According to an announcement from the Food and Drug Administration, eating yogurt on a regular basis may reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
The announcement last Friday shared that food makers are now able to advertise yogurt with the potential benefit after receiving a petition from Danone North America.
“After reviewing the petition and other evidence related to the proposed qualified health claim, the FDA determined that there is some credible evidence supporting a relationship between yogurt intake and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, but this evidence is limited,” the FDA shared.
The food giant, which makes Dannon, Activia, Silk, and other brands, submitted its petition to be able to advertise the potential benefit of yogurt in 2018.
Now, the FDA will not oppose the claim that regular consumption of yogurt could reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
However, there are some caveats, as the company must note the evidence is limited and that eating two cups of yogurt per week is the threshold for reducing the risk.
Danone submitted its petition as part of what the FDA refers to as “qualified health claims,” where the claims don’t require the agency’s approval, but companies can use the specific language without being punished by the agency for making false claims.
In the petition, Danone cited several studies that supported its claim that regular yogurt consumption reduces the risk of diabetes and related conditions.
“The petition also noted that the evidence supports the health effects of yogurt as a food rather than related to any single nutrient or compound and thus is independent of fat or sugar content,” the FDA said in its announcement.