Dairy products can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes to a good extend- researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health suggest. A fatty acid called trans-palmitoleic acid found in milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter could reduce the risk of developing T2 diabetes by almost 60%. More than 3000 participants over 20 years, were monitored for diet and lifestyle factors, mainly cardiovascular disease risk factors .

    The researchers found that compared to people with lowest trans-palmitoleic acid, people with highest trans-palmitoleic acid in the blood had three- fold lower risk of developing diabetes. They also found that those who had more trans-palmitoleic acid in the blood had had healthier cholesterol and low insulin resistance.