FAT
Milk is considered to be a nutritious component of a healthy balanced diet. However, the term ‘full-cream’ often makes people think that milk is high in fat. This is not the case: full-cream milk is standardised to have 3.4% fat. Low-fat milk typically has 1.5% fat and fat-free milk has less than 1% fat.
Despite many unanswered questions with regard to the mechanism governing the link between dairy and weight management, research indicates that the mix of nutrients found in dairy products (the dairy matrix), especially calcium and protein, may have an important role in weight management. As dairy products naturally contain calcium, protein and other essential nutrients, consuming two to three servings daily may not only contribute to weight management and the loss of trunk fat, but it will also improve the overall nutritional quality of the diet.
Milk fat is but one of the many fats that form part of a typical diet. Almost two-thirds (65%) of the fat in full-cream milk is saturated, a quarter (25%) is monounsaturated and 3% is made up of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Saturated fat generally contributes to higher cholesterol levels, yet each type of saturated fat is different and varies in its ability to increase blood cholesterol. Emerging research suggests that full-fat dairy may not be as detrimental to heart health as previously thought. Studies suggest that, despite their saturated-fat content, dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yoghurt have a neutral or even positive effect on heart health. They may also help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, which can both increase the chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
Dietary trans fats come mainly from consuming foods that contain industrially produced trans fats, such as some margarines, fast foods, commercially fried foods and baked goods, or ruminant trans fats, which are produced naturally by bacteria in the gut of ruminant animals such as cows and sheep. Ruminant trans fats are present in foods such as dairy products and meat.
Trans fats, particularly at high intakes, have long been negatively associated with heart health. While this is true for industrial trans fats, numerous studies show that there is no significant association between the intake of naturally occurring ruminant trans fat and increased risk of heart disease.
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid, which research shows could be good for cardiovascular health, weight maintenance, preventing certain types of cancer and diabetes, supporting immune function and may have anti-inflammatory properties.
Dairy products are the richest dietary source of CLA, providing 70% of intakes compared with 25% from beef and smaller amounts from other ruminant sources. The amount of CLA in milk and dairy foods can be influenced by feeding practices, with grass-fed cows producing 300–500% more CLA than those that are grain fed. However, as most studies to date have used cell and animal models, further research is needed to fully establish the beneficial effects of CLA in the human body