Many things have been said about the consumption of this dairy derivative, but a recent study could point out to the fact that yogurt's diabetes effects are ultimately more than meets the eye: perhaps it could even prevent the disease.
It seems that one of the ways to prevent this terrible disease that has been gaining more patients in the pas few years is simple: yogurt. Diabetes, particularly type 2 one, is a chronic condition that happens when the body is unable to generate enough insulin.
With the growing obesity epidemic, type 2 diabetes has turned into one of the most common side effects - it has often been linked to a poor diet and bad eating habits. In the meantime, it has often been suggested that yogurt for diabetes could potentially help out in the fight against this disease.
According to Science Daily, a new study by BioMed regarding yogurt and diabetes has just recently been published at BMC Medicine. The research, entitled "Dairy consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: 3 cohorts of US adults and an updated meta-analysis" went through the results different cohort studies (three of them) which followed the lifestyle of different health professionals.
The studies followed by the Harvard School of Public Health were the Health professionals' Follow-up Study (HFPS), Nurses' Health Study (NHS) andNurses' Health Study II (NHS II).
According to The New York Times, the researchers followed nearly 200,000 people (men and women of ages varying from 25 to 75) over a course of 30 years, seeing how their health was going over periodic interviews and tests, as well as detailed food questionnaires.
After combining the data and adjusting it to the particulars of each of the individuals studied - like their body mass index, hypertension and other characteristics -, they found the new yogurt and diabetes discovery: there is no association between type 2 diabetes and total dairy consumption, whether it is high or low fat.
However, the particular relation between yogurt and diabetes was different to that of other dairy products, according to Forbes. The average amount of yogurt consumption a day was 4 ounces; however, those who ate up to 12 ounces a day had an 18 percent reduction of developing type 2 diabetes at some point in their lives.
While it's not certain that among yogurt's anti-diabetes properties is the fact that it can outright prevent it, but the researchers behind this paper do say that it can certainly help and that it should be a part of a healthy diet, as cultures such as the Greek one have been sure of for centuries.
While yogurt's diabetes properties are the last wonder to be discovered about the popular Mediterranean food, studies in the last few years have suggested that the fermented dairy could also help go through irritable bowels, high blood pressure and even depression. It's certainly among the most popular foods for those who advocate a healthy diet.
It's not the first time that researchers notice a relation between yogurt and diabetes, as similar studies have pointed to a connection in the past. However, it is still unclear how exactly this works.
"The mechanisms are not well understood at this point," the study's lead author, Frank Hu, told a Forbes reporter. "One hypothesis is that the probiotics in yogurt may help to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation, but this hypothesis needs to be tested in randomized clinical trials."
"Several studies have found that higher yogurt consumption improves body weight," Hu added later on. "But there seems to be more going on than just body weight: It could be the magnesium, calcium, or whey in yogurt that leads to improved metabolic health and therefore a reduced risk of diabetes."
