New Research Suggests  Whole-Fat Dairy Could Lower Heart Disease Risks

A new study from the University of Minnesota is linking whole-fat dairy products to lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Hanna Kelley is the Director of Health and Wellness for the American Dairy Association Indiana, “Milk, cheese, and yogurt are part of a balanced diet,” she says. “It can help reduce the risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Having a few servings of full-fat dairy products have also been shown to be supportive of heart health.”

The USDA’s new Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends three servings of dairy per day. “Milk, for example, has 13 essential nutrients in it,” says Kelley. “It’s a great source of not only carbohydrates but protein, electrolytes, and B vitamins. Including potassium in your diet is also important for heart health.”

According to Kelley, as the industry works to increase dairy consumption across the country, it could be a long-term win for U.S. agriculture.

EDITOR’S TAKE:

As a person who grew up on a dairy farm, whole milk was always on the table. This latest data suggests that I might have been fortunate and, in fact, improved my overall heart health. We have long ago realized that milk is an excellent source of vitamins and other nutrients. I seem to recall a milk advertising campaign that said, “Drink Milk, It’s Good for You”, or something to that effect. If this latest study is correct, it will reverse many previous studies that suggested the fat content was not healthy. It would be great if we could come to a firm conclusion and stick to it.

Dairy farmers will benefit from studies like the one in this article. In addition, they reap the rewards of strong export sales, particularly for cheese and butter. Put them on that customer prospect list. If you don’t know who or where they are, give us a call. Paul Ferrier on our staff has developed an amazing new tool that can help you locate them AND provide ag truck sales data for each salesperson. More about this exciting new tool in an upcoming issue of the AIR….