Can two cups of curd a week help keep ‘sugar’ at bay?

livemint.com:

dosas, idlis, mor kuzhumbu, koozh and more from the south of the Aravali range or dhoklas, jalebis, bhaturas, lona illish, khamiri roti and other delicacies from the north. While most of these fermented foods are made from pulses, lentils, meat products and milk, one unifying fermented product that appears in different Indian cuisines is curd aka yogurt. Every occasion demands that cup of curd at the end of a meal.

Traditionally associated with health benefits, now, there is new science that backs these claims. Also read How regular exercise can help Indians fight diabetes In response to a petition by Danone North America, the FDA in early March announced that it will allow the first Qualified Health Claim related to a fermented food – yogurt. The announcement is worded as follows: Eating yogurt regularly, at least 2 cups (3 servings) per week, may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The announcement came after a nearly five-year long wait. During this time the FDA reviewed existing research on yogurt and type 2 diabetes including data from over 3,00,000 individuals. Good for the gut
The studies cited by the FDA were observational as researchers asked participants how much yogurt they consumed and then tracked if they got diabetes over time.

While it’s possible that the participants who didn’t get diabetes were eating other healthy foods and leading a healthy lifestyle, the FDA purportedly found enough evidence that showed that adding yogurt to a typical American diet could be beneficial to public health. Yogurt can be part of the diet for those with diabetes. Even those with type 1 diabetes can add it as a snack, says Dr A Sharada, consultant endocrinologist and diabetologist, Manipal Millers Road, Bengaluru.