Research

Mixed

Moderate consumption of full-fat dairy foods is neutral or beneficial for cardiovascular health, contradicting previous guidelines that recommended reducing or avoiding them in favor of low-fat options.

You do not need to avoid full-fat dairy products like cheese, butter, or whole milk for heart health. Current evidence suggests moderate consumption is neutral or even beneficial compared to low-fat alternatives, which may have higher sugar content. Focus on fermented dairy (yogurt, kefir) for potential added benefits, but do not fear the fat content in whole dairy.

ModerateRefutesMEDIUM confidence
Current scientific evidence points to a neutral or positive effect of dairy fats intake on cardiovascular health... current knowledge points to the more appropriate recommendation of moderate consumption of full-fat dairy foods within a healthy lifestyle.
Esther Sendra · Foods · 2020

Why this rating

The paper is an editorial reviewing observational and experimental studies; it cites conflicting results and notes that mechanisms are not fully elucidated.

Source

Dairy Fat and Cardiovascular Health

Esther Sendra · Foods · 2020

DOI 10.3390/foods9060838

narrative_reviewCited 11×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →