The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that yogurt manufacturers can now say that regularly eating dairy-based yogurt may lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The FDA makes decisions about qualified health claims after determining that there is enough evidence behind a claim that manufacturers want to make.
Without a qualified health claim, yogurt makers have not been allowed to put any statements on their products or in their advertising that would suggest to consumers that eating yogurt has benefits for diabetes risk. But now, they can send the message to the one in three American adults who have prediabetes and may be looking to make health-supporting changes to their diets. recyclable clear bags
Before you grab a spoon, here’s what you should know about the new claim and whether it applies to your favorite yogurt.
A qualified health claim is a statement that describes a relationship between a food product and a disease or health-related condition. There are several qualified health claims you might already be familiar with. For example:
Getting a qualified health claim from the FDA is a rigorous evaluation process that involves the submission of scientific evidence by stakeholders, which is thoroughly reviewed by FDA experts to determine if it’s enough to justify a claim.
If the FDA finds evidence to support a beneficial relationship between the consumption of a food or food component and a reduced risk of a disease or health-related condition—even with some level of scientific uncertainty—it can allow the use of a qualified health claim on food labels. The caveat? There also has to be a disclaimer or qualification to clearly communicate the level of scientific support to consumers.
However, it’s important to know that a qualified health claim does not establish a proven relationship between a dietary substance and a disease or health-related condition. These claims are based on emerging evidence, which means there’s still a lot we don’t know for sure.
Given the uncertainty, manufacturers have to use very specific language for the claims. The wording that’s used must be FDA-approved—food makers can’t just say whatever they want in whatever way they want. The language used typically includes specific words or phrases, such as “limited evidence suggests” or “scientific evidence suggests but does not prove.”
A well-known example of a food manufacturer making a health claim that wasn’t playing by the FDA’s rules was back in 2009 when Cheerios put labeling on their cereal stating that it helped lower cholesterol.
General Mills got a warning letter from the FDA because the phrasing the brand was using to promote the link suggested that the cereal could lower cholesterol by a specific percentage over a certain number of weeks. If that were true, the FDA argued, then the food would have to be considered an unapproved drug.
The new qualified health claim focusing on yogurt was based on 28 observational studies that support a possible link between frequency of yogurt consumption and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Like other qualified health claims, the yogurt health claim can only be communicated to consumers using very specific and approved language. For example:
The claim, which only applies to dairy-based yogurt products, must also include language about 2 cups (3 servings) per week to be considered in compliance with the enforcement discretion.
The petition to be granted a qualified health claim about yogurt's possible benefit in lowering type 2 diabetes was submitted on behalf of Danone, a well-known yogurt brand.
“Diabetes is one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States, with 1.4 million new cases diagnosed every year,” Amanda Blechman, a registered dietitian and Director of Health & Scientific Affairs at Danone North America, told Verywell. “The vast majority of these cases are type 2 diabetes, the risk for which we know can be mitigated with lifestyle changes such as being more active and eating more nutrient-rich foods.”
While we know that blood sugar is a key player for people with type 2 diabetes and diet plays a role in management, there isn’t a clear mechanism showing that yogurt reduces blood sugar or insulin sensitivity.
However, that doesn’t mean yogurt is without health benefits for people who are at risk for the condition.
“There are several potential mechanisms [for diabetes prevention] given yogurt is a nutrient-dense food that provides a good or excellent source of nine essential nutrients: calcium, protein, phosphorus, vitamin B12, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, zinc, selenium, and iodine,” Kerry Hackworth, MS, RD, registered dietitian and Director of Nutrition Affairs for the National Dairy Council, told Verywell.
While more research is needed to fully understand how yogurt may reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, Hackworth said that researchers have a few theories, including “pointing to the overall complexity of yogurt and its matrix of proteins, fats, and micronutrients which may have bioactive activities that contribute to lower risk of type 2 diabetes.”
According to Hackworth, some evidence suggests that the live and active cultures, as well as the whey protein found in dairy milk, may also affect diabetes risk.
There is some research to back up these ideas. For one, yogurt is a fermented food with live and active cultures, which may have positive effects on the gut microbiome, fasting blood glucose, and hemoglobin A1C (a marker of blood sugar levels over a three-month period), according to a 2019 study published in Nutrients.
A 2023 study also published in Nutrients showed that whey protein, which is found in dairy milk and yogurt, has been shown to lower blood sugar after a meal and stimulate insulin release.
Eating yogurt does not guarantee that you won’t develop type 2 diabetes. Mary Ellen Phipps, MPH, RDN, a Texas-based registered dietitian who focuses on diabetes management, told Verywell that “one of the biggest contributors to type two diabetes risk is family history.”
That said, taking steps to address your diet and lifestyle can certainly help you improve your health, whether you’re at risk for diabetes or not.
When choosing a yogurt, Blechman said that the new qualified health claim “applies to all yogurts that meet both the FDA’s standards of identity as well as its general nutrient requirements for health claims overall.”
Part of the FDA Standard of Identity for yogurt is that to call something “yogurt,” it has to be a dairy product made by fermenting milk. Neither the standard of identity nor the qualified health claim specifies that the yogurt should be free from added sugars, though.
You still may want to consider the sugar content of the yogurt for the overall health benefits of keeping your added sugar intake lower. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting added sugars to no more than 6% of your total daily calories. For women, that can mean around 6 teaspoons of sugar, and for men, about 9 teaspoons.
Here are a few ideas for adding yogurt to your diet:
And if you’re not a fan of yogurt or don’t eat dairy? There are plenty of other things you can do to help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, such as eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein sources, low-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, and legumes, according to Phillips.
The FDA is allowing food manufacturers to add a qualified health claim to yogurt stating that eating 2 cups (3 servings) per week may help lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. However, while the claim is backed up by research, eating yogurt will not guarantee that you won’t develop diabetes. The claim also only applies to dairy-based yogurt not alternatives (like those made with nut milk or soy).
Food and Drug Administration. FDA announces qualified health claim for yogurt and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prediabetes.
Food and Drug Administration. Qualified health claims.
Barengolts E, Smith ED, Reutrakul S, Tonucci L, Anothaisintawee T. The effect of probiotic yogurt on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes or obesity: a meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials. Nutrients. 2019;11(3):671. doi:10.3390/nu11030671
Lesgards JF. Benefits of whey proteins on type 2 diabetes mellitus parameters and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Nutrients. 2023;15(5):1294. doi:10.3390/nu15051294
Food and Drug Administration. CFR- Code of Federal Regulations Title 21.
American Heart Association. Added sugar.
By Lauren Manaker MS, RDN, LD, CLEC Manaker is a registered dietitian, lactation counselor, and author. She was named an emerging leader in women's health by the National Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
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