Just a few of the many ways to enjoy cheese throughout the day are in sandwiches and casseroles, on pizzas, as a topping for soups, salads or pasta, and as snacks or appetizers. However, cheese has a reputation for being unhealthy, and you may be wondering whether you can still eat cheese and keep your cholesterol under control. Too much cheese can raise your cholesterol, but most individuals can enjoy a moderate amount as part of an overall healthy diet.
Cholesterol and Heart Health
Your risk for heart disease may increase when levels of total cholesterol or LDL, the "bad" cholesterol in your blood are high. HDL cholesterol is known as the "good" cholesterol because a high level reduces your risk for heart disease. Some ways to raise your HDL cholesterol or lower LDL cholesterol are to exercise regularly with your doctor's permission, avoid smoking and eat a healthy diet, according to the Mayo Clinic. Most cheese is high in sodium, which can cause high blood pressure and increase your risk for high cholesterol.
Saturated Fat and Cheese
Saturated fat from your diet increases your LDL cholesterol levels. Most of the fat in whole milk is saturated, and full-fat cheese is high in saturated fat. An ounce of cheddar or cream cheese, for example, contains about 5 to 6 g of saturated fat. The recommendation for healthy adults is to keep saturated fat intake to no more than 10 percent of total calories, and to less than 7 percent if you already have high cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic. This makes 15 to 22 g of saturated fat per day if you are on a 2,000-calorie diet. Low-fat and fat-free cheeses are less likely to raise your cholesterol.
Weight and Cholesterol
Cheese can raise your cholesterol levels if you get so many calories from it that it causes weight gain or prevents you from losing weight. Obesity or unwanted weight gain can raise your cholesterol, and if you are overweight or obese, losing even a small amount of weight can help you lower your cholesterol. Most full-fat cheeses, such as cream cheese, cheddar and Swiss, have more than 100 calories per ounce. Low-fat and fat-free cheeses are lower in calories. Cottage cheese can be a good choice for weight loss because of its high amount of protein, which suppresses your hunger, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Dietary Cholesterol
Cheese is a source of dietary cholesterol, which raises LDL cholesterol in your blood. An ounce of Monterey Jack cheese has 25 mg cholesterol, and an ounce of blue cheese has 21 mg. Healthy adults should have no more than 300 mg cholesterol per day, while you should limit intake to 200 mg if you have high cholesterol, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Cholesterol from cheese has less of an effect on your blood cholesterol levels if your overall diet is low in saturated fat.
References
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010; January 2010
- Mayo Clinic; High Cholesterol; June 2011
- Harvard School of Public Health: Protein: Moving Closer to Center Stage
- Mayo Clinic; Eggs: Are They Good or Bad for my Cholesterol?; Thomas Behrenbeck; December 2009
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dairy and Egg Products
- Mayo Clinic; Dietary Fats: Know Which Types to Choose; February 2011
