The Dairy Research Institute announced some of the most promising research on dairy over the last year and talks about what the organization plans to focus on in 2011.
Their statement highlights several studies that point to the benefits of whole-fat dairy.
For example, this study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that intake of whole-fat dairy may help to reduce incidence of type 2 diabetes as it was strongly associated with:
Lower body mass index
Smaller waist circumference
Higher levels of HDL cholesterol
Lower triglycerides
Lower total cholesterol
Lower C-reactive protein*
Lower fasting insulin levels
The study measured blood levels of trans-palmitoleic acid in subjects and found that the higher the level, the less likely the subject was to develop diabetes.
Lead investigator Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian was quoted at heartWire saying, "Trans-palmitoleic acid is a fatty acid relatively unique to dairy foods. We don't make it in our bodies, so consuming it is the only way for it to enter the bloodstream."
Another study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found certain constituents of milk fat to lower the risk of heart attacks in men and especially in women. Researchers in this study looked specifically at the effects of pentadecanoic acid and heptadecanoic acid, saturated fatty acids found in milk fat.
In 2011, the Dairy Research Institute says it plans to focus on the effects of three dairy servings per day, how these may improve metabolic health, milk's role in muscle recovery, and translating research findings into practical advice that people can use in their own quest for health.
For more on dairy protein like whey, dairy fat, and all the latest research on the benefits of dairy, you can check the Institute's news site.
*You will probably remember that c-reactive protein levels were lowered in healthy males taking Aminogen with their whey protein more than healty males taking whey protein without Aminongen.
