Cheese gets a bad rap health-wise, but it doesn’t always have to be so.
Sure, some cheeses pave the way to a heart attack, and combining them with a lot of wine and maybe a highly processed cracker packed with plenty of saturated fat isn’t the best way to good health.
But there is no need to deny yourself this delicious snack and ingredient, you just need to find some healthy cheese. And with more than 2000 varieties to choose from, there are plenty of options.
Here’s our guide.
Fresh mozzarella
Fresh mozzarella is one of those foods that once you have tried the authentic version there’s no going back. Beautiful, squishy fresh mozzarella is almost a different species from that nasty pre-grated stuff you get in the supermarkets.
And, according to Healthline, one ounce of mozzarella contains just six grams of fat, while also delivering six grams of protein. That’s some pretty good bang for your buck.
It’s also low in sodium, which gives it that mellow taste, and is loaded with probiotics, or the good bacteria that help your gut.
Tipping it over a pizza probably isn’t the best way forward for health concerns. Instead, combine it with fruit or fresh tomatoes on a low-fat cracker or fresh bread for a taste bonus bursting with health.
Feta
Traditionally made with goats’ or sheeps’ milk, this cheese is low in fat and lactose, although we may have to mumble about the salt content, especially if it’s preserved in brine. However, a little goes a long way, so everything in moderation.
Also packs a vitamin B punch along with vitamins A and K, folate, pantothenic acid, iron, and magnesium. Phew, that’s a lot for one cheese. It’s almost like you are doing yourself a favour by eating cheese.
Goat cheese
Now we’ve mentioned it, we should examine goat cheese, which has a much lower lactose content, so is a better choice for the lactose intolerant. In fact it’s better for all of us, as it has more medium chain fatty acids that are more easily digested and less likely to be stored as fat. Yay for that.
It’s also highly nutritious, with 28g providing 5g of protein and just 6g of fat.
Cottage cheese
This was a very popular diet ingredient way back when and copped a bad reputation because of it. Hands up who else remembers their mum eating it on a dry Ryvita?
Well, time to rethink that because it’s high in protein, low in fat and loaded with nutrients, most notably folate, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin B12. That high protein count provides a feeling of ‘fullness’ that can reduce your appetite, which helps with weight loss.
And we get it, it’s pretty bland, but that bland factor means you can sneakily add it to other foods such as smoothies, scrambled eggs or as a base for dips for a health boost. With proper smearing, it’s even a good replacement for butter in sandwiches.
Ricotta
Another cheese associated with painful dieting regimes that shouldn’t be. Ricotta is made from the watery leftovers of other cheese making, so the whey in that ‘curds and whey’ bit in the Little Miss Muffet nursery rhyme. And the good thing about that is whey is high in amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein.
Whey is also easily absorbed and may promote muscle growth, help lower blood pressure and reduce high cholesterol levels. Quite the overachiever.
Much like cottage cheese, it can be added to other dishes to both enhance the flavour or add a nutritional hit. Excellent uses of ricotta are as a substitute for bechamel in lasagne, scattered over salads or to add moisture and lower the fat content of cakes.
Blue cheese
This is a polarising choice even before you get into the health benefits. I love it, but I also understand that happily eating blue, mouldy food is a bit ick.
However, if you can get past that, there’s plenty of praise for blue cheese. And remember, it doesn’t have to be blue, there are plenty of white mould cheeses out there too.
According to Mashed, blue cheese is higher in calcium than most other cheeses, with 33 per cent of your recommended daily intake in just one 28g serve, and it’s relatively low in calories, too, with just 100 calories.
If you want to start incorporating blue or mould cheeses into your diet, there are different strengths available, so maybe start experimenting.
Parmesan
Well, this one was a surprise for me, but I guess I usually use it for kilojoule-dense dishes such as pasta and pizza, so maybe it’s not the cheese but what’s underneath it.
Anyway, as it turns out it’s loaded with nutrients including calcium and phosphorus, making it excellent for bone health.
It’s also low in fat and has vitamins A, B12, and B6, and contains traces of other nutrients like copper and zinc
It’s never going to cancel out the pizza it’s covering, but maybe it’s a good start.
Do you like blue cheese? Why not share your opinion on it in the comments section below?
Also read: Cheers to cheese. Is this delicious favourite the secret to ageing well?
