New Research Confirms Health Benefits of Milk
27, February 2003
The negative image associated with milk fat intake is being continuously disproven by scientific information worldwide, according to a leading Teagasc food scientist.
Dr Catherine Stanton of the Teagasc Dairy Products Research centre at Moorepark, Fermoy, said that research findings now show that many of the fatty acids contained in milk are actually cholesterol neutral or cholesterol lowering.
Addressing the Teagasc Liquid Milk Conference in Dublin, Dr Stanton said that new scientific information is leading to the exploitation of many health promoting components of milk for the growing 'functional food' market worldwide.
"For example, milk proteins or milk protein components which have proven ability to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut, reduce cancer risk, enhance dental health and bone strength are now being used in a diverse range of dairy products".
"Research has also shown that a particular type of milk protein can reduce blood pressure. In fact, recent clinical studies involving a new product in Japan have shown a strong correlation between reduced blood pressure and consumption of a product enriched with a particular type of milk protein," she said.
Dr Stanton said that whole milk is uniquely endowed with a complex group of over 400 fatty acids.
"Recent studies have shown that several of these fatty acids, such as butyric acid and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may have the potential to protect against major chronic diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
She outlined the results of studies which demonstrate a link between dietary CLA intake and reduced risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women.
"Research by Teagasc and internationally has shown that milk and beef produced from a grass-based diet is particularly high in CLAs. This has the potential to convey significant health benefits on Irish milk and beef products. Teagasc scientists are now involved in investigating new diets, such as those rich in plant oils, as mechanisms for further enhancing the levels of these beneficial fatty acids," she said.
Dr Stanton also stated that dairy foods are now proven as ideal vehicles for delivering high levels of probiotics to the human gut.
"Priobiotics are live bacteria which, when ingested in adequate amounts confer a range of health benefits, such as reduction in infection, control of diarrhoea, improved recovery after antibiotic treatment and reduction of allergy-based diseases, such as atopic excema in children."
"There is now considerable research being carried out by Teagasc, in association with University College Cork (UCC), on expanding the range of dairy products which contain probiotic bacteria. While yogurt is proven as an ideal carrier of these beneficial bacteria recent studies have shown cheddar cheese to be at least as effective and clinical studies at UCC have demonstrated the health benefits of a newly developed probiotic cheese", she said.
