# Cheese and yogurt consumption seems to reduce death rates
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** food-cooking
**Created:** [October 4, 2020, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211 "2020-10-04T21:45:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2020, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/1 "2020-10-04T21:45:15Z")
[Eat Cheese or Die!](https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/Current-advice-to-limit-dairy-intake-should-be-reconsidered) This has long been Wisconsin’s unofficial motto (along with: Wisconsin! Smell our Dairy Air!)
But now there’s scientific evidence that it’s true. The consumption of cheese, yogurt and reduced fat milk reduces mortality rates. Meta-analysis of lots of previously collected data yielded those conclusions along with a recommendation from the European Society of Cardiology.
“The researchers found consumption of all dairy products to be associated with a 2% lower total mortality risk and consumption of cheese to be associated with an 8% lower total mortality risk. For cerebrovascular mortality, they found a 4% lower risk with total dairy consumption and 7% lower risk with milk consumption”.
Finally, some good news. Time to hit the cheese drawer. I’ve got a lovely local 8 year old cheddar just waiting for consumption, and it’s time to think of sacrificing that 14 year old one too. Plus all the full fat yogurt that I mix with bran buds and fruit.
You lactose intolerant folks can glom onto the hard cheeses with minimal risk, due to very low lactose content there. Cheddar has 0-2 grams per oz.
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2020, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/2 "2020-10-04T21:53:17Z")
I’m happy to continue to eat cheese. We try to keep chunks of decent cheese in the house like Dubliner and aged cheddars or a smoke Gouda.
Though I know I’m not a cheese aficionado like you are, I enjoy a good cheese.
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2020, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/3 "2020-10-04T21:58:27Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> a cheese aficionado like you
Aficionado? Thanks but not really.
I just like what I like, a lot of older hard cheeses (cheddar, swiss, gouda), and some lesser known ones (in the US anyway) like gjetost and Epoisses du Bourgogne, and, well I’d better stop here or I’ll list a couple dozen. But that’s just impulse control issues, not aficionadoism. Or addiction. Really
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### Author:  [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2020, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/4 "2020-10-04T21:59:13Z")
I like cheese, yogurt, and kefir, but … statistically … isn’t the death rate associated with being a human being … 100% either way ? 😉
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2020, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/5 "2020-10-04T21:59:16Z")
I’m good with cheese. Yogurt is just an ingredient to me.
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/6 "2020-10-04T22:00:50Z")
> [@DavidNRockies](#):
>
> isn’t the death rate associated with being a human being … 100% either way ?
You are obviously unaware of the dairy immortals.
Seriously, this research seems to show that dairy consumers live longer. So, more life plus we get to eat all that cheese and yogurt.
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### Author:  [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2020, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/7 "2020-10-04T22:18:27Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#):
>
> … some lesser known ones (in the US anyway) like gjetost …
Oh, yeah, stoners know about that brown stuff. You put it in your mouth, it starts out tasting like gritty caramel, then, if you keep it there a while, the flavor just keeps on changing to, what the hell is that?
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2020, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/8 "2020-10-04T22:42:01Z")
> [@eschereal](#):
>
> what the hell is that?
Delicious. Nothing gritty about it, smooth and creamy caramel with a tang to it.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2020, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/9 "2020-10-04T23:36:12Z")
My 95 yo MIL grew up in her parents’ Italian cheese factory and made cheese or sold cheese from when she could first reach the tools until she left home to get married after the War. All these years later she has slightly elevated BP, no cardiovascular issues, survived a couple TIAs, and still gets through a pound of the good stuff every week or so. It’s worked for her so far.
My youth wasn’t _that_ cheese-centric but I’ve not been taking any chances since about high school. Full fat natural dairy all the way.
Behold the Power of Cheese:
[![]( "YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_349WJ37lAA)
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### Author:  [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2020, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/10 "2020-10-05T11:18:04Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#):
>
> But now there’s scientific evidence that it’s true. The consumption of cheese, yogurt and _ **reduced fat milk** _ reduces mortality rates.
Not to question the bonifides of either you or the European Society of Cardiology, but a study published in _Lancet_ by the McMaster University in Canada indicates that full-fat milk is more beneficial than reduced fat as well as also showing that consumption of dairy products were associated with greater health and longevity.
Also, full fat tastes soooooo much better…!
Also, my sister-the-MD told me that for older women (I guess that applies to me now that my meno has paused) full fat dairy (in moderation, of course) is better than reduced fat. Not that skim milk is poison, of course (unless you’re allergic or lactose intolerant).
Not that I want to get into dueling studies, but care to comment on low vs. full fat dairy?
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2020, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/11 "2020-10-05T11:22:24Z")
> [@Broomstick](#):
>
> Not that I want to get into dueling studies, but care to comment on low vs. full fat dairy?
What drugs have been forced into the cow will make a difference.
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### Author:  [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2020, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/12 "2020-10-05T11:38:39Z")
Well, my daily diet includes one non-fat yogurt, so I should be immortal. LOL
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### Author:  [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2020, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/13 "2020-10-05T14:09:48Z")
I can’t let my dog – a purebred cheesehound – find out about this.
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2020, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/14 "2020-10-05T14:25:52Z")
> [@Jasmine](#):
>
> Well, my daily diet includes one non-fat yogurt, so I should be immortal.
You’re missing out on the key ingredient, the fat.
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### Author:  [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2020, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/15 "2020-10-05T17:03:48Z")
Well, I wouldn’t exist in the first place if it weren’t for cheese (my great-grandfather was a cheesemaker and was offered a job in the U.S.). Also, cheese makes me happy, and happy people live longer, right?
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### Author:  [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2020, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/16 "2020-10-05T17:08:05Z")
_Blessed are the Cheesemongers_
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### Author:  [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2020, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/17 "2020-10-05T19:02:40Z")
Whenever I have the real cheese (the extra-sharp Tillamook in the black wrapper), usually accompanied by pieces of “fresh” apple, if the hour is late, I end up having especially crazy dreams. Has anyone else noticed that?
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2020, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/18 "2020-10-05T19:14:29Z")
Tillamook makes a **very** nice aged product. I’m finishing up some now from my stash. IMHO, not as good as an equally aged Vermont. But since my go-to Wisconsin cheddar for daily use is generally a 5 year old, neither of those “younger” samples are quite as good as that elder cheddar.
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### Author:  [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2020, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/19 "2020-10-05T19:31:19Z")
> [@Broomstick](#):
>
> care to comment on low vs. full fat dairy
Well, I am not a doctor, and make no comments about the health implications of either. But full fat dairy is delicious. And life should be enjoyable.
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### Author:  [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)
#### Post date: [October 10, 2020, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheese-and-yogurt-consumption-seems-to-reduce-death-rates/922211/20 "2020-10-10T23:20:06Z")
> [@romansperson](#):
>
> Also, cheese makes me happy, and happy people live longer, right?
Nah, it just seems longer…to those unhappy sods around them!
All kidding aside, I’m basically a cheesehound also. And I love all of those other fermented dairy products, especially that kumis oddly enough.
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