Low-fat versions of butter, cheese and milk have long been touted as healthier than their full-fat originals, particularly for people who need to lower their cholesterol or want to lose weight.
But there are growing indications that regular “full fat” or “whole” dairy is not only more nutritious, but does not by itself increase body fat or add to cholesterol, particularly when taken in moderation and by people who are physically active.
According to University of Toronto professor Harvey Anderson, whose research was published in The Journal of Nutrition in April, tests on 74 participants found no “meaningful differences in weight gain, body composition or cholesterol levels” between those who were given skimmed versions and those who had three servings each day of regular dairy.
The findings could even be of benefit to older people who sometimes can encounter difficulties getting sufficient protein and nutrients, but at the same time are more likely to develop diabetes, the researchers argue.
Part of the reason for the outcome, Prof Anderson believes, is the presence in dairy of proteins such as casein and whey – the latter sold as a pricey powdered supplement guzzled by bodybuilders and athletes – which help with the “steady delivery” of the nutrients in dairy.
Participants who ate full fat dairy “didn’t have adverse levels of blood cholesterol or lipids or evidence of insulin resistance,” Prof Anderson said.
According to the university, the research is a reminder to look through “a whole food lens” when assessing shifting and often contradictory dietary advice.
“Keep it simple, eat a variety of foods and not too much of anything,” Prof Anderson advised.
Earlier this year, Kozeta Miliku, a nutrition professor at the University of Toronto, warned that babies given low-fat milk had a greater risk of obesity later in life than contemporaries nurtured on whole milk.
In late 2025, nutritionists at Lund University in Sweden announced research findings showing that eating full-fat cheese and cream cuts dementia risk.
A team at the University of Oxford published indications that the calcium in dairy could help lower the likelihood of colon cancer, which is becoming increasingly common among young people.
Other recently published research shows plant-based alternatives not only failing to match the nutritional value of the dairy originals they mimic, but also coming with twice as many additives. – dpa
