Unlike other cheese slices which are often made from processed cheese product, Tillamook's cheese slices are the real thing. Made from medium or sharp cheddar, it is available in orange and white. This tangy cheese can be used to top casseroles or in sandwiches. Because it's real cheese, this product has more nutrients -- and also more fat -- than many of the sliced cheeses currently on the market. A low-fat cheese is also available.
Calories and Fat
A 1 oz. serving of the sharp, medium or white cheddars provides 110 calories and 9 g fat. Six of these fat grams are from saturated fats. Since saturated fats raise the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, the American Heart Association recommends limiting the amount of saturated fat in your diet to no more than 7 percent of total daily calories. This means that people eating a 2,000 calorie diet should not consume more than 16 g of saturated fats in a day. The saturated fat in 1 oz. is 37.5 percent of this suggested limit. One way of limiting this saturated fat is to purchase the low-fat cheddar, which has 70 calories and 5 g of fat, 3 of which are from saturated fats.
Carbohydrates
Chemically, carbohydrates are long strings of sugar molecules. While this is a convenient way to temporarily store energy, carbohydrates are metabolized as if they were sugars. While some authorities look to lowering carbohydrates instead of calories as a way of losing weight, the benefits of this remain unclear because people end up consuming far too much protein. All of the sliced Tillamook cheddars have no carbohydrates, no sugar and no fiber.
Sodium
The American Heart Association recommends limiting daily sodium intake to no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day because sodium causes high blood pressure. One ounce of Tillamook's medium, sharp and white sliced cheddar cheeses have 170 mg of sodium -- or more than 10 percent of this daily limit. The low fat product fares someone better, with only 140 mg of sodium per slice. Given that the sodium content of this cheese is so high, try limiting yourself to a single slice when you make sandwiches.
Calcium
One ounce of Tillamook cheddar has no vitamin C. It provides only 2 percent of recommended daily allowance of iron and 6 percent of the RDA of vitamin A. However, this product makes up for these shortcomings because it provides 10 percent of the RDA for calcium. Calcium prevents the loss of bone density in women, which in turn lowers the risk of osteoporosis.
Protein
All of the Tillamook sliced cheddar cheeses have 7 g of protein per ounce, except for the low fat variety which has 6 g. The USDA recommends that people consume 0.8 g of protein per kilogram body weight. This means that a 130-lb. woman needs approximately 47 g of protein per day. A 1 oz. serving of this product provides between 12 percent to 14 percent of this daily requirement.
Member Comments