Milk and dairy products: good or bad for human health? An assessment of the totality of scientific evidence

Abstract

BackgroundThere is scepticism about health effects of dairy products in the public, which is reflected in an increasing intake of plant-based drinks, for example, from soy, rice, almond, or oat.ObjectiveThis review aimed to assess the scientific evidence mainly from meta-analyses of observational studies and randomised controlled trials, on dairy intake and risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cancer, and all-cause mortality.ResultsThe most recent evidence suggested that intake of milk and dairy products was associated with reduced risk of childhood obesity. In adults, intake of dairy products was shown to improve body composition and facilitate weight loss during energy restriction. In addition, intake of milk and dairy products was associated with a neutral or reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly stroke. Furthermore, the evidence suggested a beneficial effect of milk and dairy intake on bone mineral density but no association with risk of bone fracture. Among cancers, milk and dairy intake was inversely associated with colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, gastric cancer, and breast cancer, and not associated with risk of pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, or lung cancer, while the evidence for prostate cancer risk was inconsistent. Finally, consumption of milk and dairy products was not associated with all-cause mortality. Calcium-fortified plant-based drinks have been included as an alternative to dairy products in the nutrition recommendations in several countries. However, nutritionally, cow's milk and plant-based drinks are completely different foods, and an evidence-based conclusion on the health value of the plant-based drinks requires more studies in humans.ConclusionThe totality of available scientific evidence supports that intake of milk and dairy products contribute to meet nutrient recommendations, and may protect against the most prevalent chronic diseases, whereas very few adverse effects have been reported.

Cereal type significantly affects the composition and reconstitution characteristics of dried fermented milk‐cereal composites

“…R‐FMCCo had significantly higher mean values of V p , V h , V c , BRV and SBV than R‐FMCCw or R‐FMCCb (Table ). The higher viscosity of R‐FMCCo at all stages of cooking and cooling may be associated with its higher content of starch and lower proportion of amylose . A lower proportion of amylose (or higher proportion of amylopectin) favors higher water uptake and swelling, lower susceptibility to starch solubilization, and more granule integrity during heating.…”

Retracted: Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in different types of raw milk and traditional dairy product samples

“…They provide a set of key nutrients that are difficult to obtain in diets with limited or no dairy products. Likewise, milk and dairy products are rich in calcium, protein, vitamins, potassium, and phosphorus (Rozenberg et al, ; Thorning et al, ). Nevertheless, consumption of pasteurized milk and dairy products is routine among Iranian people but using raw milk and traditional dairy products is more popular among the people of other countries (Kardas et al, ; Lucey, ).…”

The nutritional limitations of plant-based beverages in infancy and childhood

“…In the case of older children with nonexclusive feeding with PPBs, the pediatrician should be aware of the nutritional risks and limitations of these beverages in order to complement the deficiencies with other foods (43). According to the literature review, nearly exclusive consumption of any kind of PPB is associated with a specific type of disease (Table V).…”