Milk and other dairy products are generally desirable for your health. However, that’s not the case with your heart. Hence, if you are affected by cardiovascular ailments, doctors might recommend a diet low in dairy foods, or you might have to opt for low-fat dairy foods. The reasoning behind such measures might be well defined and logical. However, there is more to the scenario than that meets the eye because some studies have shown that dairy food consumption might not increase the risk of CVD (Cardiovascular Disease) or stroke.
Why Are Milk And Other Dairy Products Considered Harmful For Your Cardiac Health?
Dairy products are usually high in fatty content, especially butter and cheese. Here is an overview of fatty content in dairy products:
Butter: You can consider it as a synonym for fat because 100g of butter contains up to 81g of fat.
Cheddar Cheese: Contains 33% fat that means 100g of cheese will yield you 33g of fat.
Cream: A 100g bowl of cream adds up to 12g of saturated fats to your diet.
Whole Milk: It has a fat content of about 3%.
Now, it’s clear that these products are rich sources of fat. However, it’s imperative to understand that most of the fat content is saturated fat. Therefore, the high percentage of saturated fats is the culprit here. This is because a high concentration of saturated fat in the diet has been linked to increased CVD risk.
The primary explanation given by health authorities states that the fat tends to build up in the artery-clogging the blood flow. Moreover, fat deposits harden the artery walls rendering them inelastic. Therefore, the arteries cannot expand, which leads to even higher blood pressure. Overall, this phenomenon puts tremendous strain on your heart, which increases your chances of developing CVD, stroke, or AFib.
What Do Studies Show?
Some researchers decided to test the correlation discussed above between dairy food consumption and the risk of CVD. The results of their studies were quite surprising as many clearly showed no correlation between increased risk of CVD and dairy product consumption. Moreover, many researchers tried to increase the dose of dairy products in the diet by boosting the intake up to 600g/day. Even then, a few studies show no objective relation.
How Can We Explain These Studies?
We know that dairy products are rich in fat. However, we also know that these products contain some other essential and potentially beneficial nutrients to keep your cardiovascular system on track. Such nutrients include:
- Calcium.
- Vitamin D.
- Protein.
- Bioactive Peptides.
- Fatty Acid.
These nutrients also positively impact your cardiovascular system that cuts down the negatives that dairy products put on the table.
Conclusion:
It will take time for the medical community to come on board with these new studies. Until then, this matter is open to debate, and it’s best to listen to what your cardiologist has to say. If you suffer from atrial fibrillation, visit Atrial Fibrillation Center. In addition, you can call us at 832-478-5067 for further inquiries.