If you're unsure about what foods to eat to maintain a healthy diet, you're not alone. Increasing evidence continues to point people back to basics – and reach for the milk. A study to be published in the January edition of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals that drinking three glasses of milk per day may lead to an 18% decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The research conducted at Wageningen and Harvard Universities, examined 17 studies from Europe, USA and Japan, also found no link between the consumption of regular or low-fat dairy and any increased risk of heart disease, stroke or total mortality.
"Milk and dairy are the most nutritious and healthy foods available and loaded with naturally occurring nutrients, such as calcium, potassium and protein, to name a few," said Dr. Cindy Schweitzer, Technical Director, Global Dairy Platform. "It's about going back to the basics; maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be a scientific equation."
According to Dr. Schweitzer, during the past three decades as research sought to understand influencers of cardiovascular disease, simplified dietary advice including consuming only low fat dairy products emerged. However, in 2010 alone, a significant amount of new research was published from all over the world, supporting the health benefits of dairy.
From dispelling the myth that dairy causes heart disease, to revealing dairy's weight loss benefits, below is a 2010 roundup of select dairy research:
The amount of dairy recommended per day varies by country and is generally based on nutrition needs and food availability. "In the US and some European countries, three servings of dairy foods are recommended daily, said Dr. Schweitzer."
To search for food based guidelines that may include dairy recommendations, visit the FAO Food Guidelines by Country Web site: www.fao.org/ag/humannutrition/nutritioneducation/fbdg/en .
About Global Dairy Platform
Founded in 2006, Global Dairy Platform (GDP) is an international organization that provides direction and drive to the dairy industry. Global Dairy Platform connects CEOs, executives, researchers and dairy industry advocates from corporations, communication and scientific bodies to collaborate on worldwide dairy issues. Visit www.globaldairyplatform.com for more information.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition