Yogurts can now make limited claim that they lower type 2 diabetes risk, FDA says

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Health

Updated 1:52 PM EST, Sat March 2, 2024


CNN — In a decision nearly five years in the making, the US Food and Drug Administration has decided that yogurts can now make a limited claim that the food may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, the federal agency concluded Friday.

The decision marks the first-ever qualified health claim the federal agency has issued for yogurt.

Qualified health claims “are supported by scientific evidence, but do not meet the more rigorous ‘significant scientific agreement’ standard required for an authorized health claim,” according to the FDA. “To ensure that these claims are not misleading, they must be accompanied by a disclaimer or other qualifying language to accurately communicate to consumers the level of scientific evidence supporting the claim.”

In the case of yogurt, the claim states that according to limited scientific evidence, “eating yogurt regularly, at least 2 cups (3 servings) per week,” may reduce risk of the disease that affects about 38 million people in the US and roughly 462 million individuals worldwide.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/01/health/yogurt-type-2-diabetes-fda-limited-claim-wellness/index.html

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Link to FDA NEWS RELEASE - FDA Announces Qualified Health Claim for Yogurt and Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Link to FDA letter to firm (PDF) - https://www.fda.gov/media/176608/download?attachment

[AllaN01Bear]

1. cool. good to know

[ClaudetteCC]

13. good to know and thanks for posting

i didn't even know it was considered as beneficial for type 2. I find it beneficial for intestinal issues. The only kinds i like are the plain non greeked yogurts, ideally from whole milk. i don't even like the 'plain' ones with added sugar which really should be called 'sugar flavored.' I haven't gotten into making my own yet but hope to sometime (and kefir).

[R Merm]

30. If you have an instapot with a yogurt setting it is easy, takes most of a day to make but most of that time it is just

sitting on the counter.

https://www.seriouseats.com/homemade-yogurt

[Mosby]

2. Junk science being promoted by the medical community.

Who know damn well that yogurt with added sugar is not good for blood sugar levels.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. "Who know damn well that yogurt with added sugar is not good for blood sugar levels."

"Yogurt" is not just the gelatin-laden "Dannon" or other brands that are sweetened.

Many cultures cook with yogurt regularly. I know I make Tabdoori chicken every once in awhile as well cooking up some gyros with tzatziki (cucumber/dill/yogurt) sauce.

[DBoon]

4. I think the highly adulterated brands should not be allowed to call themselves "Yogurt"

Maybe "Artificially flavored fermented milk product" instead

[BumRushDaShow]

7. I believe this was directed at one company and their labeling

(I included the letter FDA sent to them)

So obviously wouldn't apply to others but I expect will form a template for future companies interested in this.

The permitting of "health claims" thing from the agency is something started back with allowing it for some oats products and is generally a rare thing the agency approves.

There are actually standards set up for what is considered "yogurt" - https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=131.200&SearchTerm=yogurt

[moniss]

12. I've had the pleasure

of having Albanian food prepared with honest to goodness fresh yogurt as opposed to the "store" stuff. World of difference to my taste.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. Back in the early '80s

my mom bought a yogurt maker and was making her own. I'm pretty sure it was one of the Salton models (used white ceramic cups) -



So many things that one can make with it!

[lark]

28. Wow, I got one of those when we bought our first house in 1983.

I used it all the time but it got lost in the move across the country and I haven't even thought of this in decades. My husband is pre=diabetic and I'm close so maybe this would help us too? Think I'll see if I can get it, I loved the taste!

[BumRushDaShow]

29. Back then it was tricky to find a plain yogurt with active cultures to use as a "starter"

but nowadays, that's not much of an issue.

I've seen the newer models that are configured with the containers in a circle.

[KPN]

44. Absolutely true. The question is will this "may lower risk statement" FDA's approving be

limited to low to no sugar yogurts. Because, also absolutely true is that most yogurts on grocery shelves are sugar laden.

[BumRushDaShow]

45. The petition was from one firm

and the assumption should not be that this designation would apply for "all yogurts".

I included the 51-page FDA response to the petition (PDF) in the OP comments (which includes their evaluation and opinion about the submitted research articles, and how they expected to proceed).

[hlthe2b]

6. I have made my own yogurt 2x weekly for the past ten years. THAT is what they are referring to

in terms of Type II diabetes prevention--and SOME unsweetened active culture yogurts on the market would also fit the criteria. While I typically freeze some of my own to use as "starter" for the next batch, I do replenish every once in a while with Mountain High plain original yogurt. Studies of many of the longest-lived populations confirm the benefit of yogurt and other fermented natural foods.

But no, the commercial crap-sweetened quasi-yogurts full of gelatin to thicken or other added crap would not fit the bill.

[Rebl2]

8. What if

it’s plain yogurt with no sugar, no flavoring.

[Mosby]

10. Thats what might help with blood sugar

But almost no one buys plain, except healthy people imo. Same with plain kefir. I used to run the produce, deli, meat, peri dept at a target. I did all the ordering, most of the plain yogurt expired and had to be thrown away. There is really not much healthy with yogurt, it's loaded with sugar, including chobani.

[Rebl2]

11. Yep

I don’t care for plain yogurt or any yogurt. It doesn’t agree with me.

[Mosby]

16. Same here, i like yogurt but my digestive system doesn't.

A few months ago I began to eat it again, and in a couple weeks I started getting really bad IBS. Like the doom and gloom stuff. After I stopped it went away.

I read recently that taking probiotics is a bad idea, even for healthy people because your biome is made up of dozens maybe hundreds of different bacterial strains and taking probiotics can disrupt that in a bad way. The way to go is prebiotics and fiber, which is what I do now.

[Rebl2]

19. I had to

quit eating it in the late ‘80’s.

[The_Zephyr]

25. Plain, Whole-Milk Yogurt Is My Favorite.

The only yogurt & kiefer I buy is the plain kind. Many years ago, I used to get the flavored, but now I love the plain much better.
It's good to know both are even healthier than first thought.

[KS Toronado]

26. Welcome to DU

Mosby above said "There is really not much healthy with yogurt,"

[madinmaryland]

47. Welcome to DU!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. And you are a scientist / doctor?

Could be you are, since you are so sure.

Did you read the study?

I think that the gut bacteria enhancement might outweigh the detriment of average yogurt sugar. But I'm not a doctor or nutrition scientist.

[CTyankee]

37. and, they are mixed in with the real yoghurts. You really have to read the label to know the contents of the "yogurt"

are eating. I got fooled because I really look just for the most appealing flavor to me. Sometimes it is pretty good but I should treat it like a dessert, because that is really what it is. I sometimes have one for lunch and it is not that nutritious. I need to read the damn label!

[Mosby]

46. Its not just yogurt

The food manufacturers are very clever these days, take a look at frozen cauliflower crust pizzas, they are still mostly wheat flour, with a bit of cauliflower mixed in.

[hlthe2b]

5. It should absolutely be limited to unsweetened active culture yogurt....

But, I'll bet $$ the sugar-filled crap will get by on a "loophole." That sugar feeds the WRONG bacteria and would certainly do little to ensure a healthy natural biome.

[Aussie105]

9. Can't hurt to include yoghurt in your diet.

Just stay away from the ones that aren't your basic unsweetened no sugar or fruit added ones, which is most of them.

Locally that is called 'Greek yoghurt' and it is sour.

Does it help avoid getting type 2 diabetes, or controlling it?

I'm guessing reading the labels of stuff you buy for sugar content is more helpful.

(Currently I'm waiting to see my blood work results to see if my HbA1c shows I've been a Good Boy lately. I'm at the controlling type 2 stage, not avoiding it.)

[duhneece]

14. I use plain high-protein or Greek

I mix half and half with mayonnaise for salmon salad, occasionally add stevia or maple syrup or honey to top my desserts or oatmeal.

[ClaudetteCC]

18. good info, thanks for posting

earlier i thanked one of the people who replied rather than you. i'm still learning my way around here

[BumRushDaShow]

21. Welcome to DU!

[BluesRunTheGame]

20. I use plain low-fat yogurt. I heard that Greek yogurt was better so I decided to try some.

It tasted OK but the texture reminded me of wallpaper paste. I went back to regular plain yogurt. I add chopped walnuts and blueberries.

[Kablooie]

24. Greek yogurt is great

When you add fruit, granola or nuts and possibly a little honey.
Much better than the slimy, jammy sweetened stuff.

[masmdu]

22. I made this "cheesecake" today using nonfat Greek yogurt and

It was quite good. No sugar. Added oat flour for the cornstarch. also, half cup of pureed raspberry/ blueberry mix.
https://30seconds.com/food/tip/amp-66571/Creamy-3-Ingredient-Yogurt-Cake-Recipe-Youll-Think-Youre-Eating-Cheesecake

[barbtries]

23. i wish i liked yogurt. nt

[jaxexpat]

27. "Yogurts can now make limited claim....."

Okay, it was only a matter of time. Fertilized "citizen embryos" get the vote and next thing you know, primitive, single cell germ-life can now make scientific claims.

What's next? A convicted felon re-elected president?

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

31. Time to consider extra Tzatziki sauce.

[BumRushDaShow]

32. Yup

Gotta get some cukes and dill!

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

33. I get the Aldi stuff with added onions.

[BumRushDaShow]

35. I make my own!

Now I gotta consider making something next week that uses it.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

36. Also at Aldi:

https://www.instacart.com/products/21177848-never-any-fresh-ground-lamb-per-lb?retailerSlug=aldi

Can you spell/pronounce gyro?

[BumRushDaShow]

42. You sent me down the recipe rabbit hole

(since I have ground lamb and ground beef in the deep freezer )

The Greek place that I have visited to get some pronounced it the "American way" (with a hard "g" or as a "j" ) but I know the cart guys did pronounce it with a "y" sound.

[Old Crank]

40. Sounds good.

I believe the additions to yogurt in Tzadziki aren't high in sugar.
I don't think there can be any case made for the US style fruity types with added sugar.
When I come back tothe states I find it hard to find plain yogurt, not Greek, and granola not stuffed with sugar.

[Johnny2X2X]

34. The food corporations are constantly fighting

Fighting to deceive the public. Congress has had to fight tooth and nail to get truthful labeling on virtually every good you see in the shelf. Now giant corporations want to claim their sugar yogurt is good for diabetics. Disgusting.

Yogurt is great for you! And yogurt without added sugars is probably good for diabetics. But the yogurt they’re talking about is full of sugar and there is no way it is helping blood sugar.

[chouchou]

38. "Manufacturer who make yogurts can now make a limited claim"

"YES!! You've heard of Methuselah..Now YOU can live that long! Our Yogurt will.... "

[NickB79]

39. Gonna make a chicken tikka masala tonight

A big spoonful of plain Greek yogurt on top is delicious and adds lots of protein.

Same with on baked potatoes instead of sour cream, or replacing half the mayo for tuna sandwiches. Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, blended up, makes a kickass cheesecake substitute that's way healthier for you.

Even the sweetened varieties are ok in moderation if you treat them like desserts, replacing a bowl of ice cream. I like the Chobani Flips that have a crumbly topping.

[Old Crank]

41. Not having seen the research

I would think that they didn't check the sugared, fruity yogurts. Testing only the plain style.

[BumRushDaShow]

43. The 51-page FDA response to the firm requesting this approval

(the link having been included in this OP's comments section) includes references to the research studies that the firm cited (which can be looked up), and the agency's evaluation of them (including dismissing some of them).

Link (PDF) - https://www.fda.gov/media/176608/download?attachment