018″ username=”YogurtNutrition”]

Considering the evidence, daily consumption of both full-fat and fat-reduced yoghurt and other fermented products should be encouraged as part of a balanced diet to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. 

* The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is rich in fruit, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods

Additional references:

  • Obesity Update 2017 OECD

  • Morrison DJ, Preston T. Formation of short chain fatty acids by the gut microbiota and their impact on human metabolism. Gut Microbes. 2016;7(3):189-200.

  • Hamley S The effect of replacing saturated fat with mostly n-6 polyunsaturated fat on coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials Nutrition Journal 2017

  • DiNicolantonio JJ The cardiometabolic consequences of replacing saturated fats with carbohydrates or Ω-6 polyunsaturated fats: Do the dietary guidelines have it wrong? Open Heart 2014;1

Written by Charlotte Debeugny

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14 Jun 2018
•
2 min read
ASN Nutrition 2018 Publications

Yogurt for Health: 10 evidence-based conclusions

Anniversary Diabetes event evidence-based science healthy diet Lactose Lactose intolerance nutrient-dense food science sustainability yogurt
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The YINI’s 5th anniversary was celebrated in June 2018. For this occasion, YINI has published this document “Yogurt for Health – 10 evidence-based conclusions to mark the 5th anniversary of the Yogurt In Nutrition Initiative”

Yogurt for Health: 10 evidence-based conclusions to mark the 5th anniversary of the Yogurt In Nutrition Initiative

In this document, the YINI board reviews the recent advances in scientific understanding about the health effects of yogurt and draws several evidence-based conclusions:

Overall, substantial accomplishments have been made in the past five years, highlighting exciting potential developments in managing health through yogurt as part of our diet. Ongoing research is opening new doors — to a bright future.

The document was edited for the last YINI Summit “Yogurt, more than the sum of its parts”, on June,  2018. It is now also available to everyone here, to download in pdf format and for online reading.

Download the printable version of  “Yogurt for health: 10 evidence-based conclusion to mark the 5th anniversary of the YINI”

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11 Jun 2018
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7 min read
ASN Nutrition 2018

Yogurt insights that might change the way you think about yogurt

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The Dairy Paradox

There’s no doubt that dairy products including yogurt provide a range of important nutrients including calcium, protein and other micro- and macro-nutrients. Full-fat varieties can also be high in saturated fats, and current dietary guidelines recommend reducing the intake of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD).

However, Arne Astrup (Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark) explained that despite full-fat dairy products being high in saturated fat, they are not adversely associated with CVD or type 2 diabetes (T2D). In fact, risk of T2D is inversely associated with high-fat dairy.

There appears to be something unique about full-fat yogurt, milk and cheese

Pr. Astrup offers a possible explanation for this paradox: the biological membrane that surrounds the lipid droplets in milk (called milk fat globule membrane or MFGM) has been shown to have a beneficial effect on blood lipids and insulin resistance. This membrane appears to work with the unique dairy matrix of nutrients and microbiota metabolites to promote health effects.

Paradoxically, observational studies indicate that consumption of fermented dairy such as yogurt is inversely related to incidence of CVD and diabetes, whereas unfermented dairy is more neutral.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Inverse associations were found between total fermented (included sour milk products, yogurt or cheese) with mortality and risk of CVD. Analysis of total #fermenteddairy of cheese shown a lower 2% lower risk of CVD #yogurt2018″ quote=”Inverse associations were found between total fermented (included sour milk products, yogurt or cheese) with mortality and risk of CVD. Analysis of total #fermenteddairy of cheese shown a lower 2% lower risk of CVD #yogurt2018″]

Dairy attributes of calcium, protein and other bioactive components may modify the effects on LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and energy balance (thereby helping to reduce cardiovascular risk), making dairy saturated fat have a different effect to the SFAs in meat fat. Probiotics from fermented dairy products have also been shown to have beneficial effects on blood pressure, insulin resistance and promote satiety.

Astrup concludes that both full fat and fat-reduced yogurt and other fermented dairy products reduce risk of CVD, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, and should be part of a daily diet.

Is yogurt just a nutrition powerhouse – or something more?

Fermented dairy foods such as yogurt and kefir are becoming increasingly popular, and their consumption keeps increasing. These foods offer benefits in terms of nutrients such as a wide range of minerals and vitamins. But, is this just about nutrients, or is there something special and inherent in yogurt that goes beyond basic nutrition?

It is known that fermented foods provide an added benefit to nutrition: they have the ability to deliver a variety of live bacteria to the gut. Different products offer different levels of effectiveness, depending on the type of food, how it is manufactured and its shelf life.

Robert Hutkins (Food Science and Technology Department at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA) highlighted that RCT studies suggest that fermented foods may confer several health benefits:

hutkins yogurt health benefits at the nutrition 2018 in boston

Further, the bacteria in yogurt have repeatedly been shown to improve lactose digestion in malabsorbers, and regular intake of cultured milk products, such as yogurt, and especially those with probiotic bacteria, have been shown to increase numbers of gut bifidobacteria. Regular consumption of live yogurt also appears to boost the numbers of lactobacilli in the gut.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Regular consumption of live #yogurt appeared to boost the numbers of #lactobacilli in the gut was associated with a slight increase in microbial diversity may alter the function of the existing resident bacteria #yogurt2018″ quote=”Regular consumption of live #yogurt appeared to boost the numbers of #lactobacilli in the gut was associated with a slight increase in microbial diversity may alter the function of the existing resident bacteria #yogurt2018″]

hutkins fermentation benefits nutrition 2018 boston yogurt

Hutkins and his team have developed a synbiotic (probiotic + prebiotic); their recent clinical study showed that gut permeability could be improved by the probiotics, as well as the prebiotic and symbiotic.

These insights support the notion that there is more to yogurt than meets the eye.

Yogurt, bioactive peptides & cardio-metabolic diseases

Recent research has highlighted the association between yogurt consumption and reduced risk of cardio-metabolic diseases (CMDs). People who regularly eat yogurt tend to have healthier lifestyles: for example, they are more likely to have better overall nutrient intakes, exercise regularly, and do not drink alcohol excessively.

Yogurt is nutrient-dense, and it has been suggested that it can lower weight gain and thereby reduce risks of CMDs. It also seems that live bacteria in yogurt can interact with the gut microbiota and this may play a role in reducing inflammation, which is a major driver of CMDs in obesity.

hutkins probiotics interactions with microbiota nutrition 2018 yogurt

Andre Marette (Laval University, Quebec) shared recent evidence suggesting that peptides released during fermentation of dairy products act as key immune-metabolic factors and can impact the gut microbiota. Fermentation with bacterial strains generates bioactive molecules that may contribute to the beneficial effect of yogurt on cardio-metabolic health. He reviewed the challenges in identifying potential mechanisms of yogurt’s beneficial effects and offered his perspective on future research that could validate the proposed role yogurt could play in protection against CMDs.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Live bacteria in #yogurt can interact with the gut #microbiota and in this may play a role to reduce inflammation which is a major driver of CMDs in obesity #yogurt2018″ quote=”Live bacteria in #yogurt can interact with the gut #microbiota and in this may play a role to reduce inflammation which is a major driver of CMDs in obesity #yogurt2018″]

Challenging dietary guidelines

Conventional dietary guidelines recommend lower fat versions of dairy products to help reduce intakes of calories and saturated fats. Yet, longitudinal studies evaluating habitual intakes of dairy foods, suggest that the effect on conditions such as CVD and type 2 diabetes appear to be more related to the type of dairy rather than the SFA content. Dariush Mozaffarian (Dean and Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition and Medicine, Tufts, USA) explains that these findings suggest that health effects of dairy may depend on multiple complex characteristics, such as probiotics in yogurt and fermentation of dairy products.

Yogurt appears to protect against long-term weight gain; when sugar-sweetened, approximately half the benefit appears lost. Studies suggest that probiotics and probiotic-microbiome interactions play a key role in metabolic protective effects of yogurt.

Greater dairy fat intake is associated with lower risk of T2D and CHD. Could this be a result of the dairy fatty acids? Or other factors?

What we do know is that dairy products are a diverse set of foods, with complex effects that vary according to the food type. There may be a range of intricate mechanisms regarding probiotics and fermentation processes that play a beneficial role in cardio-metabolic health.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”The cardiometabolic effects of specific #dairy foods and #fermented products represent promising areas for further investigation. #yogurt2018″ quote=”The cardiometabolic effects of specific #dairy foods and #fermented products represent promising areas for further investigation. #yogurt2018″]

Mozaffarian argues that there are two main issues with current dietary recommendations on dairy products:

  1. Guidelines are based largely on calcium, vitamin D and fat content, rather than their potential to have cardio-metabolic benefits. They emphasise the choice of low fat dairy based on the theory of their influence on obesity and CHD instead of empirical evidence.
  2. Dairy foods are lumped together rather than being individually evaluated according to their effect on long-term health. The current science supports consuming more yogurt, and until the evidence suggests otherwise, the choice between low or full fat yogurt ought to be down to personal preference.

 

What makes yogurt unique?

So, is low-fat dairy better? The evidence suggests perhaps not…and there is more to yogurt than meets the eye; simply looking at nutrients or probiotics in isolation doesn’t adequately represent the inherent benefits.

Yogurt is more than the sum of its parts !

Written by Azmina Govindji (@azminanutrition)

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11 Jun 2018
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4 min read
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by YINI Editorial team
Cardiovascular health Diabetes prevention Weight management

Yogurt may protect against diabetes, obesity and heart disease by curbing inflammation

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
biomarkers cheese dairy products inflammation milk yogurt
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You may already be choosing yogurt as a great source of healthy nutrients, especially good for maintaining strong bones. It seems, though, that the benefits to bones may only be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the health effects of yogurt consumption.

Recently a swathe of studies has clearly pointed to a link between consumption of dairy products, particularly yogurt, and a reduced likelihood of type 2 diabetes and risks for heart disease and other cardiovascular illnesses. Until now we’ve only been able to guess at how yogurt might protect against these long-term, life-threatening conditions. But this latest study from Brazil provides some fascinating clues – and reveals that it may not be a benefit shared by all the dairy food types.

The missing link: inflammation

Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases have something in common: they are all associated with long-term, low-grade inflammation. This chronic inflammation comes hand-in-hand with obesity and can be spotted by its tell-tale signs – cytokine chemicals in the bloodstream. A rise in these pro-inflammatory markers can be a red warning light signalling any of an array of disorders such as insulin resistance, raised blood pressure, and an upset in lipid profiles.

The authors of this study set out to investigate the effects of consuming dairy products – yogurt, milk and cheese – on these inflammatory markers in the blood. And they found some surprising results.

Comparing dairy consumption with inflammatory status

The authors looked at data from 259 adults who were taking part in the Health Survey for Sao Paulo – a study of people’s health and living conditions in the city.

The participants were asked to complete a 24-hour food frequency questionnaire on how often they consumed yogurt, milk and cheese; this was then cross-referenced against the inflammatory markers in their blood samples. The findings were corrected for age, smoking and energy intake.

Yogurt consumption was linked with lower signs of inflammation…

Brazilians generally don’t eat much by way of dairy products. The median intake of yogurt, milk and cheese in this study was 10, 118.8 and 10.7 grams per day respectively. Most people who consumed yogurt chose fruit-flavoured or plain sweetened yogurt. The most popular cheeses were mozzarella, cream cheese and parmesan.

“‘… the overall analysis demonstrated that an increase in yogurt consumption could have a linearly protective effect on inflammation’ “

Gadotti TN et al, 2018

The authors divided the participants into an inflammatory group and a non-inflammatory group according to their levels of inflammatory markers. The results showed that people who ate the most yogurt tended to have fewer inflammatory markers than those who rarely ate yogurt. So, the chances of being in the inflammatory group among the most frequent yogurt consumers were only one-third compared with those who ate the least yogurt.  And the more yogurt people ate, the better their chances of having a lower inflammatory status.

…whereas eating cheese was linked to higher signs of inflammation

It was a different story when it came to cheese. People who most frequently ate cheese had more than double the chance of being in the inflammatory group compared with those who ate the least cheese.

Milk seemed to have a neutral effect on inflammatory status.

Is yogurt different from cheese because it’s lower in fat?

The authors suggest that yogurt and cheese may exert different effects on inflammation because of their differing fat content.

It has previously been shown that saturated fatty acids, which generally make up about 70% of total dairy fat content, are associated with pro-inflammatory markers. So, it stands to reason that a yogurt – which has about 3% total fat – will be less likely to increase inflammatory makers than mozzarella or parmesan cheese, which contain about 25%-30% and proportionately more saturated fatty acids.

“”A new perspective on existing evidence demonstrating the importance of assessing the contribution of dairy products on diet and their effect on the development of non-communicable diseases and associated risk factors.’”

Gadotti TN et al, 2018

Find out more: read the original article.

References
  1. (1) Gadotti TN, Norde MM, Rogero MM et al. Dairy consumption and inflammatory profile: a cross-sectional population-based study, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Nutrition. 2018;48:1-5.
YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
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04 Jun 2018
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5 min read
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by YINI Editorial team
Bone health

Can yogurt and milk really protect us from broken bones?

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
bone density Bone health matrix milk osteoporosis Osteoporosis Prevention
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Dairy products such as yogurt and milk have long been seen as foods that pack a healthy punch against the threat of fragile bones. As a great source of calcium and other bone-friendly nutrients, they’re the obvious choice for keeping our bones fighting-fit as we get older.

But is there scientific evidence to prove that dairy products can really protect us from broken bones due to osteoporosis, to which we are prone as we get older?

Well – yes, say the authors of this article. They examined the most up-to-date reviews and analyses of large-scale trials investigating whether increasing our dairy intake improves bone health. And they concluded that at least some types of dairy products – yogurt and milk – can indeed reduce our risk of broken bones in later life.

‘Adults literally walk on their calcium nutrient reserve.’ – van den Heuvel EGHM et al, 2018

What’s more, their review confirmed that children and adolescents can grow stronger bones through consuming dairy products – that’s important because the strength of our bones in later life depends on how strong they became in our childhood. As we grow, the amount of calcium and vitamin D we consume helps form the building blocks determining bone strength. As we get older, our bones lose calcium, reducing the bone mineral density and making them weaker and more fragile.

Dairy products are associated with healthier bones in children and teenagers

The authors found that the research to date clearly shows bone strength can be improved in children with previously low intakes of calcium and/or Vitamin D by increasing their consumption of dairy products. Studies haven’t yet been carried out to tell us whether these children are less likely than others to suffer a broken bone.

Dairy products are associated with stronger bones in adults

Combining results from several studies shows that increasing calcium intake from dairy sources increases bone mineral density by up to 1.8% over two years. That may not sound like much, but, given that most adults lose only about 1- 2% of their bone strength during ageing, it may be a very useful gain.

A glass of milk a day may keep broken bones at bay

Scientists predict that a 1-2% increase in bone strength would reduce an adult’s risk of broken bones by 5-10%. Indeed, studies in various countries have shown that a daily glass of milk is associated with a reduction in fracture risk of 5% or more.

The results may vary according to the nutrient content of the dairy products. In Sweden, restuls suggest that people who drink lots of milk break their bones at least as often as those who drink less milk. The authors suggest that this may be partly because, compared with milk in other countries, Swedish milk contains less Vitamin D (which strengthens bones) and more Vitamin A (which makes bones fragile).

The benefits of dairy products appear to be more pronounced in old people. A study of elderly people found that those who drank seven servings of milk per week were 40% less likely to break their hip.

Yogurt stands out for healthy bones

In this same study, those elderly people who consumed one serving per week of milk + yogurt were 20% less likely to break their hip than those who had less than one serving per week. No significant associations were seen for other dairy foods.

In another study, people who regularly ate yogurt had higher bone densities than those who did not; cheese had little effect and cream appeared to make bones more brittle.

Most of these studies carried out so far have been of Caucasian or Chinese women and girls; the authors say further research is needed into the effects of dairy as part of bone-friendly diets in other ethnicities and in men.

Are supplements better for bones than dairy products?

The answer is probably not. Results combined from various studies suggest it doesn’t matter whether we boost our calcium levels using dairy products or calcium supplements; the effects on bone density are much the same.

However, supplements don’t contain the full package of all the other valuable nutrients that dairy products do. As well as calcium, dairy products contain more protein, magnesium, potassium, zinc and phosphorus per unit energy than any other food typically eaten by adults.

And as well as those nutrients that occur naturally in yogurt and other dairy products, vitamin D is added in several countries to try to counter widespread vitamin D deficiency. The combination of vitamin D and calcium is better for bones than either of them alone. This underlines the importance of dairy products as a vehicle for vitamin D fortification, say the authors.

So a daily dose of dairy may be better for your bones than popping pills to supplement your calcium and vitamin D levels.

Find out more: read the original article.

Source: van den Heuvel EGHM, Steijns JMJM. Dairy products and bone health: how strong is the scientific evidence? Nutr Res Rev. 2018; Mar 21:1-15

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
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Milk matrix matters: why dairy deserves a place in plant-based diets From plate to planet: the challenge of building sustainable diets Gut health: the prebiotic power of lactose Focus on the bioactive peptides in dairy and yogurt
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04 Jun 2018
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2 min read
ASN Nutrition 2018

Next YINI Summit – Learn more about André Marette

cardiovascular diseases dairy matrix Diabetes event fermentation lactic fermentation marette summit
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The global health effects of yogurt are beyond the single effects of each nutrients and live bacteria, as indeed, “yogurt is more than the sum of its parts”. The updated scientific data about food matrix benefits of yogurt will be the topic of the 6th YINI Summit in the context of the Nutrition 2018 Congress, on June 10, in Boston.

Dr. André Marette from the Laval University (Québec) will explain the potential mechanisms linked to the health benefits of fermented foods, like yogurt, particularly the effects of lactic fermentation and bioactive peptides.

Potential role of lactic fermentation and bioactive compounds on the beneficial effects of yogurt consumption on cardiometabolic health

Epidemiologic studies suggest that yogurt consumption is linked to healthy dietary patterns, lifestyles, and reduced risk of CMDs, particularly type 2 diabetes and obesity. However, the mechanisms that underlie the potential beneficial effects of yogurt consumption on CMDs remains elusive. It seems that fermentation with bacterial strains generates bioactive molecules that may contribute to the beneficial effect of yogurt. The effect of those bioactive peptides, exopolysaccharides, and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), released during yogurt fermentation will be discussed during Dr André Marette’s presentation.

Who is André Marette?

André Marette is a Ph.D Biochemist, Cardiology axis of Laval Hospital, Department of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, Canada.

He is an international renowned expert on the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and cardiometabolic diseases. His research
has advanced the understanding of the physiological and molecular mechanisms of inflammation, and opened new possibilities for prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes and Cardiovascular diseases.

He is also studying how nutrition and food ingredients can modulate the gut microbiota to protect against obesity-linked intestinal inflammation, fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Marette received several awards (including the Young Scientist Award of the Canadian Diabetes Association, and the Charles Best Award from the University of Toronto) for his overall contribution to the advancement of scientific knowledge in the field of diabetes. He has published over 200 papers, reviews and book chapters. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief for the Am J Physiol: Endo & Metab. and has authored two books including the recent book Yogurt: Roles in Nutrition and Impacts on Health, edited by CRC press.

In a YINI Summit in 2015, André Marette explained the potential health benefits of fermented foods and yogurt: discover the video.

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04 Jun 2018
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ASN Nutrition 2018

Next YINI Summit – Learn more about Arne Astrup

Astrup cardiovascular diseases dairy fat dairy matrix dietary fat matrix summit
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Milk matrix matters: why dairy deserves a place in plant-based diets From plate to planet: the challenge of building sustainable diets Gut health: the prebiotic power of lactose Focus on the bioactive peptides in dairy and yogurt
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The global health effects of yogurt are beyond the single effects of each nutrients and live bacteria, as indeed, “yogurt is more than the sum of its parts”. The updated scientific data about food matrix benefits of yogurt will be the topic of the 6th YINI Summit in the context of the Nutrition 2018 Congress, on June 10, in Boston.

In a global context where weight gain and obesity are major public health problem, Pr Arne Astrup from the University of Copenhagen (Denmark) will explain why we need to consider the whole food matrix when studying the effects of dietary fats in dairy products.

Dairy fats may be part of the matrix effect

It seems  that dairy, and yogurt in particular may potentially contribute to weight control and reduction of cardio-metabolic risks. Recent evidence indicates even that high-fat dairy is, despite high content of saturated fat, not adversely associated with cardiovascular disease or diabetes. Moreover,observational studies indicate that consumption of fermented dairy such as yogurt and cheese is inversely related to incidence of CVD and diabetes, whereas unfermented dairy is more neutral.

There are mechanistic studies to support that fermented dairy exert its effect through its matrix i.e. calcium, protein and the microbiota for reduction of diabetes and cardiovascular risk.

Calcium, protein and other bioactive components may modify the effects on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and energy balance, so the overall effect of dairy fat is different from meat fat, and reduce cardiovascular risk. Moreover, the probiotics of fermented dairy produce end-products such as peptide (that reduce blood pressure) and short chain fatty acids that increase insulin resistance and promote satiety

“What are the dairy effects on cardiometabolic diseases? What is the impact of the yogurt matrix ? What are the effects of dairy products consumptions?” are some of the questions that should be addressed by Pr. Arne Astrup during the Summit.

Who is Arne Astrup?

Prof. Arne Astrup is Head of the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at the University of Copenhagen, and Senior Consultant at Clinical Research Unit, Herlev-Gentofte University Hospital. Astrup attained his medical degree from UCPH in 1982 and a Doctorate in Medical Science in 1986. He was Appointed Professor of Nutrition and Head of the Research Department of Human Nutrition at The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark, in 1990, he led the department throughout its development ever since.

His researches focus on the physiology and pathophysiology of energy and substrate metabolism and appetite regulation, with special emphasis on the etiology and treatment of obesity, including the role of diet composition and of specific  nutrients, lifestyle modification, very-low-calorie diets, exercise, and medication. Major research collaborations include participation in the EU multicenter studies.
He led research that showed that GLP-1 is a satiety hormone in humans, and was instrumental in Denmark being the first country to ban industrial trans-fat in 2014. He is author/co-author of over 600 original, review and editorial scientific papers and more than 1000 other academic publications such as abstracts, textbook chapters and scientific correspondence. He has supervised 32 PhD students to date.

Prof. Arne Astrup participated to the first YINI summit, discover his intervention on yogurt and metabolic diseases.

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04 Jun 2018
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2 min read
ASN Nutrition 2018

Next YINI Summit- Learn more about Dariush Mozaffarian

dairy matrix event Fermented food food matrix nutrients nutrition summit yogurt matrix
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Milk matrix matters: why dairy deserves a place in plant-based diets From plate to planet: the challenge of building sustainable diets Gut health: the prebiotic power of lactose Focus on the bioactive peptides in dairy and yogurt
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Practical sheets
Experts Interviews
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Table of contents

The global health effects of yogurt are beyond the single effects of each nutrients and live bacteria, as indeed, “yogurt is more than the sum of its parts”. The updated scientific data about food matrix benefits of yogurt will be the topic of the 6th YINI Summit in the context of the Nutrition 2018 Congress, on June 10, in Boston.

Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian from the Tufts University (USA) will build the global review on yogurt effects on health and the role of global food matrix vs single nutrients.

Review of Yogurt effects on Health: what’s the role of the whole matrix versus single nutrients?

Dairy products represent a diverse class of foods, with complex effects that appear to vary by specific product type, and with emerging complex mechanistic pathways that may include influences of fermentation and probiotics.  “Based on the recent data, how should we build the next nutritional recommendations? What are the recent data on dairy products and cardiovascular health? Are there specific cardiometabolic effects for dairy or fermented foods?” Those are some of the questions addressed by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian.

Who is Dariush Mozaffarian?

Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian is a Cardiologist, Jean Mayer Professor of Nutrition and Medicine, and Dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. He received his BS in biological sciences from Stanford, MD from Columbia, MPH from the University of Washington, and PhD in Public Health from Harvard University.

He has authored more than 300 scientific publications on the dietary priorities to reduce cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity in the US and globally; and on evidence-based systems innovations and policies to effectively reduce these burdens.

He has served in numerous advisory roles including the US and Canadian governments ,World Health Organization, and United Nations. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, Time Magazine, and many other outlets. In 2016, Thomson Reuters named him as one of the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.

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Milk matrix matters: why dairy deserves a place in plant-based diets From plate to planet: the challenge of building sustainable diets Gut health: the prebiotic power of lactose Focus on the bioactive peptides in dairy and yogurt
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