by Dairy seems to get a bad rap these days. As anti-inflammatory diets grow in popularity, dairy seems to be the first thing people recommend you eliminate. But it shouldn’t be.
I am often asked if dairy foods cause inflammation. Actually, the opposite is true. Based on the body of science, dairy foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese do not cause inflammation and can be part of anti-inflammatory diets. They are also important as we age as a source of calcium, which helps keep bones strong.
A study published in Nutritional Epidemiology that ranked foods based on their inflammatory potential showed that dairy foods, fruits and vegetables—especially dark leafy greens and deep orange vegetables—tend to be anti-inflammatory.
Regarding dairy specifically, a systematic review in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, funded by the National Dairy Council, evaluated 27 randomized controlled trials and found that dairy foods (ie, milk, cheese and yogurt) and proteins dairy (ie, whey, casein) neutral to beneficial effects on inflammation.
Concerns about inflammation are not a valid reason to avoid dairy – and as we age, we may benefit from fewer falls and fractures by including dairy in our diets.
A new study found that increasing calcium and protein intake through dairy products reduced the risk of falls and fractures among older adults by 33%. The results of the randomized controlled trial were published in the October 20, 2021, BMJ.
Sandra Iuliano and colleagues at the University of Melbourne led a 2-year cluster randomized controlled trial in residential care facilities in Australia. Twenty-seven facilities were randomized to provide residents with larger amounts of milk, yogurt, and cheese containing 562 milligrams of calcium and 12 grams of protein for a total daily intake of 1,142 milligrams of calcium and 69 grams of protein. An additional 29 facilities were included as controls, with residents consuming 700 milligrams of calcium per day and 58 grams per day of protein.
In total, 7,195 residents were enrolled in the study between December 2013 and August 2016. The average age of the residents was 86.7 years in the intervention group and 86.4 years in the control group.
At the start of the study, the initial intake of calcium and protein was 689 milligrams and 57 grams per day, on average.
During the study, residents in the intervention cohort consumed 3.5 servings of dairy per day, while residents in the control group consumed less than 2 servings per day, on average. In a follow-up study, researchers identified 324 fractures, which occurred among 3.7% of residents in the intervention group and 5.2% of residents in the control group. This represented an estimated 33% reduced risk of fracture with increased dairy consumption.
The incidence of hip fracture was 1.3% in the intervention group and 2.4% in the control group, resulting in a 46% reduced risk of hip fracture. The risk of falls was 57% in the intervention group and 62% in the control group, resulting in an 11% risk reduction.
“This nutritional intervention has far-reaching implications as a public health measure for fracture prevention in the aged care setting and possibly in the general population,” wrote Iuliano and colleagues.
Q and A
Q: Can eating whole grains help reduce my chances of getting Type 2 diabetes?
A: Yes, according to a recent study by the University of Eastern Finland and the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare. The study, published in Nutrients, found that one serving of whole grains per day reduced the incidence of Type 2 diabetes compared to those who did not eat whole grain foods daily. Whole grains include grains such as brown or wild rice, quinoa, oatmeal, whole wheat (in bread, crackers and pasta), farro, barley and teff. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend between 3 and 6 servings of whole grains per day.
recipe
Have you ever thought about using your slow cooker to make rolls? It works, and gives exceptionally tender pillowy rolls. Here’s a recipe for honey whole wheat rolls to try. (And a bonus – it’s all wheat flour serving whole grains). It’s from Eating Well magazine.
WHOLE WHEAT ROLLS HONEY COOKER MAL
Servers: 12
1 cup whole milk, warmed
4 tablespoons honey, divided
1 envelope active dry yeast (2.5 teaspoons)
5 tablespoons of canola oil
1 large egg
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine milk, 1 tablespoon honey and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set aside for 5 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of honey, oil, egg, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook or wooden spoon until a smooth, elastic ball forms and pulls away from the sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface; divide into 12 pieces, about 2 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Line a 6-quart or larger slow cooker with a large piece of parchment paper (It’s okay to puff it up a bit to get it over the bottom and part of the way up the sides); coat the paper with cooking spray. Place the rolls in one layer. Cover and cook on high until the rolls are beginning to brown around the edges and spring back lightly when touched, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Transfer the rolls to a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving warm. Makes 12 rolls.
Per serving: 226 calories; 7 grams of protein; 34 grams of carbohydrate; 8 grams fat (1 gram saturated); 18 milligrams of cholesterol; 3 grams of fiber; 7 grams total sugars (6 grams added); 114 milligrams of sodium.
Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with the SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois, and the current president of the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD. To learn more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
Photo credit: Eiliv Aceron at Unsplash
