Bring on the cheese and yogurt!
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Key Points
- Full-fat dairy, when eaten in moderation, helped lower blood pressure in a new study.
- Eating some full-fat dairy daily may also help you eat more calcium and protein.
- Consider having some whole milk, yogurt or cheese as part of your daily routine.
For years, we’ve heard that we should eat less full-fat dairy—but experts can disagree on their advice about whole dairy. The American Heart Association, for example, recommends sticking with low- or nonfat options, while the recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests including some full-fat dairy (as long as it has no sugar added).
The science isn’t quite settled on this debate, and a growing body of research hints that full-fat dairy might not deserve its bad reputation. A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition adds another interesting wrinkle to the story. Let’s break down what they found.
How Was the Study Conducted?
The study followed 74 adults with overweight or obesity over 12 weeks. Researchers randomly assigned participants to one of three groups.
The first group reduced their intake by 500 calories a day and limited themselves to low-fat dairy (the researchers called this the LD-ER group). The second group added three servings of full-fat dairy each day but also trimmed 500 calories to keep their overall intake steady (the 3D-EN group). The third group ate three servings of full-fat dairy daily with no calorie restrictions at all (the 3D-AL group).
People consumed whole milk, Greek yogurt and cheese sticks when they ate full-fat dairy. A typical day meant a glass of milk at breakfast, yogurt at lunch and cheese at dinner. On top of that, everyone received counseling to follow Canada’s Food Guide, which nudges people toward whole grains, plant foods and fewer ultra-processed foods.
What Did the Study Find?
The results varied across the three groups, and it’s worth looking at each one.
In the low-fat dairy with calorie restriction group (LD-ER), systolic blood pressure dropped by roughly 4.25 mmHg by week 12—the largest blood pressure reduction of the three groups.
In the full-fat dairy with calorie restriction group (3D-EN), there were no significant changes in blood pressure, but participants maintained steady weight while eating three daily servings of full-fat dairy, suggesting that full-fat dairy can fit into a calorie-managed diet without negative effects.
In the full-fat dairy with no calorie limits group (3D-AL), systolic blood pressure still dropped, by about 2.72 mmHg, even without any intentional effort to reduce calories. That group also saw a small reduction in hip circumference, around 0.25 cm.
Across the two full-fat dairy groups, participants did not experience weight gain or worsening in body weight, BMI, body fat, cholesterol or blood sugar. Adding three servings of full-fat dairy a day, whether calories were restricted or not, didn’t lead to weight gain or make those measures worse.
One finding worth noting: triglycerides rose across all three groups at week 4, but returned to baseline by week 12. The spike appears to have been temporary rather than a lasting effect. On the nutrition side, participants in both full-fat dairy groups took in more protein and calcium.
Limitations
This study has some meaningful caveats. The sample was smaller than planned, with 74 participants instead of the intended 153, largely due to COVID-19 disruptions. Twelve weeks is enough to spot short-term shifts, but not long enough to draw conclusions about long-term health. And because participants were Canadian, the findings may not translate cleanly to people in other parts of the world where diet, food culture and health systems differ considerably.
A few other gaps are worth noting: the researchers didn’t measure circulating fatty acid profiles, the design was single-blind rather than double-blind and partial funding from Dairy Farmers of Canada is worth flagging, even though the authors reported no conflicts of interest and said funders had no role in the results.
How Does This Apply to Real Life?
The practical message here is reassuring rather than revolutionary. Full-fat dairy, enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet, appears safe and may offer some modest benefits. You probably already knew that having some full-fat yogurt or cheese from time to time can be delicious, but it can be nutritious, too.
If you want to picture what three servings looked like in the study, some examples are a glass of whole milk with breakfast, a container of Greek yogurt at lunch and a couple of cheese sticks with dinner.
Our Expert Take
This study, published in The Journal of Nutritionhighlights that full-fat dairy, consumed as part of a balanced diet, appears to be a reasonable choice for most adults, and it may help modestly lower blood pressure levels. This study adds a meaningful data point to a conversation that’s been evolving for years, and suggests that the long-standing case against full-fat dairy may be less clear-cut than once thought. Hooray for whole milk lovers everywhere!