Whole Milk May Lower Diabetes Risk
Perhaps not all trans-fat is bad for you. A form found in whole milk dairy products may lower your risk for type 2 diabetes.
 The fatty acid is called trans-palmitoleic acid. A new study found that people with the highest level of this substance reduced their risk for type 2 diabetes by 62 percent, compared with people who had the lowest levels.
Moreover, people with the highest levels of trans-palmitoleic acid also had lower cholesterol and triglycerides levels and lower insulin resistance. High cholesterol and triglyceride levels and high insulin resistance put you at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Palmitoleic acid is found naturally in the body, but it also comes from dairy foods. Researchers call this fatty acid trans-palmitoleic acid when it comes from sources outside the body.
The amount of trans-palmitoleic acid in dairy products depends on the amount of fat in them. Whole milk has more trans-palmitoleic acid than 2 percent milk, and 2 percent milk has more than skim milk.
The researchers reviewed data from more than 3,700 adults enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study. All of the participants were older than 65 and lived in California, Maryland, North Carolina, or Pennsylvania.
The researchers analyzed blood samples for trans-palmitoleic acid, cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, and glucose levels. Participants also provided information on their diets.
People with higher levels of trans-palmitoleic acid had slightly less fat on their bodies. They also had higher "good" cholesterol levels and lower overall cholesterol levels. They had lower levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. And they showed evidence of lower levels of insulin resistance, according to the study.
Most significantly, however, those with higher trans-palmitoleic acid levels had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Those with the highest levels of trans-palmitoleic acid reduced their odds of type 2 diabetes by nearly two-thirds.
Should you change your diet because of this study? Not yet, say the researchers.
"This study confirms that something about dairy is linked very strongly to a lower risk of diabetes, but no single study should be enough to change guidelines," says lead author Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health.
Joel Zonszein, M.D., of Montefiore Medical Center in New York City, agrees. “We need to understand the mechanism behind this association,” he says. “Dietary changes in this country tend to be to extremes, but this study should not be used to make changes in the diet; it's just an observation right now."
Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.
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You need some fat for good nutrition: Federal dietary guidelines recommend a range of 20 to 35 percent of fat in your daily diet.
In general, saturated fats and trans-fats raise “bad” cholesterol levels, raising your risk for heart disease. Polyunsaturated fats are healthier, and monounsaturated fats are the best. But even monounsaturated fats should be eaten in moderation.
Here’s where you’ll find each type of fat:
• Saturated fats. These fats are found mainly in animal-based foods such as red meat, poultry, lard, butter, cheese, and whole milk products, and from palm and palm kernel oil, coconut oil, cocoa butter and partially hydrogenated oils.
• Polyunsaturated fats. These fats are found in corn, sesame, cottonseed, safflower, soybean and sunflower oils.
• Monounsaturated fats. These are the primary fats in olive, peanut and canola oils and most other oils made from nuts and seeds.
• Trans-fats. Although trans-fats are found naturally in small amounts in some foods, most trans-fats are found in hydrogenated vegetable oils -- such as margarines and shortenings -- and in many commercially made crackers, cookies, frostings, pies, pastries, doughnuts, and fried foods.
Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.
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