Does Cheese Have Health Benefits?

You bet it does! Let’s start there and then go into why you still may need to watch how often you’re reaching for the cheese.

➕ Protein
One ounce of cheese has 5-7g of protein on average (an egg is 6g, for comparison) so it can be a quick way to add some protein to your day as a snack or with a meal.

➕ Calcium
One slice of cheese usually has 150-300mg of calcium. Your daily recommendation is 700-1,200mg, so that’s a pretty good start!

➕ Vitamins, Minerals, Probiotics
You’ll usually find good amounts of vitamins A and B12 in cheese along with zinc, vitamins K, D, and B12, and even some probiotics.

➖ Sodium
It varies depending on the type of cheese, but one slice may have up to 450mg of sodium, which is a pretty big chunk of your daily limit of 2,300mg. Individuals with high blood pressure should be under 1,500mg per day.

➖ Saturated Fat and Cholesterol
Diets high in saturated fat and cholesterol may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and cheese does usually contain a moderate amount of each. If you’re focused on lowering your saturated fat and cholesterol intake, look for low-fat or fat-free cheese to help cut those values way down. Higher fat cheese = higher cholesterol cheese.

🧀 Summary
Cheese can be a quick way to get some protein, calcium, vitamins, and minerals into your diet. Be sure to balance it out with other foods and don’t overdo it…especially if you are dealing with high cholesterol or high blood pressure already.