A daily tablespoon of yogurt can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by nearly a fifth. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells develop resistance to insulin.Researchers from Harvard School of Public Health pooled the results of three prospective cohort studies that followed the medical history and lifestyle habits of health professionals. These studies included the Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study (HFPS), which followed 51,529 US male dentists, pharmacists, vets, osteopathic physicians and podiatrists, aged from 40 to 75 years.
The researchers found that the total dairy consumption had no association with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. They then looked at consumption of individual dairy products, such as skimmed milk, cheese, whole milk and yogurt. It was found that high consumption of yogurt was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The authors found that consumption of one 28g yogurt per day was associated with an 18% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.