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26 Apr 2018
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4 min read
Healthy Diets & Lifestyle Nutri-dense food Q&A

How to include yogurt in daily diet and why?

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The benefits of one yogurt a day

Currently, 90% of US children and adults consume less than 1 cup of yogurt per week. This only represents approximately 0.1% of a serving of yogurt per day, which is less than a quarter of the recommended serving from the milk group. However, low-fat and non-fat yogurts can play a role in achieving a more nutrient-dense diet and improving the nutritional status (2,3). Yogurt naturally contains calcium and potassium, and some products are fortified with vitamin D.

Yogurt can also be an excellent source of high-quality protein, which promotes satiety, helps maintain a healthy body weight, and aids muscle and bone growth. In addition, yogurt is low in sodium and contributes 1.0% or less of added sugars to the diets of most individuals in the United States. Thus, consuming 1 serving of yogurt per day would help to meet the DGA-recommended dairy servings and would provide nutrients of concern

The scientific evidence on dairy and health

Cardiovascular diseases, cancer and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are among the main causes of the loss of disease-free years in numerous countries. The rise in obesity also increases the risk of these chronic diseases. How foods like milk and dairy products can influence a particularly alarming context?

A publication(1) based mainly on meta-analyses of observational studies and randomized controlled trials indicate some promising results. In children as in adults, milk and dairy products are associated with a lower risk of obesity, with an improvement of body composition and a better weight loss during a diet including dairy products for the adults. The study also shows that the risk of T2D and cardiovascular diseases, particularly stroke, is reduced with regular milk and dairy products consumption. Despite there was no significant association with the risk of bone fractures, results highlighted beneficial effects of milk and dairy intake on bone mineral density. This food category is also associated with a reduced risk of some cancer subtypes (colorectal, bladder, gastric and breast cancer) and has no detrimental effects on prostate cancer incidence.

If more studies remain needed, the authors concluded that milk and dairy products show more beneficial than detrimental effects on health.

Whole dairy matrix matters more than single nutrients

Traditionally, the nutritional evaluation of the relation between diet and health has focused on individual food constituents or nutrients separately. This approach, linking one nutrient to one health effect, may partly explain some of the discrepancies between a food’s predicted health effects and its actual health effects, as a diet does not consist of single nutrients.

Foods have complex structures, which affect digestion and absorption and may generate interactions within the food matrix, thereby altering the bioactive properties of nutrients in ways that are not predictable. This appears more and more evident for the dairy matrix(4). The dairy matrix has higher beneficial effects on health than single nutrients and there are differences between the metabolic effects of whole dairy, and those of single dairy constituents, on body weight, cardiometabolic disease risk and bone health.

Yogurt or Greek yogurt?

Yogurt is a good alternative when snacking

Greek yogurt is traditionally obtained by straining normal yogurt, which gives it a thicker texture. It is a concentrated fermented milk with a protein content of at least 5.6 g per 100 g. During the draining process, the aqueous part of the milk – the whey or lactoserum – is removed, which explains the low lactose content of Greek yogurt. Both type of yogurt have the beneficial interests of nutrient-density and fermentation. 

Source:

  1. Kongerslev Thorning T et al. Food & Nutrition Research 2016;60:32527
  2. Webb D, Donovan SM, Meydani SN. Nutr Rev. 2014 Mar;72(3):180-9. doi: 10.1111/nure.12098.
  3. Ragovin H. Tufts Nutrition, 2015, vol. 1; n°6: 14-17.
  4. Kongerslev Thorning T. et al. Whole dairy matrix or single nutrients in assessment of health effects: current evidence and knowledge gaps. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2017.
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23 Apr 2018
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3 min read
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by YINI Editorial team
Diabetes prevention

People with type 2 diabetes are failing to eat enough fruit, vegetables, dairy and grains

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
dairy products Diabetes Dietary Intake food groups fruits grains t2d vegetables
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Many people ignore advice about making healthy food choices to help avoid major long-term conditions. Such advice is especially important for people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, for whom eating healthily helps control blood glucose and avoid or delay serious complications. However, this review reveals that even people with type 2 diabetes are failing to follow dietary recommendations. They’re not eating enough fruit, vegetables, dairy products and grains.  

The authors identified 11 studies that looked at the dietary intake of adults with type 2 diabetes using the 5 main food groups (fruit, vegetables, dairy, grains and meat/meat alternatives). They compared the findings with dietary guidelines to see if the recommendations are being followed. Finding out what people with type 2 diabetes are actually eating can help with the design of dietary educational materials and identify people who need extra support in changing their diet, say the authors.

The findings of this review appear to reflect the food group intake of the general population and initiatives are needed to improve diet quality for everyone, say the authors.

A healthy diet contains all five main food groups

Studies have shown that low-carbohydrate, Mediterranean, low-glycaemic-index and high-protein diets help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood glucose. Although these diets differ from one another, they all encourage consumption of unprocessed foods from the 5 main food groups.

What are people with type 2 diabetes eating?

This review found that most people in the studies were eating less than the recommended daily amounts of fruit, vegetables, dairy products and grains. Low consumption of fruit, vegetables and grains is worrying because dietary fibre found in these foods has a beneficial effect on blood glucose levels. Dairy products such as yogurt and cheese have also been associated with health benefits.

Although meat/meat alternatives are an important food group and provides valuable nutrients, guidelines limit the amount that should be eaten because high intakes are linked to conditions such as heart disease and cancer. The authors warn that most people in the studies were eating meat/meat alternatives in amounts that met or exceeded the recommended limit.

The authors conclude that people with type 2 to eat more fibre-rich foods and dairy products.

Do people improve their diet after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes?

The authors weren’t able to show whether people’s dietary habits improved in the months and years after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Further research is needed to understand how food group intake changes over time after diagnosis.

Find out more: read the original article.

Source: Burch E, Ball L, Somerville M et al. Dietary intake by food group of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2018;137:160-72.

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
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19 Apr 2018
•
4 min read
Fermentation benefits Q&A

How yogurt can help you feel good?

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If yogurt consumption may have an interest in a balanced healthy diet, recent studies tend to show a surprising effect on behaviors and stress… even depression!

A question of taste

We all know what it’s like to take a bite of something and expecting a specific taste, but tasting something different instead- it can be an enjoyable or disgusting experience. Using different measuring methods for people’s emotional responses(1), a team of researchers searched for the potential emotional effects of eating different yogurts. If there was no difference in the emotional responses to strawberry versus pineapple yogurts, low-fat versions led to more positive emotional responses. Most strikingly, vanilla yogurt elicited a strong positive emotional response.

Can yogurt help reducing depression risk?

The question may seem odd but the answer appears to be promising as two studies(2,3) have shown the probiotic component of yogurt may be associated with reducing depression symptoms. Depression is a common mental disorder, affecting more than 300 million people of all ages.

In this Spanish longitudinal study, 14 539 men and women initially free of depression, were assessed during a median follow-up period of 9.3 years. The authors evaluated their prebiotic intake and yogurt consumption and registered every incident case of depression during the follow-up period. Results suggest that high consumption of whole-fat yogurt was related to a lower risk (-22%) of depression in women. Prebiotic consumption was not significantly associated with depression risk.

How does yogurt affect the mood?

This first step of explanation could lay on the fact that probiotic bacteria in yogurt influence the balance of gut microbiota, which is associated with behavioral changes, through the existence of a gut-brain axis.(4)

Yogurt consumption increases the ingestion of probiotic bacteria, in particular Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria, and may therefore affect the diversity and balance of human gut microbiota. Previous research found that changes in gut microbiota moderate the peripheral and central nervous system, resulting in altered brain functioning, and may have an impact on emotional behavior, such as stress and anxiety.

The described effect suggests the existence of a gut-brain axis. Because of the bi-directional communication between nervous system and immune system, the effects of yogurt bacteria on the nervous system cannot be separated from effects on the immune system. Researchers suggest(4) that the communication between the gut microbiota and brain can be influenced by the intake of probiotics, which may reduce the level of anxiety and depression, and affect brain activity that controls emotions and sensations. As the composition of gut microbiota is different for each individual, changes in the balance and content of common gut microbes affect the production of short chain fatty acids butyrate, propionate, and acetate. These fermentation products improve host metabolism by stimulating glucose and energy homeostasis, regulating immune responses and epithelial cell growth, and also supporting the functioning of the central and peripheral nervous systems.

How fermented foods make you feel good?

Fermented foods, such as yogurt and fermented milk, wine and beer, sauerkraut and kimchi, are made through controlled microbial growth and enzymatic conversion of major and minor food components. Recent human clinical studies(5) on fermented foods support the possibility that the fermentation, and the contribution of microbes, in particular, may provide additional properties beyond basic nutrition (with weight management or chronic diseases).

There still critical needs for additional fundamental research and randomized, controlled, clinical trials, however, the benefits of fermented food are likely greater than the sum of their individual microbial, nutritive, or bioactive components.

4 reasons to eat more fermented foods like yogurt:

  • Many of the species found in fermented foods are related to probiotic strains.
  • Fermented foods can be an important dietary source of live microorganisms.
  • Fermentation can enhance or alter nutritive and health-modulating properties of food constituents.
  • Microbes in fermented foods helps to digest, produce vitamins like B12 and K, introduce new compounds to the foods that are delivered to the gut
the benefits of fermented foods are greater than the sum of the microbial, nutritive and bioactive components

Source:

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16 Apr 2018
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3 min read
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by YINI Editorial team
Bone health

Consuming yogurt and cheese may lower the risk of hip fracture

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
Bone health dairy fermented dairy hip fracture matrix
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Consuming dairy products may keep our bones strong and healthy, but it’s unclear from the research which products offer real benefits in protecting against breaks. In this analysis of data from several studies, the authors report that eating yogurt and cheese in particular were associated with a reduced hip fracture risk.

Dairy products are a rich source of calcium, vitamin D, proteins and other nutrients that are important in maintaining bone health, and so might help prevent hip fracture. Most studies of dairy products and hip fracture have focused on the effect of milk, but the results have been inconclusive. It’s reasonable to assume that different types of dairy products may have different effects on the risk of hip fracture because they vary in nutrient content. In this review of the medical literature, the authors examine the influence of milk, yogurt, cheese, cream, and total dairy products on hip fracture risk.

Drinking a glass of milk daily may have beneficial effects on hip fracture risk  

While some studies have found reduced hip fracture risk with increased milk consumption, a recent study has reported an increase in risk among women drinking large amounts of milk. In the authors’ analysis, people who drank the most milk had a similar risk of hip fracture to those who drank the least. Drinking a glass of milk (200 g/day) each day may have beneficial effects on hip fracture risk, say the authors. However, they caution against drinking large amounts of milk because the effects are unclear.

Consumption of yogurt and cheese is associated with a reduced risk of hip fracture

Compared with people who ate little or no yogurt and cheese, those who ate large amounts of yogurt or cheese had a 25–32% lower risk of hip fracture. Further data are needed to prove conclusively that eating yogurt and cheese prevents hip fracture, the authors say. However, the analysis showed that consumption of total dairy products and cream was not significantly associated with hip fracture risk.

The authors suggest that yogurt and cheese may exert different effects from milk because they contain little or no galactose. This sugar, found in milk, has been linked to oxidative stress and inflammation which may be harmful to bone health. Also, unlike milk, yogurt and cheese contain probiotics which are associated with improved bone formation, increased bone density and prevention of bone loss.

Find out more: read the original article.

Source: Bian S, Hu J, Zhang K et al. Dairy product consumption and risk of hip fracture: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Public Health. 2018;18:165.

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
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12 Apr 2018
•
3 min read
Healthy Diets & Lifestyle

How to build healthy eating habits?

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Yogurt can play an important role in daily eating habits and even help build healthy eating habits.

Yogurt intake is associated with healthier eating

In a regular diet, yogurt appears particularly interesting due to added active bacterial cultures, high protein content, and vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A and D, calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus(3).

A US study(1) examined whether yogurt consumption is associated with a healthier dietary pattern and with a better cardio-metabolic risk profile on two dietary patterns: the Prudent and the Western diet.  It showed thatyogurt is a key contributor to the Prudent dietary pattern and healthy eating. . The Prudent diet is indeed characterized by higher intakes of vegetables, fruits, nuts, non-hydrogenated fats, yogurt ,fish and seafood, while the Western diet was rather characterized by higher intakes of fried foods, processed or red meats, refined grains, snacks, pizza, beer, high-fat dairy products (cream, ice cream, cheese, whole milk), regular soft drinks, mayonnaise, and hard liquor. Moreover, yogurt consumption was associated with lower body weight, waist-to-hip ratio, and waist circumference and tended to be associated with a lower BMI.

A similar analysis(2),, based on the dietary records of 986 adults in France, showed that the higher scores of diet quality and better compliance with the French dietary recommendations were observed with increasing fresh dairy products consumption. Indeed, high fresh dairy products consumers eat more fruits, fish, legumes, nuts, water and fibers, and less alcohol. Moreover, they have better intakes in 11 micronutrients, including some that are not highly present in fresh dairy products such as vitamin C and vitamin B9.

Yogurt & fruits: the winning combination

Fruits consumption is part of numerous dietary guidelines worldwide. Their energy density is relatively low, they provide a variety of antioxidants and contain fibers (assimilated to prebiotics) which are beneficial for gut microbiota. Current findings(4) suggest that an increased intake of yogurt and fruits could reduce the intake of high-calorie foods.

Yogurt consumption, as well as fruit consumption, is associated with healthier dietary pattern. And they are both nutrient dense foods! The association of yogurt and fruits may confer combined health benefits on gut microbiota through potential prebiotic and probiotic effects. It can also be considered as a winning combination for substituting nutrient-poor and/or obesogenic foods. The authors conclude that this combination, and its potential synergetic health effects, deserve further explorations.

yogurt and fruits may exert combined health benefits through prebiotic and probiotic effects

Source :

1.Cormier H, Thifault E et al. Association between yogurt consumption, dietary patterns, and cardio-metabolic risk factors. Eur J Nutr, 2016, 55(2) : 577-87.

2. Lecerf, J.M. et al., Who are fresh dairy products consumers? Analysis of their dietary and nutritional profiles, Nutrition clinique et métabolisme, 2015, 1-29

3. Murphy M et al, Daily intake of dairy products in Brazil and contributions to nutrient intakes: a cross-sectional study, Public Health Nutrition, 2015

4.Fernandez M A et al. Advances in Nutrition 2017; 8: 1555-1645.

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12 Apr 2018
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1 min read
ASN Nutrition 2018

New YINI Summit: Yogurt, more than the sum of its parts

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The next YINI summit will be organized during Nutrition 2018, in Boston USA, on June 10th 2018.

The central theme of this scientific event is “Yogurt, more than the sum of its parts” and will gather experts on the role of the yogurt dairy matrix, with the following program:

  • Review of yogurt effects on health: what’s the role of the whole matrix versus single nutrients ? (by D. Mozaffarian,  Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, USA)
  • The role of live bacteria in the health potential of yogurt (by R. Hutkins,  Food Science and Technology Department at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA)
  • Lactic fermentation and bioactive peptides (by A. Marette, University of Laval, Canada)
  • Low-fat dairy vs full-fat dairy: why it is key to consider the whole matrix (by A. Astrup, Departement of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at the University of Copenhaguen, Denmark)

Stay tuned ! More informations about the conferences will be published during the coming weeks.

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09 Apr 2018
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4 min read
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by YINI Editorial team
Gut Health Weight management

Manipulating the gut microbiota may be an important target for tackling obesity

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
bariatric surgery gut health gut microbiota microbiota obesity prebiotic probiotic weight loss
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Weight-loss programmes seem to be a part of everyday life with the current high rates of overweight and obesity. But this systematic review challenges the use of restrictive diets and bariatric surgery for achieving healthy weight management. Instead, weight loss programmes should consider the association between the gut microbiota and weight changes, the authors suggest.

The review found that both bariatric surgery and restrictive diets can trigger changes in the gut microbiota that could have long-term harmful effects on the colon. In contrast, prebiotics might restore a healthy gut microbiota and help reduce body fat, say the authors. The smooth-running of our metabolism largely depends on a healthy gut microbiota – the trillions of bacteria that live in our intestines. Evidence suggests that an upset in the balance of gut microbiota may be key in the development of obesity.

In this review, the authors looked at studies of weight-loss interventions in obese and overweight people and assessed the association between the types of intervention and gut microbiota.  They identified 43 relevant studies, of which 17 used dietary interventions to tackle overweight/obesity, 11 used bariatric surgery, and 15 used manipulation of the microbiota, for example, through probiotics and prebiotics. They found that all the interventions had impacts on the gut microbiota, but they did not always correlate with weight loss.

Weight management may need a personalised approach, starting by analysing the gut microbiota composition

Each of us has our own gut microbial make-up that is unique to us, having been influenced by a host of factors, from how we were delivered at birth to our dietary patterns and our use of antibiotics. The review found that the composition of our gut microbiota might influence how well we respond to a weight-loss intervention. Knowing more about an individual’s microbiota composition before starting an intervention may in future be a useful tool for choosing the best weight-loss therapy for that individual.

Weight-loss diets affect the gut microbiota and are linked to nutrient deficiency

The review found that restrictive diets were linked with changes to the microbiota in the gut and with nutrient deficiency . Diets restricting carbohydrates, low-fat diets, and high protein diets were all associated with reduced diversity and/or abundance of microbiota.  Weight-loss diets also tended to reduce certain bacterial groups including the Firmicutes (e.g. Lactobacillus sp and Bifidobacterium sp) which produce the fatty acid butyrate, important for healthy metabolism.

The impact of surgery on gut microbiota depends on the technique used

A similar reduction in Firmicute butyrate-producers was seen when bariatric surgery was used for the weight loss intervention. Changes in gut microbiota seen with surgery varied according to the type of surgery used. For example, laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy had the smallest impact on the gut microbiota, while ‘Roux-en-Y’ gastric bypass surgery was associated with wider microbial changes. The surgery also increased the amount of Proteobacteria which is related to changes in intestinal absorptive surface, pH and digestion time.

The association of probiotics with weight varies according to strains

Probiotics* – live microorganisms that can reach the intestine – had different impacts on the gut microbiota according to the strain of probiotic used. They tended to reduce body fat. For example, while one strain was associated with weight loss, another had no impact on weight but was associated with a reduction in body fat content, and a third was associated with both reduced weight and reduced body fat in women.

Prebiotics might restore a healthy microbiome and reduce body fat by improving glucose and lipid metabolism

Prebiotics* are mostly carbohydrates that resist digestion until they reach the colon where they are used by, or impact on the gut microbiota. The review showed that prebiotics could promote positive changes in the composition and function of gut microbiota including an increase in bifidobacteria.

Unlike dietary and surgical interventions, prebiotics increased producers of butyrate, so may be contributing to the gut barrier function and improved metabolic outcomes. The authors conclude that further studies are needed to discover more about the role of different types of gut bacteria in health, and the effects of specific probiotics.

Find out more: read the original article.

Source: Seganfredo FB, Blume CA, Moehlecke M et al. Weight-loss interventions and gut microbiota changes in overweight and obese patients: a systematic review. Obes Rev. 2017 Aug;18(8):832-851.

* Probiotics are live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Prebiotics are food ingredients that promote the growth or activity of beneficial microorganisms.

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
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06 Apr 2018
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1 min read
Monthly newsletter

Nurturing children’s healthy eating through early habits

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Read the newsletter

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05 Apr 2018
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3 min read
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by YINI Editorial team
Cardiovascular health Expert interviews

Dairy fats and cardiovascular disease: Do we really need to be concerned ?

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The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
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Ronan Lordan and Ioannis Zabetakis are both researchers at the University of Limerick in Ireland in the Department of Biological Sciences. They along with their colleagues recently authored a review in which they examine the effect of dairy products on the development of cardiovascular diseases. Among their findings, they noted that fermented dairy products such as yogurt and kefir had a neutral or positive effect on cardiovascular outcomes.

Scientific interest in fermented milk products has increased due to their potential health benefits

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Previous negative perceptions of dairy fats stems from their association with increased cholesterol levels due to their saturated fatty acid content leading to an increased risk of CVD development. Over several decades, scientific interest in fermented milk products has increased due to their potential health benefits. These products include  yogurts, cheese, and fermented milk products such as kefir [1]. Our latest review paper [2], highlights that dairy product consumption has a neutral or positive effect on CVD. Milk as a whole is a highly nutritious food, whereas fermented products such as yogurts and cheese tend to possess even greater
health benefits upon consumption. These nutrient dense foods provide essential vitamins, minerals,  macronutrients, micronutrients, and in the case of fermented dairy products beneficial probiotics that reach the gut alive and improve the host’s microbiome. However, as dairy products are the only food group composed of more saturated than unsaturated fat, it became apparent that they may be detrimental to cardiovascular health. Thus, it was proposed that low-fat or non-fat dairy products be advised to reduce the risk of developing CVD. These new dietary trends led to the development of low-fat dairy products. Recent research indicates that the fat component of dairy products possess putative antiinflammatory polar lipids that may positively affect cardiovascular health contrary to previous research [2,3].

Consumption of fermented dairy foods is associated with an overall reduced cardiovascular risk

As current dietary guidelines generally place an emphasis on the reduction of Saturated Fatty Acids (SFA) intake, it would be expected that dairy product consumption would be associated with an increased risk of CVD. Interestingly, increased consumption of fermented dairy foods such as yogurt and cheese is associated with reduced LDL cholesterol, reduced hypertension risk, and overall reduced CVD risk. Furthermore, recent observational studies indicate that alternatives to bovine dairy products, such as ovine and caprine dairy products (in particular yogurts) may be more beneficial for your cardiovascular health due to their anti-inflammatory properties and positive or neutral effects on serum cholesterol levels [2].

A nutritious option with possible benefits for heart health

To address whether we should be concerned about the consumption of dairy products and in particular their fat content, further studies are required, in particular in relation to fermented dairy products, where the exact mechanisms responsible for their positive health effects remains elusive. However, for now it seems that consumers can be confident in the knowledge that their dairy products are highly nutritious and may even positively affect their cardiovascular health!

So in five words : enjoy your full-fat fermented dairy !

References

1. Lordan, R.; Zabetakis, I. Ovine and caprine lipids promoting cardiovascular health in milk and its derivatives. Adv. Dairy Res 2017, 5.

2. Lordan, R.; Tsoupras, A.; Mitra, B.; Zabetakis, I. Dairy fats and cardiovascular disease: Do we really need to be concerned? Foods 2018, 7, 29.

3. Lordan, R.; Zabetakis, I. Invited review: The anti-inflammatory properties of dairy lipids. J. Dairy Sci. 2017, 100, 4197 – 4212

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
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02 Apr 2018
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3 min read
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by YINI Editorial team
Cardiovascular health

Regular yogurt consumption is associated with reduced heart risk in people with hypertension

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
blood pressure CVD diet hypertension yogurt
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Consuming at least 2 servings of yogurt every week, especially as part of a healthy diet, is associated with a reduced risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) among people with high blood pressure, this large-scale study reveals.

High blood pressure, well-recognised as a CVD risk factor, affects about 1 billion people worldwide. Beneficial effects of low-fat dairy consumption on the risk of high blood pressure and CVD have been shown by previous studies, including the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial. In DASH, a diet including fruit and vegetables and low-fat dairy was linked to a greater blood pressure lowering effect than the standard Western diet or a diet including fruit and vegetables without the dairy products.

Although studies have pointed to a potential benefit of consuming fermented dairy products such as yogurt for people with hypertension, there are few large-scale studies of the specific health effects of yogurt rather than dairy products as a whole.

The authors of this study investigated a possible independent link between yogurt and CVD risk among people with hypertension. They looked at data from adults with high blood pressure who were taking part in two long-term US cohort studies – 55,898 women in the Nurses’ Health Study and 18,232 men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

Participants were asked about their yogurt consumption in food frequency questionnaires and these were assessed in relation to their CVD outcomes. The findings were adjusted for CVD risk factors, medications and diet.

Yogurt intake was associated with reduced CVD risk

Results revealed that higher consumption of yogurt among the men and women in these two cohorts of people with hypertension was associated with a lower risk of CVD as shown by their rates of heart attack and stroke. Among those who ate at least 2 servings of yogurt per week, the women had a 17% lower CVD risk and the men had a 21% lower risk compared with those who ate less than one serving of yogurt per month.

The results were particularly striking for myocardial infarction (MI). The higher intake of yogurt was associated with a 30% reduced risk of MI in the women’s cohort and 19% reduced risk in the men’s cohort. It was a weaker association for stroke.

In the women only, higher yogurt intake was also associated with a reduced need for revascularisation procedures, such as a coronary artery bypass graft.

CVD risk reduction was even greater when yogurt was part of a healthy diet

The authors also looked at whether their results differed according to whether the regular yogurt-consumers closely followed a heart-healthy diet. They found the association between higher yogurt consumption and reduced CVD risk was even stronger overall among those who had higher DASH diet scores, with a CVD risk reduction of 16% among the women and 30% among the men.

How might this association happen?

Previous studies have suggested that yogurt intake may be associated with reduced CVD risk by improving blood pressure control in people with hypertension. This might be achieved by blocking an enzyme – angiotensin-converting enzyme – an effect which may cause blood vessels to relax and widen, so reducing blood pressure

The authors concluded that their findings support the inclusion of yogurt into a heart-healthy diet to help prevent CVD in people with hypertension.

Find out more: read the original article.

Source:  Buendia JR, Li Y, Hu FB et al. Regular yogurt intake and risk of cardiovascular disease among hypertensive adults. Am J Hypertens. 2018 Feb 15.

YINI Editorial team
The YINI team includes nutritionists, food engineers, registered dietitians and scientific writers.
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