FDA Says Eating Yogurt May Help With One Common Disease

The Food and Drug Administration claims that yogurt could help with one common disease, but there’s a catch as to not mislead consumers.

In a recently published report, the health agency announced in March 2024 that it will not object to a claim from food and beverage company Danone North America. The maker of Dannon and other popular yogurt brands claims that regularly eating yogurt could reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

The FDA intends to allow the claim to appear on yogurt food labels. This is “provided that the qualified health claims are worded so as not to mislead consumers, and that other factors for the use of the claim are met.”

The organization states that a health claim characterizes the “relationship between a substance and a disease or health-related condition.” A qualified health claim is supported by scientific evidence but does not meet the more rigorous “significant scientific agreement” standard required for an authorized health claim. The evidence may not be conclusive or strong but “is suggestive of benefit to human health,” Sherry Coleman Collins, a food allergy dietician and expert, told Fox News.

“Yogurt — as part of a diet rich in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, protein foods like lean meats and/or beans, lentils and soy, and fermented dairy — has shown to be very health-promoting,” Collins added, noting that yogurt containing live, active cultures is an excellent source of beneficial bacteria in one’s diet. “The good bacteria found in fermented dairy are associated with overall better health and lower rates of disease, including Type 2 diabetes.”

Yogurt sold in U.S. grocery store may soon have new labels that say the popular food might help reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. https://t.co/J2IJZxWgNO

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Danone North America’s petition noted the “evidence supports the health effects of yogurt as a food rather than related to any single nutrient or compound and thus is independent of fat or sugar content.” After reviewing the petition and other evidence related to the proposed qualified health claim, the FDA determined some credible evidence supporting a relationship between yogurt intake and reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes. However, the agency stated that this evidence is limited.

The FDA explained that to qualify for this health claim, consumers must have a minimum intake of 2 cups (3 servings) of yogurt per week.