Full-Fat vs. Low-Fat Dairy: Which One Is Better for You?

Low-fat dairy has been recommended for decades over full-fat dairy for weight management and overall health. But it turns out there may be more to full-fat dairy than meets the eye. Is full-fat dairy really as unhealthy as we once thought? Here’s what you should know.

Is full-fat dairy actually healthier than low-fat dairy?

For some people, full fat may be healthier. And it’s probably not as bad for you as once thought. Full-fat dairy has the same protein and carbohydrate content as its low-fat counterparts. The biggest difference is the calorie, fat, and saturated fat content. 

Over the years, saturated fat has been linked to an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. However, newer research unveils this may not be the case for dairy fat. In fact, it’s possible that some full-fat dairy foods may actually be healthier for your heart and weight management. 

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Choosing the best fat content in dairy foods depends on your current health conditions and nutrition goals. 

For example, if your diet is already high in saturated fat, adding whole milk may not be beneficial to your health. But, if you have an overall healthy and balanced diet, one glass of whole milk is unlikely to put your health at risk. It may even keep you more full and satisfied.  

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) currently recommends three servings per day of low-fat or fat-free dairy. But some scientists argue that these guidelines should be changed in light of new research on the benefits of full-fat dairy. These benefits include improving heart health, reducing inflammation, and supporting a healthy weight.

Here’s what the latest research shows about low-fat versus full-fat dairy foods, and how they affect your health.

Cardiovascular disease

Overall, it appears that neither full-fat nor low-fat dairy is harmful for heart health. Some studies find that dairy intake doesn’t affect your risk of heart disease at all. And others actually show dairy is linked to better heart health. Whether the dairy is full-fat or low-fat doesn’t seem to make a difference. 

One study looked at people who ate low-fat dairy, full-fat dairy, or no dairy at all. The researchers found no difference in cholesterol or blood pressure between the three groups. 

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It’s possible that the type of dairy food you eat matters more than just the fat content. Yogurt and cheese in particular are linked to better heart health, even when they’re full-fat. These fermented types of dairy food may have other qualities that affect how they influence the body. So saturated fat content doesn’t tell the whole story.   

Weight gain

Full-fat milk has 70 additional calories per serving when compared with fat-free. Full-fat and low-fat cheeses can vary significantly in calories as well. So you might expect those extra calories and fat to cause more weight gain than eating low-fat dairy. 

However, research hasn’t found a clear connection between full-fat dairy and weight gain. In a review of 16 studies looking at high- versus low-fat dairy consumption, 11 of the studies found that high-fat dairy consumption actually correlated with a lower body mass index (BMI). The other studies found that eating full-fat dairy had no effect on weight. 

So what’s happening here? Researchers aren’t sure why full-fat dairy doesn’t lead to weight gain. Despite the common belief that “lower calorie equals healthier,” there's clearly more to the picture than calories alone. The effect of dairy fat on weight might be influenced by:

• Probiotics in fermented dairy foods

• Feeling more full after eating food with more fat

• How different dairy foods are processed 

Diabetes

For people with diabetes, regulating blood sugar is essential. And higher-fat dairy may actually be beneficial for those looking to manage blood sugar highs and lows.

When it comes to diabetes, full-fat dairy shows some possible health benefits. Eating a diet high in full-fat dairy is linked to a lower risk of developing prediabetes or diabetes. Some studies find that low-fat dairy can also help protect against diabetes, while others find that only diets that include full-fat dairy are helpful. These studies don’t prove cause and effect. They simply show a link between dairy fat and lower diabetes risk. 

Researchers aren’t certain why this is. One study looked at low-fat and full-fat dairy, and found that neither type of diet helped people regulate their blood sugar. Another found that increasing dairy in the diet for 1 week actually increased insulin resistance. So more research is needed to understand exactly how dairy fat affects your risk for diabetes. 

Fertility

Women looking to improve their fertility may find it beneficial to incorporate higher-fat dairy into their diet. One study showed that over an 8-year period, women who consumed high-fat dairy were less likely to have an irregular menstrual cycle. 

In the research, saturated fat is still associated with a negative effect on fertility. So women trying to conceive should be mindful of overall saturated fat intake.  

What are the benefits of full-fat dairy?

If you’re still not sure if full-fat dairy is right for you, here are some science-backed reasons to consider full-fat dairy:

• Satiating power: The extra fat in dairy may provide satiating power, meaning it keeps you fuller for longer. This may support more mindful eating decisions later on in the day. 

• Nutrient absorption: Many vitamins like A, D, E, and K need fat to be absorbed. So, skimping on the fat could lead to fewer nutrients getting absorbed. 

• Fatty acids: Though dairy isn’t as high in omega-3s as foods like salmon, you can still get some of this anti-inflammatory fat from milk and cheese, especially the organic and grass-fed kind.

Is low-fat dairy bad for you?

In short, no. The evidence doesn’t suggest that low-fat dairy is “bad” for you. Low-fat dairy is still relatively low in glycemic index, which is good for healthy blood sugar levels. One study showed that low-fat dairy consumption can decrease the risk for insulin resistance, a condition that can lead to diabetes. 

A handful of studies also found that low-fat dairy appears to reduce the risk for developing cardiovascular disease. As with many foods, there are pros and cons to having low-fat and full-fat dairy. Low-fat dairy is often recommended because it’s lower in calories, which can help create a calorie deficit. But more research is needed to understand whether low-fat or full-fat dairy is most helpful for regulating weight.  

What to know when choosing full-fat dairy products

If you want to try switching to full-fat dairy, having the recommended two to three servings per day can be a nutrient-dense way to meet your daily protein needs. But, there are a few things to consider when making the swap.

• Consider the type of dairy. Not all dairy products are created equal. Fermented dairy like yogurt and cheese have additional benefits for gut health and digestion. To reap the most benefits, have a variety of dairy products instead of eating just one type. 

• Consider your whole diet. If you replace low-fat dairy with the full-fat version — but don’t make any other changes to your diet — it could affect your calorie intake. This may be a good thing for those looking to increase calories — like athletes and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Others may choose to limit full-fat dairy to one serving per day.

• Consider sugar content in dairy. Dairy products like flavored milks and yogurt may contain added sugar. Check the label, which differentiates added sugar from natural sugars present in these foods.

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Written by:

Katie Horrell, MS, RDN, CPT

Katie Horrell, MS, RDN, CPT, is a passionate dietitian nutritionist and personal trainer with more than 6 years of expertise in telehealth, health coaching, and online education. Specializing in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), insulin resistance, and mindful eating, she guides people through struggles with their eating and exercise habits with empathy and compassion, and an emphasis on a healthy and sustainable relationship with food.

Edited by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

Reviewed by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician in a variety of clinical settings. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

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