In the last two decades, an emerging body of research has mounted showing a link between dairy foods like milk, yogurt, and cheese — at a variety of fat levels — and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). National Dairy Council (NDC) funds research and shares science-backed information to help clarify the complexities surrounding the impact of dairy foods on heart health.

Mainstream nutrition guidance has recommended reducing saturated fat intake for the past 40 years, including from full-fat dairy foods, to lower the risk of CVD. This advice stemmed from concerns that saturated fat might raise LDL cholesterol, a key risk factor for heart disease. However, decades of research have demonstrated that the link between dairy food consumption and heart health is not that simple.

NDC and third-party research indicates eating dairy foods (i.e., milk, cheese, and yogurt), whether full-fat or low-fat, is not associated with increased risk of CVD. In fact, several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have found that dairy foods have a neutral impact and may even offer protective benefits.

A 2016 systematic review, partially funded by NDC, found either a neutral or favorable association between dairy consumption and cardiovascular-related outcomes. The researchers emphasized that the recommendation to focus on low-fat in place of high-fat dairy is currently not evidence-based, and further research is needed to specifically address this key research gap.

Cheese, milk can reduce risk of heart disease and stroke

A more recent 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis found there is moderate evidence to suggest that eating about one serving of cheese a day is linked to lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality as well as reduced rates of heart disease and stroke. The researchers noted the cheese matrix —  its complex structure of physical, nutritional, and bioactive components — may play a key role in mediating the food’s digestion and absorption, and ultimately its impact on human health.

In the 2023 landmark Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study, researchers found that eating 2 daily servings of dairy (mainly from whole milk dairy foods), fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and fish was linked to a 30% reduced risk of all-cause mortality, 19% reduced risk of stroke, 18% reduced risk of CVD and 14% reduced risk of heart attack. The authors concluded dairy foods, including whole milk dairy foods, play an important role in supporting heart health.

Additionally, a 2023 NHANES study of more than 46,000 U.S. adults found eating dairy foods was linked to a 26% reduced risk of heart disease mortality for those 19 years and older. The researchers also found dairy foods are not linked with all-cause mortality or cancer mortality risk.

Dairy fats have unique makeup 

This ever-evolving research sheds new light on dairy fat which is unique in its makeup of over 400 fatty acids which seem to interact differently compared to other sources of saturated fat. And dairy foods are more than a simple collection of isolated nutrients, rather they possess complex physical and nutritional matrices that can affect digestion, absorption, and nutrient bioavailability beyond the presence or absence of individual nutrients.

As research continues to evolve, NDC is committed to sharing science-backed information on dairy foods as part of energy balanced, healthy eating patterns to help consumers choose what’s right for their needs.