By Lily Shadle, Student Pharmacist and Karen Kier, Pharmacist
On behalf of the ONU HealthWise team

“Happy accident” is an idiom meaning something good happens unexpectedly when it otherwise could have been a problem. Around 5,000 BC when milk was exposed to warm temperatures and bacteria, yogurt was the happy accident.  

Yogurt is a high-quality protein source containing micronutrients. Yogurt can be a source of vitamins A, B2 (riboflavin), B5 (pantothenic acid), and B12 (cobalamin). Some other micronutrients include calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iodine, and zinc. Yogurt is low in sodium.  

Danone North America is known for its yogurt brands such as Activia, Oikos, Dannon, Silk and Danonino, which is a yogurt drink targeted at children. In December 2018, Danone submitted a petition to the FDA to evaluate adding a health claim to yogurt regarding prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is where the body progressively loses its ability to break down and absorb carbohydrates (sugar). This causes the body to make its own sugar using processes that can damage over time. The sugar digested from food is left in the blood at high levels, which can lead to health problems including heart and kidney disease. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends changing your diet to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein from low fat meat and dairy products to help prevent this disease. 

In 2023, the FDA reviewed 85 scientific studies including 30 considered to be of moderate to high-quality evidence to evaluate the petition. The FDA made their decision on the claim in 2024.

On March 1, 2024, the FDA released a response to a qualified health claim that eating yogurt regularly reduces the risk of T2DM. This claim would be allowed on all food labels the FDA considers yogurt. The evidence provided included 28 observational studies with either mixed results or found yogurt reduced risk for T2DM. 

The FDA is going to allow the following claims: “Eating yogurt regularly, at least two cups (three servings) per week, may reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes. The FDA has concluded that there is limited information to support this claim” and “Eating yogurt regularly, at least two cups (three servings) per week, may reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes according to limited scientific evidence.”

Consumers should be warned these claims do not mean that simply eating yogurt will prevent T2DM from occurring. These claims may be misleading as not all yogurt products are created the same. Some contain high fat and sugar contents which can contribute to diabetes. When choosing yogurt, consumers should look for low fat and low sugar options to provide the best benefit. Yogurt should be added to a balanced diet as suggested by the ADA and this includes not overeating.

When selecting a yogurt, it is important to evaluate the amount of carbohydrates or sugars in the product. Selecting a Greek or Icelandic yogurt provides about 25% lower carbohydrates (sugars) versus regular yogurts. Both the Greek and Icelandic yogurts provide more protein.  

The FDA recommendation is based on any yogurt, but their evaluation did not specifically look at the probiotics found in some yogurts. In 2021, researchers published a summary of data from several clinical studies relating to probiotics and T2DM. The authors concluded the probiotics found in yogurt could help lower blood glucose and had beneficial effects.  

Consider a happy accident and add yogurt into your diet!

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