Fermented dairy products, as well as cheeses, can be widely associated with various health benefits for intestinal health, bones, and muscles, but the effects of foods on the prevention and management of chronic diseases may be less known and researched, notes DairyReporter citing a recent study.

An Old Champion: Yogurt

In an attempt to assess the therapeutic effects of products such as cheese, yogurt, and kefir, researchers from four academic institutions in China and Pakistan reviewed published research to identify where there are links between consumption and positive disease management outcomes.

For example, existing research has shown that yogurt can be used to manage osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease, and its consumption has been associated with preventing diarrhea and reducing lactose intolerance.

"The main way yogurt helps manage osteoporosis is that it contains a lot of calcium, which is good for strong bones," the researchers emphasized in their review. "Enhanced with vitamin D, it also improves calcium absorption. Bone health is enhanced by the proteins and other nutrients included in them."

The analysis also concluded that yogurt consumption is more consistently linked to reducing the incidence of type 2 diabetes compared to other dairy products. Probiotic yogurt, in particular, has been shown to have a positive impact on people with liver conditions, according to existing research reviewed by the authors.

However, the therapeutic effects of yogurt on cancer have been less clear based on existing evidence, the authors emphasized.

The potential anti-cancer properties of kefir have been demonstrated in several studies, with its consumption linked to slowing tumor growth in mice and reducing the development of colorectal cancer cells.

The fermented beverage, which is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and beneficial bacteria, has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties, largely due to its high content of probiotics, organic acids, and bioactive compounds. Like yogurt, kefir has been shown to aid digestion, including lactose digestion; improve intestinal mucosa; and reduce the risks of allergies and asthma.

Did You Know...?

Aged cheese is naturally lactose-free. This is because some of the lactose is removed along with whey during aging, and the remaining amount is fermented into lactic acid, acetic acid, diacetyl, acetaldehyde, ethanol, and CO2.

Cheese is well-known for its high nutrient density, but the high content of saturated fatty acids in some varieties has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, the authors noted.

However, while reviewing published scientific evidence, they found a large cohort study where regular consumption of cheese, whole milk, and sour milk was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, an effect that appears to be associated with calcium and bioactive peptides, which have been found to lower systolic blood pressure.

The therapeutic effects of probiotic-rich cheese have also been examined in relation to potential therapeutic effects on rheumatoid arthritis. A clinical study from 2022 involving 40 patients with rheumatoid arthritis concluded that consuming probiotic cheese reduced inflammation and improved gut microbiota, which, in turn, reduced the severity of arthritis symptoms.

What Is Probiotic Cheese?

Cheeses containing probiotics are typically those varieties that are aged but have not undergone subsequent heat treatment. This could include both hard and soft varieties, from gouda and edam to cottage cheese.

The authors also highlighted a study in mice linking the consumption of 35-day-aged cheeses with increased glucose tolerance, a sign of potential therapeutic effects of aged cheese on diabetes; and cited evidence – albeit the most recent from 2011 – of the antibacterial properties of aged cheese and its preventive effects on dental caries formation.

"Fermented foods represent about 33% of diets in Asia, while they represent 60% of diets in developing countries," the authors concluded. "It has become very evident from an accumulation of studies that fermented milk consumption produces good effects on health in several pathological conditions.

"The growing body of evidence supporting from published research is extremely encouraging; it should serve as a driving force for the food industry to produce new functional dairy products that are currently not available on the market."