Milk is widely considered healthy, but the long-standing debate remains: should you choose full-fat or low-fat? Rehabilitation physician Dr. Wang Siheng says growing evidence suggests that full-fat milk does not increase cardiovascular risk, contrary to decades of dietary advice. In fact, fermented dairy products such as yogurt and cheese may even help lower the risk of heart disease.
Dr. Wang, who shares health insights on his Facebook page “One-Minute Fitness Classroom,” explained that since the 1980s, dietary guidelines have warned against saturated fat due to its link to higher cholesterol and heart disease. As a result, dairy products were commonly recommended in low-fat or skim versions.
However, Dr. Wang pointed out two major flaws in earlier studies: most focused only on short-term metabolic markers like cholesterol levels, and they failed to directly prove that full-fat dairy increases actual rates of heart attacks or strokes.
Newer observational studies show no clear association between full-fat dairy and cardiovascular disease, while fermented dairy products are sometimes linked to reduced heart disease risk. Randomized controlled trials also reveal minimal or no differences between full-fat and low-fat dairy when it comes to blood pressure, cholesterol, body weight, and blood sugar control.
“I personally drink full-fat milk,” Dr. Wang said, adding that dairy products contain more than just fat. Milk, cheese, and yogurt also provide protein, calcium, probiotics, milk fat globule membrane, and polar lipids, all of which influence cholesterol metabolism, inflammation, gut health, and satiety.
Supporting this shift, endocrinologist Dr. Tsai Ming-Chieh noted that the latest U.S. dietary guidelines have reversed their stance, now embracing full-fat dairy. He explained that full-fat milk promotes longer-lasting fullness and may reduce unnecessary snacking, stressing that there is no strong evidence linking full-fat milk to heart disease.
The takeaway? Full-fat dairy, when consumed in moderation, may be both safe and beneficial—and no longer deserves its bad reputation.
