Dairy and the heart

What is the impact of dairy on your heart health? We look at the different dairy options and discuss which is better for your heart.

Key points

• Dairy (yoghurt, milk and cheese) is high in protein and other nutrients, and can be included as part of a heart-healthy eating plan.
• Choosing reduced-fat or low-fat options can reduce some heart disease risk factors.
• For heart health, consider swapping some dairy for foods that contain healthier fats, such as nuts and seeds, oily fish and avocado.

Does dairy increase my risk of heart disease?

Dairy foods like milk, cheese and yoghurt are part of many people’s diets. They give us a range of important nutrients and aren’t highly processed foods.

Milk, yoghurt and cheese are a good source of:

• protein
• calcium
• vitamins (A, B12, riboflavin)
• minerals (zinc, phosphorous).

Current evidence shows that eating dairy foods does not increase the risk of heart disease when eaten as part of a balanced, heart-healthy diet.

Saturated fat in dairy

Dairy foods have different amounts of fat. This includes saturated and unsaturated fats.

The main type of fat in dairy products is saturated fat.

Having too much saturated fat can increase some heart disease risk factors.

Choosing low-fat or reduced-fat dairy products can be an important way to reduce your saturated fat intake and improve your heart health.

Evidence shows that eating mostly unsaturated fats from plant foods is best for our heart health.

Foods that are high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats include:

• nuts and seeds
• avocado
• most plant oils (e.g. olive oil).

Oily fish, like salmon, is also a good source of heart-healthy fats. These foods should be the main sources of fat in your diet and be part of a balanced heart-healthy eating pattern.

Low-fat dairy and heart disease risk factors

Evidence shows that choosing low-fat or reduced-fat dairy has been linked to benefits for some heart disease risk factors. In particular:

• Low-fat dairy may reduce your risk of high blood pressure over the longer term.
• Reducing dairy fat may help make a small improvement in cholesterol levels.
• Low-fat dairy or yoghurt may make a small reduction in your risk of getting type 2 diabetes.

However, current evidence does NOT show:

• any benefit of using reduced-fat dairy instead of full-fat for weight loss
• a beneficial effect of dairy on insulin sensitivity or inflammation.

Read more about this in our evidence paper and the Heart Foundation’s position statement on dairy.

Which milk is best for me?

We often get asked which milk is best. And the answer is, it depends!

Plain milks have different amounts of fat and calcium, depending on which type (colour label) you choose.

Saturated fat and calcium content in different milks

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All plain milks contain the same amount of sugar. This is sugar that is in the milk itself and is not added.

Based on current evidence, we recommend that it is best to choose unsweetened, reduced-fat and low-fat dairy options as part of a heart-healthy eating pattern.

Toddlers under the age of 2 need full-fat milk. Any unsweetened milk is suitable for children over the age of 2.

Flavoured milks have added sugars and are not recommended by the Heart Foundation.

Dairy versus non-diary milks

There are a range of non-dairy milks, like soy, almond, oat or rice.

These plant-based milks do not contain as much protein as cow’s milk.

To get the most from plant-based milks, look for products that have:

• high protein
• low sugar.

Protein content in different types of milk

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Plant-based milk should not be given to infants under 12 months of age as a complete milk replacement or main drink.

Choosing cheese

Cheese is a great source of calcium and protein and can be included as part of a heart-healthy eating pattern.

However, some cheese is very high in saturated fat. For good heart health it’s important to limit the amount of saturated fat we eat.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to:

• choose cheese that is lower in fat
• limit your portion sizes and how often you eat higher fat cheeses.

The diagram below shows the fat content of different cheeses.

Fat content of different cheeses

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Do I need to avoid butter?

Butter is made from cream and has a lot of saturated fat. 

If your diet has a large amount of saturated fat, then reducing the butter you eat is a useful way of reducing your overall saturated fat intake.

Spreads that are made from healthy oils, like canola oil or olive oil, are a healthier choice to butter because of their lower saturated fat content.

If you want something less processed, nut butters, avocado and hummus are other heart-healthy options for spreads.

Also consider switching butter for heart-healthy oils when cooking.

Dairy as part of a heart-healthy eating plan

How much dairy you need depends on your age, sex, activity level and health.

If you have high cholesterol or heart disease, reducing the saturated fat you eat from dairy can be an important step in managing your cholesterol levels. If you are not sure talk to a health professional, like your doctor or nurse.

Making small changes, like swapping to reduced-fat dairy and using plant oils instead of butter, can help keep your heart healthy.

Generally, choose reduced-fat or low-fat dairy options most of the time, eat a variety of foods, and limit dairy that’s high in saturated fats, like cheese or butter, to small amounts.

Remember, heart-healthy eating is not just about dairy. It’s about eating a variety of foods in the right quantities.

Nutrition facts

Eating for a healthy heart