Research: Both High-Fat Dairy and Eggs Could Reduce Diabetes Risk

07 Apr 2015 --- Separate studies suggest both high-fat dairy and egg consumption could reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes.

New research suggests that eating eggs could be highly beneficial for diabetics as it reduces the risk of type-2 diabetes by improving glucose balance in the body.

The research, which was conducted at the University of Eastern Finland, looked at men aged between 42 and 60 years-old. According to the study, eating around four eggs a week reduced the risk of diabetes by 37% in men, when compared to those who only ate one egg. 

It concluded that egg consumption was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabtes as well as with lower blood glucose levels. 
Meanwhile, researchers from Lund University in Sweden have found a possible link between consumption of high-fat dairy products, such as yoghurt and cheese, and a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

The study showed that eating high-fat dairy could reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes by 20% but contrastingly, consumption of meat could increase the risk. 

“Those who ate the most high-fat dairy products had a 23 per cent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate the least,” said Ulrika Ericson, who conducted the study. “High meat consumption was linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes regardless of the fat content of the meat.”

The participants took part in the Malmo Diet and Cancer study in the early 1990s, in which they provided details of their eating habits. Twenty years on, over 10 percent, that is, 2,860 people, had developed Type-2 diabetes. Both meat and dairy products contain saturated fat, but certain saturated fatty acids are particularly common in dairy products.

“When we investigated the consumption of saturated fatty acids that are slightly more common in dairy products than in meat, we observed a link with a reduced risk of Type-2 diabetes. However, we have not ruled out the possibility that other components of dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese may have contributed to our results,” Ericson explained.