Study: Low-Fat Yogurt Can Help Reduce Inflammation Biomarkers in Women

More people seem to be looking for ways to manage or reduce inflammation.

The good news is this: A new clinical study showed that eating low-fat yogurt (1.5 servings per day) reduced biomarkers of chronic inflammation and improved gut integrity in apparently healthy women, whether they were normal weight or obese.

This adds to a larger body of evidence that connects yogurt and health, but why should we take notice? Inflammation is a word that conjures up thoughts of redness, swelling, burning and pain. We have all experienced inflammation, which is an important part of our body’s immune response to cuts and infections. But did you know chronic low-grade inflammation – the type you cannot see or feel – is a hallmark of obesity, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic conditions?

Fortunately, healthy eating patterns and regular exercise can help maintain weight and reduce chronic inflammation. Observational evidence has shown that eating yogurt may be associated with reduced risk for Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and with less weight gain over time. Being a fermented food, yogurt is believed to have beneficial metabolic effects by enhancing gut integrity and thereby reducing chronic inflammation. Results from this new clinical trial add to the body of research supporting a link between yogurt and health.

Let’s examine this new study in more detail. The researchers randomized 60 normal-weight and 60 obese women to eat either 12 ounces of low-fat yogurt or an equivalent amount of soy pudding daily for nine weeks. They were instructed to eat their regular diet. Biomarkers of inflammation and gut integrity were assessed throughout the study. The results showed that regularly eating yogurt reduced several markers of inflammation and improved indicators of gut integrity in both normal and obese women.

These findings are important because they provide a clearer idea of the mechanism by which yogurt is linked to reduced inflammation and support of metabolic health. The results of this trial, in conjunction with observational evidence, highlight the value of regularly eating low-fat yogurt as part of a healthy eating pattern.