Dairy products could reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes, according to a new study from Harvard’s School of Public Health.
Milk and other common dairy products, such as cheese, butter and yogurt, contain a fatty acid called trans-palmitoleic acid, which seems to significantly reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes.
Researchers followed 3,736 volunteers over the span of 20 years, and found that those with high levels of trans-palmitoleic acid were 60 percent less likely to suffer from type-2 diabetes than those with lower levels of the acid.
The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, states that higher levels of trans-palmitoleic acid were also associated with lower cholesterol levels, lower C-reactive protein levels, and lower insulin resistance, along with a significantly decreased incidence of diabetes.
While palmitoleic acid is found naturally in the body, trans-palmitoleic acid comes from outside the body and must be incorporated into a regular diet. Products containing more dairy fat are higher in trans-palmitoleic acid. Experts caution, however, that these preliminary findings are not enough to make changes to dietary recommendations.
The researchers conclude that these results call for further clinical and experimental investigation, and the findings may explain some of the previously observed health benefits of dairy products.