Michael Moss, a reporter for the New York Times, notes that Americans eat 33 lbs. of cheese per person each year. While cheese can provide many nutritional benefits -- protein and calcium -- it may also damage your health. It can contain high amounts of saturated fat; according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the high consumption rate of cheese contributes to heart disease in the United States. Understanding your options in terms of good cheese versus bad cheese helps you make the healthiest decisions for your diet.
Fat
Many full-fat cheeses are high in fat, although what constitutes "high" is relative. You may include any cheese in your diet if you restrict the amount you consume and develop your meal plan with an eye toward keeping your total daily fat intake within advised limits: 20 to 35 percent of your daily caloric intake. Cheddar cheese is among the most fattening of cheeses, containing 9.4 g of fat per oz.; 6 g of that is saturated fat. Low-fat cheddar cheese, considered good by comparison, contains 1.9 g of fat per oz., and 1.2 g of that is saturated. Look for low-fat versions of your favorite cheeses to keep your fat intake down.
Mold
Many cheeses depend on mold for flavor and color, although there is a difference between healthy mold and mold that can make you sick. Good cheese with healthy molds include blue cheese, brie and camembert, but cheese past its prime can growth potentially unhealthy mold. Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietician with the Mayo Clinic, indicates while you should not eat moldy cheese, you can cut away those areas on cheese that is hard or semi-soft. These cheese include cheddar, Swiss and colby. If mold grows on soft cheese such as cottage cheese, discard it.
Calcium
All cheese contains some calcium, so there's no such thing as a "bad" cheese in terms of calcium content. However, there are some cheeses that provide more calcium than others. A 1-oz. serving of romano cheese, for instance, supplies you with 302 mg of this mineral while 1 oz. of processed cheese spread provides 130 mg. You need 1,000 mg of calcium each day to keep your bones and teeth strong, although boost you intake by 200 mg per day if you are over the age of 51.
Calories
Some types of cheese are quite caloric, which could potentially trigger weight gain. An oz. of parmesan cheese, for instance, has 111 calories, compared to 20 calories in an oz. of low fat cottage cheese. Many dieters include cottage cheese in their breakfast as a low calorie food option. If you consume a higher calorie diet, avoid cheeses like cheddar, stilton, double gloucester and full fat cream cheese because they are high in calories. Look for low-fat cheeses, as these often contain fewer calories.
References
- National Public Radio; U.S. Pushes Cheese --- And Warns Against It; November 2010
- Center for Science in the Public Interest: Don't Say Cheese
- MayoClinic.com; Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork With These Nutrition Guidelines; February 2011
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Cheese, Cheddar
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Cheese, Low Fat, Cheddar or Colby
- Homefamily.net: Mold and Cheese: The Good and The Unsafe;
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