Effect of yogurt intake on plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels in normolipidemic males.

To determine the effect of yogurt intake on plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels, studies were carried out in 18 normolipidemic males during 3 dietary phases. Phase 1 was a low-fat, low-cholesterol baseline diet consumed for 3 weeks. The baseline diet was supplemented with low-fat yogurt (16 oz/day) for 4 weeks during phase 2, and during phase 3 the supplement consisted of a non-fermented dairy product (16 oz low-fat milk plus 10% milk solids). Average body weights and dietary intakes of fat, cholesterol and polyunsaturate/saturate fat ratios were not significantly different for the 3 dietary phases. Plasma total, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol were unaffected by either the yogurt of low-fat milk concentrate. The results indicate that yogurt, as an example of a fermented dairy product, has no effect on plasma cholesterol levels of normolipidemic males.