Food and diet have distinguished impact on human health and on environment. In this study, Katerina Stylianou et al. proposes an approach that takes into account both environmental and nutritional aspects of food and diet, and applied it to milk.

A Method Combining Nutritional and Environmental Life Cycle Assessment

Milk is recognized as a nutritious food, providing numerous keys essential nutrients. On the other side, milk production contributes to the production of greenhouse gas emissions, which impacts environment. So what is the overall result of one serving of milk?

To answer this question the new framework was developed by a team from the University of Michigan and the Technical University of Denmark, called Combined Nutritional and Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (CONE-LCA). This method evaluates and compares in parallel the environmental and nutritional effects of food items or diets, expressed in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Researchers applied this framework in a “proof-of-concept” case study to investigate the environmental and human nutritional health effects, associated with the addition of one serving of fluid milk to the present American adult diet.

One Portion of Milk Is Beneficial

The team takes into account human health impacts of food and diets expressed in Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). For the case study of one portion of milk, they compare the nutritional impacts and benefits, such as colorectal cancer, stroke and prostate cancer, to environmental impacts, such as global warming and particulate matter, and their consequences for human health. Their results show that adding one serving of milk in the diet, without substituting other healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, could result in a health benefit. The net health benefit was even further increased when substituting less healthy foods (such as sugar-sweetened beverages) on an iso-caloric basis. Further studies will be needed

To learn more, read the original article.

Source: Stylianou K S et al. The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 2016;21:734

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Yogurt consumers seem to have more adequate nutrient intakes. They also tend to make other healthier food choices, helping to improve overall diet quality. Finally, yogurt consumption is linked to other healthy lifestyle and sustainable habits. What’s in it? Learn more with Angelo Tremblay and Shirin Panahi.

Yogurt is commonly viewed as a healthy food and is part of the diet of many people worldwide. Did you know that yogurt consumption is an indicator of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle? This is probably the uniqueness of yogurt, which is a vehicle for quality of the whole diet.

Yogurt eaters are less likely to have inadequate intakes

Yogurt is known to be a healthy food, it’s in its inherent nature. Its specific manufacturing and fermentation process give him higher amounts of several micronutrients including group B vitamins, calcium, potassium, zinc and magnesium. It’s also a nutrient-dense food with low energy density, which promotes adherence to dietary guidelines for many nutrients and could be a healthy swap. Beyond its nutrient content, there is evidence, suggesting that yogurt consumption might exert a favorable impact on other food choices.

Frequent yogurt consumers (≤1 time/week) have a higher Healthy Eating Index, which expresses the quality of the diet. Furthermore, yogurt consumers have healthier non-nutritional behaviors, such as reduced smoking and are more physically active than do non-consumers. In other words, yogurt consumption is a signature of a healthy diet and lifestyle.

A good way to be “eco-friendly”: Eat Environmentally Friendly

Another important aspect investigated by Tremblay and Panahi is the sustainability of yogurt. Based on the greenhouse gas emission, related to food production, processing, transporting, and retailing of different foods, yogurt appears to be an eco-friendly food. The carbon footprint of yogurt production is low to moderate, compared with other foods.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), one of the components of a sustainable diet includes reference to the health and well-being of the population. This explains that sugar and sweets, despite their little effect on the environment, cannot be considered to be part of a sustainable diet, while yogurt can perfectly fit.

Source: Tremblay A and Panahi S. Yogurt Consumption as a Signature of a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle, Journal of Nutrition 2017;147:1S-5S.

The gut microbiota, a complex community of bacteria inside our gut, is more and more viewed as an important actor for health. Li Wen and Andrew Duffy, from Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, investigated how yogurt can favorably affect the gut microbiota environment or microbiome and, consequently, health.

The importance of the diversity of the gut microbiota

The composition of the gut microbiota can be influenced by our diet. Recently, it was proposed that there is a gut microbiota “signature” could be one of the causes promoting intestinal inflammation and systemic low-grade inflammation, a condition that predisposes to type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity.

Numerous health conditions, such as obesity, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, and low-grade inflammation seems to be more  frequently diagnosed in people with low diversity in the gut microbiota than in people with high diversity.  Yogurt contains a variety of beneficial bacteria, also named “probiotic bacteria”. These bacteria may  impact  the gut bacteria, providing health benefits .

You are what you eat!

More and more studies suggest that a high-fat diet can lead to intestinal dysbiosis which contributes in a loss of gut permeability and activates immune cells that promote inflammation. Fermented milk, such as yogurt, delivers a lot of  lactic acid bacteria to the gastrointestinal tract. According to the authors, they may modify the intestinal environment, improve gut permeability and decrease potentially harmful enzymes produced by the resident bacteria.

Some preliminary studies suggest that consumption of probiotic bacteria such as those found in yogurt could beneficially modify the gut microbiome environment, which in turn could positively impact the host metabolism and play a role in metabolic disorders prevention.

Consuming fermented foods, like yogurt, will at least temporarily bolster the living microbes transiting through the gut, and that is likely a good thing. The statement “you are what you eat” is particularly applicable to the gut microbiota, concluded Wen and Duffy.

Source: Li Wen, Andrew Duffy, Factors Influencing the Gut Microbiota, Inflammation, and Type 2 Diabetes, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 147, Issue 7, July 2017, Pages 1468S–1475S,

Most yogurts have a minimal effect on blood sugar

The differences between carbohydrate foods can be described in relation to their glycemic index. Simply put this index, which goes from 100 to 0, indicates how quickly a food raises blood glucose levels. Glucose is rated at 100, and the closer to 100 a food is rated, the more it increases blood sugar levels. Generally, GI values of foods are classified as low GI(GI≤55), medium GI (55<GI<70) and high GI (GI≥70).

Wolever looked at 93 GI values for yogurt from the database of the GI values of foods published online by the University of Sydney. None of them were classified as high GI food, and the majority (92 %) enter the low GI category, whatever the sugar content (GI = 27 and 41 respectively for plain and sweetened yogurt). Recent research has provided evidence that diets with a high GI are associated with an increased risk of T2D. Choosing low GI foods allows people to reduce the GI of the diet, which may reduce the risk of developing T2D.

Yogurt swaps can change the game

Why does yogurt have a low GI? The author explores several aspects that could explain this asset. One of suggested explanation is that during the fermentation process, lactic acid is formed, and it may reduce glycemic response by slowing gastric emptying. Another stronger suggestion stipulates that the varying amounts of fat and protein, nutrients, which are known to reduce glycemic response, could also play a role. Protein content shows stronger effect on lowering glycemic response than fat do.

Indeed, Wolever notes that the 43 plain yogurts analyzed have a lower GI than the 50 sweetened yogurts. However, this difference is not explained by sugar, but rather by the protein-to-carbohydrate ratio, higher for plain yogurt. As yogurt has a lower GI than most other carbohydrate foods, the authors conclude that swapping yogurt for other protein and carbohydrate sources can reduce the GI of the diet, and is also in line with recommended dietary patterns.

Want to learn more about yogurt science and gut microbiota? Discover our next story here

Source: Wolever TMS,  Yogurt Is a Low–Glycemic Index Food, The Journal of Nutrition, (2017); 147 (7): 1462S–1467S

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells develop resistance to insulin. There is an increased risk of developing it, if a relative has the condition or if an individual has an unhealthy lifestyle.

Approximately 415 million people are affected by diabetes worldwide and it is estimated this will increase to 642 million people by 2040, which puts pressure on global healthcare systems. Worried about the risk of developing diabetes? You may think how yogurt can be helpful with that so discover it below.

A 14% lower risk of diabetes with one yogurt a day

That’s the takeaway from several research commented by Prof. Jordi Salas Salvado. This highlights the importance of having yogurt as part of a healthy diet. The large-scale and robust evidence strongly suggests that yogurt intake is associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, whereas other dairy foods and consumption of total dairy did not show this association. The relationship could be linear: when the frequency of consumption of yogurt grows, the risk of developing T2D decreases.

The most recent meta-analysis reported by Salas about yogurt consumption and the risk of T2D, based on 12 prospective studies and including 438,140 individuals and 36,125 cases of incident diabetes, unveiled a 14% lower risk of T2D for a yogurt consumption around 80-125 g per day, compared with non-yogurt consumption. Interestingly, there is no evidence of a distinct effect between low-fat yogurt and plain yogurt.

Yogurt and diabetes: what’s the connection?

According to the expert, the protective effect of yogurt could be partially explained by direct effects on satiety and/or energy intake, decreasing adiposity and consequently development of insulin resistance and T2D. Dairy products, like yogurt, may also enhance the regulatory effect of insulin. Finally, another important mechanism could be probiotic properties of yogurt, that could have a positive impact on gut microbiota and the regulation of blood sugar level. Dr Salas stated «that at a time, when we have a lot of other evidence that consuming high amounts of certain foods, such as added sugars and sugary drinks, is bad for our health, it is very reassuring to have messages about other foods like yogurt, that could be good for our health.»

Want to learn more about yogurt science and blood glucose? Discover our next story here

Source: Salas-Salvado J et al. The Journal of Nutrition 2017;147:1S-10S.

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Many of us have been touched by diabetes. Maybe it’s a friend or family member who lives with diabetes or perhaps you battle the condition yourself. Fortunately, there is some good news: more and more studies indicate there may be a beneficial association between yogurt and Type 2 diabetes.

Yogurt could be an excellent choice no matter who you are. And you can also feel confident choosing yogurt, if you have type 2 diabetes or if you want to prevent it. Why yogurt can be a nutritious choice in that context was introduced by Sharon Donovan (University of Illinois, Urbana) and Jordi Salas-Salvado (University Hospital of Sant Joan de Reus, Madrid, Spain) during the Fourth Global Summit on the Health Effects of Yogurt dedicated to yogurt and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). The proceedings are now published in The Journal of Nutrition. Here are the key stories from San Diego, USA.

Should I be concerned about fat and sugar in yogurt?

No, yogurt reduces the risk whatever its fat or sugar content! In fact, the epidemiologic evidences, reviewed by Prof Salas-Salvado (University Rovira I Virgili, Tarragona) showed that the consumption of any type of yogurt and other fermented dairy products is associated with a lower risk of diabetes. When evaluating your diet to face diabetes, calories or nutrients aren’t the only factor to consider. Also worth noting is the glycemic index of your food, which indicates the influence of different foods on your blood sugar level. High-glycemic foods cause a rapid spike in your blood sugar, while those with a low glycemic index (GI) cause a slower increase.

Enjoying a bowl of yogurt won’t cause a rapid blood sugar response. Do you know why? Thomas Wolever (University of Toronto) analysis showed that the GI values of plain and sweetened yogurt are lower than can be expected based on their carbohydrate content. Swapping yogurt for other foods containing added sugars could therefore reduce the GI of the diet.  By the way, consumption of low GI foods has been associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Listen what your gut’s telling you…

Do the live microbes in yogurt support your gut microbiota and help you to fight against diabetes in the long term? Researchers working on the gut microbiota have observed that many fermented foods have positive health effects. Consuming fermented foods will at least temporarily bolster the living microbes transiting through the gut, and that is likely a good thing. Li Wen (Yale Center for Clinical Investigation, Connecticut), investigated the connections between diabetes, yogurt and the gut microbiota.

What do we know? Hypothesis proposed by Li Wen states that yogurt delivers a large number of live active cultures that could explain beneficial impact on the gut microbiota which in turn modulates the body metabolism. Studies confirm that a high diversity in your gut microbiota can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes… The statement “You are what you eat” has never been so true ! Finally, Angelo Tremblay (Laval University, Quebec City, Canada) showed overall how the consumption of yogurt can be a signature of a healthy lifestyle.

Indeed, compared to nonconsumers, yogurt consumers have better intakes of key nutrients, are more aligned with dietary guidelines and exhibit healthier non-nutritional behaviors. So, think about it next time you’re out at the store, grab a few of your favorite yogurt!

Learn more about yogurt and diabetes in our next story

Source: Donovan S M et al. The Journal of Nutrition; first published online June 14, 2017.

It is well established in the literature that healthier diets cost more than unhealthy diets. A new review of the literature shows that the economic modeling of food patterns identify dairy products as affordable, nutrient rich, and culturally acceptable options in a daily diet.

A systematic literature search of scientific  databases was performed in 2015 by Nicole Darmon (INRA, Université de Aix-Marseille) and Adam Drewnowski (University of Washington). The analysis unveiled that foods of lower nutritional value and lower-quality diets composed of refined grains, added sugars, or fats generally cost less per calorie and tended to be selected by groups with lower socioeconomic status. Findings from multiple countries were unanimous on this point. A number of nutrient-dense foods were available at low cost but were not always palatable or culturally acceptable to the low-income consumer.

The diet cost among food groups

The French INCA2 nutrient composition food database and 2007 food prices shows that the fruits and vegetables food group and the meat/eggs/fish group are the most expensive. The median cost is €0.82/100 kcal for fruits and vegetables and €0.64/100 kcal for meat/eggs/fish. Fats and sweets only cost €0.22/100 kcal, and refined starches and added fats provide energy at the lowest cost (€0.14/100 kcal and €0.06/100 kcal, respectively). Interestingly, dairy products (yogurt, milk and cheese) have an intermediate energy cost (€0.32/100 kcal).

What are affordable acceptable, nutrient-rich foods?

In order to have a balanced diet on a small budget, it is necessary to select particular nutrient dense foods with a low cost(called by expert: the ratio of nutritional quality to price). In general, pulses, nuts, oils, and whole-grain cereals were foods with very good ratios of nutritional quality to price. Among animal products, milk, eggs, poultry, organ meats, and canned sardines are also indicated  as foods with a good ratio of nutritional quality to price.  Specifically, the consumption of milk and milk products, like yogurt, are rather considered as cost neutral: whereas fruits and vegetables provided 8% of calories while accounting for 17% of the cost, the energy contribution of dairy products was equivalent to their cost – around 11%.

What is the minimum food budget for a nutritionally adequate diet?

Based on all analyses, the minimum food budget for a nutritionally adequate diet was estimated at €3.5/d. However, that amount imposed significant practical limitations: zero food waste, drinking water from the tap, knowing how to cook, and not eating out at all. Below that cost level, the linear programming model failed to come up with a solution. In other words, having a nutritious diet at less than €3.5/d was impossible, not only in practice but also in theory.

How can the model help?

The modeling of food patterns (SAIN-LIM) can help identify foods and combinations of foods that are affordable, nutrient rich, and culturally acceptable. In general, price reductions aimed at promoting healthier foods enhanced the impact of nutrition education and are more effective than education alone. Nonetheless, nutrition education should remain an important component of dietary guidance, since less-healthy food choices have also been shaped by the lack of nutrition knowledge, local attitudes, or by cultural norms.  Therefore it is important to ensure that price-based interventions do not run counter to social and cultural norms.

The authors concluded that identifying food patterns that are nutrient rich, affordable, and appealing should be a priority to fight social inequalities in nutrition and health.

To learn more, read the original article.

Source: Nicolas Darmon and Adam Drewnowski. Nutrition Reviews 2015 Oct; 73(10): 643–660.