Pass the Parmesan! Though healthy eaters often stay away from cheese because it tends to be high in calories, new research published in scientific journal The Lancet, found that the dairy product, and other full-fat dairy foods such as milk and butter, may actually be better for you than their low-fat counterparts.
What’s more? The study also suggests that eating full-fat dairy products might actually be more beneficial to a person’s overall health than cutting them out of a diet entirely.
To reach this potentially meal-changing conclusion, a group of scientists from all over the world monitored the food intake of more than 136,000 people from 21 different countries over a nine-year period.
According to the extensive research, higher intake of total dairy (more than two servings per day compared with no intake) was associated with a lower risk of death, heart attack or stoke. Specifically, the research showed that full-fat dairy can reduce death from cardiovascular disease by nearly a quarter, and slash the risk of heart disease and strokes by 22 percent and 34 percent, respectively.
When individually tested, milk, yogurt and cheese each yielded similar results, though in some cases the figures varied slightly.
As the study’s conclusion states, “Dairy consumption was associated with lower risk of mortality and major cardiovascular disease events in a diverse multinational cohort.”
Not surprisingly, cheese fans were overjoyed by these results. Check out some reactions to the study below:
Ordered way too much cheese from @theethicaldairy. Happily a report in the Lancet today finally extols the virtues of 3 x modest servings a day of dairy for heart health. Hurray!
— Alison Fi (@lifebyfirepit) September 12, 2018
So, cheesecake is now my new favorite health food.
It has dairy (cream cheese), grains, (Graham cracker crust), and fruit (preferably strawberries!)
I’m all set!
😄🍰🍴😅— Sherry Sherry (@Sherrysherry1) September 16, 2018
Paid by the dairy industry. 😉
— Jennifer Cabral (@VioletSerene) September 16, 2018
Finally, a study to justify my love of cheese 🙂
— Sarah C Jackson (@sarahcjack) September 17, 2018
Like I always said, don’t forget the cheese.
— siege of cheese (@siegeofcheese) September 16, 2018
Great day to be lactose intolerant
— Adi Pataky (@patakyyy) September 16, 2018
Cheese makes you immortal.
— 🐙Octo-Pirate🐙 (@LateNightCurry) September 15, 2018
Tell Us: Are you surprised?
