You May Soon See This Health Benefit Listed on Your Yogurt Container

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that yogurt manufacturers can now say that regularly eating dairy-based yogurt may lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The FDA makes decisions about qualified health claims after determining that there is enough evidence behind a claim that manufacturers want to make.

Without a qualified health claim, yogurt makers have not been allowed to put any statements on their products or in their advertising that would suggest to consumers that eating yogurt has benefits for diabetes risk. But now, they can send the message to the one in three American adults who have prediabetes and may be looking to make health-supporting changes to their diets.

Before you grab a spoon, here’s what you should know about the new claim and whether it applies to your favorite yogurt.

What Is a Qualified Health Claim?

A qualified health claim is a statement that describes a relationship between a food product and a disease or health-related condition. There are several qualified health claims you might already be familiar with. For example:

• Nuts and heart health: Consider the link between eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and a reduced risk of heart disease. Given the research, companies like Planters can add language about the potential link to some of their food packaging and marketing efforts.
• Baby formula: Since certain types of hydrolyzed infant formulas have been linked to a reduced risk of developing atopic dermatitis, some Gerber Good Start infant formulas can include language on the label about the potential benefit. However, formulas that are not made with the specific partially hydrolyzed whey protein formulation cannot include the same qualified health claim.

Getting a qualified health claim from the FDA is a rigorous evaluation process that involves the submission of scientific evidence by stakeholders, which is thoroughly reviewed by FDA experts to determine if it’s enough to justify a claim.

If the FDA finds evidence to support a beneficial relationship between the consumption of a food or food component and a reduced risk of a disease or health-related condition—even with some level of scientific uncertainty—it can allow the use of a qualified health claim on food labels. The caveat? There also has to be a disclaimer or qualification to clearly communicate the level of scientific support to consumers.

However, it’s important to know that a qualified health claim does not establish a proven relationship between a dietary substance and a disease or health-related condition. These claims are based on emerging evidence, which means there’s still a lot we don’t know for sure.

Given the uncertainty, manufacturers have to use very specific language for the claims. The wording that’s used must be FDA-approved—food makers can’t just say whatever they want in whatever way they want. The language used typically includes specific words or phrases, such as “limited evidence suggests” or “scientific evidence suggests but does not prove.”

What Yogurt’s New Qualified Health Claim Means

The new qualified health claim focusing on yogurt was based on 28 observational studies that support a possible link between frequency of yogurt consumption and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Like other qualified health claims, the yogurt health claim can only be communicated to consumers using very specific and approved language. For example:

• “Eating yogurt regularly, at least 2 cups (3 servings) per week, may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. FDA has concluded that there is limited information supporting this claim.”  
• “Eating yogurt regularly, at least 2 cups (3 servings) per week, may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes according to limited scientific evidence.” 

The claim, which only applies to dairy-based yogurt products, must also include language about 2 cups (3 servings) per week to be considered in compliance with the enforcement discretion.

Why Would Yogurt Help Lower Diabetes Risk?

The petition to be granted a qualified health claim about yogurt's possible benefit in lowering type 2 diabetes was submitted on behalf of Danone, a well-known yogurt brand.

“Diabetes is one of the top 10 causes of death in the United States, with 1.4 million new cases diagnosed every year,” Amanda Blechman, a registered dietitian and Director of Health & Scientific Affairs at Danone North America, told Verywell. “The vast majority of these cases are type 2 diabetes, the risk for which we know can be mitigated with lifestyle changes such as being more active and eating more nutrient-rich foods.”

While we know that blood sugar is a key player for people with type 2 diabetes and diet plays a role in management, there isn’t a clear mechanism showing that yogurt reduces blood sugar or insulin sensitivity.

However, that doesn’t mean yogurt is without health benefits for people who are at risk for the condition.

“There are several potential mechanisms [for diabetes prevention] given yogurt is a nutrient-dense food that provides a good or excellent source of nine essential nutrients: calcium, protein, phosphorus, vitamin B12, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, zinc, selenium, and iodine,” Kerry Hackworth, MS, RD, registered dietitian and Director of Nutrition Affairs for the National Dairy Council, told Verywell.

While more research is needed to fully understand how yogurt may reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, Hackworth said that researchers have a few theories, including “pointing to the overall complexity of yogurt and its matrix of proteins, fats, and micronutrients which may have bioactive activities that contribute to lower risk of type 2 diabetes.”

According to Hackworth, some evidence suggests that the live and active cultures, as well as the whey protein found in dairy milk, may also affect diabetes risk.

There is some research to back up these ideas. For one, yogurt is a fermented food with live and active cultures, which may have positive effects on the gut microbiome, fasting blood glucose, and hemoglobin A1C (a marker of blood sugar levels over a three-month period), according to a 2019 study published in Nutrients.

A 2023 study also published in Nutrients showed that whey protein, which is found in dairy milk and yogurt, has been shown to lower blood sugar after a meal and stimulate insulin release.

How to Include Yogurt in Your Diet to Reduce Diabetes Risk

Eating yogurt does not guarantee that you won’t develop type 2 diabetes. Mary Ellen Phipps, MPH, RDN, a Texas-based registered dietitian who focuses on diabetes management, told Verywell that “one of the biggest contributors to type two diabetes risk is family history.”

That said, taking steps to address your diet and lifestyle can certainly help you improve your health, whether you’re at risk for diabetes or not.

When choosing a yogurt, Blechman said that the new qualified health claim “applies to all yogurts that meet both the FDA’s standards of identity as well as its general nutrient requirements for health claims overall.”

Part of the FDA Standard of Identity for yogurt is that to call something “yogurt,” it has to be a dairy product made by fermenting milk. Neither the standard of identity nor the qualified health claim specifies that the yogurt should be free from added sugars, though.

You still may want to consider the sugar content of the yogurt for the overall health benefits of keeping your added sugar intake lower. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting added sugars to no more than 6% of your total daily calories. For women, that can mean around 6 teaspoons of sugar, and for men, about 9 teaspoons.

Here are a few ideas for adding yogurt to your diet:

• Make yogurt part of a balanced breakfast by layering it with granola and fresh fruits to create a nutritious parfait.
• Use yogurt as a base for smoothies, blending it with fruits, vegetables, and a liquid of your choice for a refreshing and protein-rich drink.
• Substitute mayonnaise or sour cream with yogurt in dressings and dips for a more nutritious alternative.
• Mix yogurt into batters for pancakes or muffins to add moisture and a slight tanginess to the recipe.
• Top spicy dishes with a dollop of yogurt to add a cooling contrast and balanced flavors.

And if you’re not a fan of yogurt or don’t eat dairy? There are plenty of other things you can do to help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, such as eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein sources, low-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, and legumes, according to Phillips.