If Your Heart Desires: Go For That Full-Fat Cheese
By Genevieve Smith
Go for that full-fat cheese, why don’t you? It won’t kill you. No, really, it won’t. That’s what a new study in the European Journal of Epidemiology is trying to say. OK, maybe I’m a little biased toward full fat. What the study actually found was there’s no difference between full fat or low fat on the health of your heart, which is terribly exciting for those on-the-fence full fat lovers.
The Shade People Have Thrown Dairy Over the Years
Saturated fats are said to be a death knell for your arteries. Thus, full-fat dairy gained a bad rap. But what’s missing from the equation are the good fats in dairy. Fats don’t make you fat, empty calories are the ones to point the finger at for weight gain. But cheese, milk and yogurt are in it for the long haul, not to give you some meaningless, empty five-minute nutritional fling! Because of the high nutrient density of full fat varieties, these foods take longer to digest and thus keep you fuller longer, keeping you satisfied so you snack less. There are so many contradicting studies on dairy products over the past decade, from touting cheese as part of a heart-healthy diet to suggesting you banish butter from your pantry, that an international team of experts decided to take a crack at the big picture.
Study Findings
The researchers dug in and compiled 29 different studies over the past to take a hard look at cheese and its dairy brethren. As it turns out, the consumption of dairy, when looked at as an average, has a more or less underwhelmingly-although-satisfying neutral affect on your heart health! OK, it leans a little into the positive side. Happy? I know I am. Apparently there’s no relationship to be found between dairy intake and risk of cardiovascular issues. The celebration for me began when I read that “fermented dairy products might actually lower your risk of developing them.” Cheese lovers unite! (Butter and yogurt lovers can come, too) And as for full fat vs. skim, apparently, there is little difference in how either affects your heart health. So, go for that brie, girl. Although, maybe in moderation.
Dairy should not be shunned in your diet. Whether you choose to go full fat like me, or low fat, choose whatever your heart desires. The important thing to remember is to consume it, as with everything, in moderation. Dairy, however, plays a remarkably important role in the health of our lives, providing calcium and warding off the dangers of brittle bones later in life. So find your dairy favorites, and work them into your life as part of a healthy daily regimen. See you at the cheese rounds!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.
