— Nutrition & Health Effects

Cardiovascular Health

The science behind the benefits of milk and dairy foods for cardiovascular health

The focus on dairy foods and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is often in relation to saturated fat. There is an assumption that because some dairy foods contain saturated fatty acids and dairy in general contributes to saturated fat intake in the diet, that it also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet the majority of epidemiological studies have shown no adverse effects of regularly consuming milk and dairy foods such as yogurt and cheese on cardiovascular health, irrespective of fat content. In fact, in some cases a cardio-protective effect has been observed.

The explanation for this may lie in the complex composition of milk and dairy foods which, in addition to saturated fat, contain other nutrients and bioactive components such as calcium, potassium, vitamin K and bioactive peptides in the dairy matrix which may be beneficial to cardiovascular health.

In addition, the overall fatty acid profile of milk and dairy may not have the detrimental effect on blood lipids or other cardiovascular parameters that has been assumed.

Find out more

On the impact of milk and dairy foods on cardiovascular health

Dairy and Cardiovascular Health Overview PDF

Symposia and Events

— Dairy and Cardiovascular Health

8 June 2021

Food Matrix, EFAD 21

June 2021

Food Matrix, EFAD 21

EFAD webinar on new insights on the health effects of the dairy food matrix

8 April 2021

CVD Prevention, ESC 21

April 2021

CVD Prevention, ESC 21

Online symposium on dairy’s potential for CVD risk reduction through food matrix effects.

8 November 2019

Dairy Matrix, EFAD 19

November 2019

Dairy Matrix, EFAD 19

Symposium exploring the ‘matrix effect’ of milk and dairy foods on health.

8 October 2019

Matrix & Health, FENS 19

October 2019

Matrix & Health, FENS 19

Symposium exploring the health effects of the dairy matrix beyond the nutrients they contain.

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Quick Links

The European Milk Forum is a non-profit organisation which plays a vital role in driving the strategic development, management, and exchange of integrated information initiatives on milk and dairy across Europe.

Today, nine organisations have joined the EMF: Austria: www.ama.at, Belgium: www.vlam.be, Denmark: www.danishdairyboard.dk, France: www.cniel.com, Germany: www.initiative-milch.de , Ireland: www.ndc.ie, Northern Ireland (UK): www.dairycouncil.co.uk, Norway: www.melk.no and Switzerland: www.swissmilk.ch

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