Is Cheese Good For You

What Can I Do With Cottage Cheese

The simplest way to enjoy cottage cheese is to spread it on crackers or toast, but there are so many other things you can do with it. Adding cottage cheese to scrambled eggs or omelettes makes them extra fluffy and cheesy, while a dollop of cottage cheese with fruit makes a healthy and tasty snack. Cottage cheese can be substituted for cream cheese when making desserts or used to make creamy dips for vegetables.

What Is Cottage Cheese

Historians believe that cottage cheese was first made in cottages when there was an excess of milk. Cottage cheese has been around for ages and continues to be used today.

Cottage cheese is a fresh cheese that is mostly composed of curds but still has a slightly creamy texture as well. Kind of like curdled Greek yogurt. To make cottage cheese, producers add enzymes or cultures to milk which turns the sugars in the milk into lactic acid. This acid curds the milk, and then a curd cutter cuts the cheese into the final cottage cheese texture.

Count The Calories In Cottage Cheese

Calories are the most important part of any weight-loss plan. In order to lose, the number of calories you eat every day should be less than what you burn. Calorie needs vary depending on age, gender, body size and activity.

Most inactive women can lose on 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day, and most men and active women lose on 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

Cottage cheese calories vary, depending on fat content, with full-fat versions containing 220 calories per cup and nonfat versions containing 100 calories per cup, according to the USDA.

On a weight-loss diet, the nonfat version makes the most sense because it has the smallest number of calories in the same serving size. But if taste is an issue in the nonfat version, you may find the low-fat version 1 percent fat a happy medium with 160 calories per cup.

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Cuts Your Heart Disease Risk

Some researchers think cheese might explain the so-called French Paradoxthat French people have low rates of heart disease despite their affinity for cheese and other saturated fatrich foods, such as butter and duck. Then there’s a 2016 report that analyzed results from 31 prospective cohort studies that compared how much dairy people ate to whether they developed cardiovascular disease. One major finding was that eating nearly 2 ounces of cheese daily was associated with an 18 percent lower risk of heart disease. Writing in the British Journal of Nutrition, the authors propose that minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium and vitamins like riboflavin and B12 may play a role. Another key finding: eating as little as 1/2 ounce of cheese a day could cut stroke risk by 13 percent.

Eat Up:Cheesy, Healthy Recipes

Cottage Cheese Ice Cream

Cottage cheese even simplifies ice cream!

With only two ingredients cottage cheese and frozen berries you can make sweet, delicious ice cream in about 5 minutes.

Use your favorite berries, or mix and match.

This chocolate mousse is almost as simple as cottage cheese ice cream.

All youll need is Stevia, cottage cheese, cacao powder, and two tablespoons of almond butter.

Mix them all in a blender, then stick the mixture in the fridge for about half an hour to chill. Its a tasty, high-protein dessert with a relatively low calorie count.

It tastes extra yummy with chocolate chips, nuts, shredded coconut, or a few banana slices.

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From Feta To American Slices A Ranking Of Cheeses By Healthfulness

Americans love cheese. While U.S. dairy milk consumption has fallen, cheese consumption keeps on increasing year over year. According to an Agriculture Department report from 2018, per capita cheese consumption increased to a record 37.23 pounds. If youre a die-hard cheese fan, youre probably consuming your mozzarella and ricotta with a side of guilt. After all, cheese has long gotten a bad rap because of its high saturated fat content, which is considered bad for heart health.

Research is starting to suggest, however, that the issue may be more complex. One study published in 2018 showed dairy fats such as cheese had a neutral-to-positive effect on the heart. A 2018 review from Harvard researchers concluded there was a null or weak inverse association between consumption of dairy products and risk of cardiovascular disease, though it said more research was needed. A study from the Lancet medical journal found dairy products such as cheese were linked to a lower mortality risk.

How Healthy Is Cheese

Sure, cheese generally makes everything taste better, but it also happens to serve up some valuable nutrition. At the top of the list? Calcium. The mineral is important for bone health, and its especially valuable for us runners. Calcium helps mineralize bones that have added stress from the high-impact activity running imposes, explains sports nutrition expert Kelly Jones, R.D., C.S.S.D. That can help stave off bone loss that leads to stress fractures as well as osteoporosis. Calcium also helps to regulate heart function and muscle contractions, Jones adds.

Different cheese types have different amounts of calcium, but in general, harder cheeses tend to have more of the mineral than softer ones. Youll get around 500 mg from 1.5 ounces of Parmesan compared to 78 mg from the same amount of brie, for example.

And though most cheeses are pretty high in saturated fat, newer research suggests that might not be such a bad thing. In fact, a recent nine-year study of more than 136,000 adults found that those who consumed two or more servings of full-fat dairy like cheese had lower rates of heart attack, stroke, and death compared to those who had none. One reason why could be that full-fat cheeses are rich in conjugated linoleic acids, compounds that seem to promote artery health, reduce body fat, and fight inflammation.

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Potential Health Benefits Of Feta Cheese

Feta cheese is a good source of essential vitamins and minerals. However, the high sodium content in feta cheese may cause complications with certain medical conditions.

Research has found that when eaten in moderation, feta has the following potential health benefits:

Bone Health

Feta contains more calcium than many other cheeses. Calcium helps you maintain healthy teeth and bones.

Feta cheese also has high levels of phosphorus. Consuming these phosphorus and calcium together has been linked to improved bone density and osteoporosis prevention.

Weight Management

Feta contains a fatty acid known as conjugated linoleic acid . Experimental studies have shown that CLA can help reduce body fat. These studies also show that CLA can help improve your body composition in the long term.

However, these studies are not consistent and further testing is required. Additionally, some studies have shown that CLA can have negative effects on sugar metabolism and cholesterol levels.

Gut Health

Fermented foods like feta cheese contain probiotics. These strains of good bacteria promote a healthy gut and support immune system function.

Researchers are studying if probiotics can help with symptoms of diarrhea and constipation associated with both irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.

Lowers Risk of Diabetes

Continued

Highest Calorie Cheese: Double Gloucester

Cals: 415 highest calorie countFat: 35g joint highest in fatSaturated fat: 21.9gSalt: 1.7gPrice: £1.55 at Tesco

Verdict: A strong, savoury flavour, this is the sort of cheese we end up eating chunks of in between putting some in a sandwich. But these nutritional figures should hopefully make us lay off the mindless snacking. Double Gloucester is again quite similar to Cheddar in the sense that its a hard cheese with a high amount of fat. Every 100 grams has over 30 grams of fat and 415 calories making it officially the highest calorie cheese. So, although its tasty, its actually the least healthiest cheese on the market.

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For Your Health And The Planets Health

The production of dairy foods places considerable demand on land, water, and other natural resources, and dairy-producing ruminant animals like cattle, sheep, and goats generate methanea powerful greenhouse gas. In identifying a dietary pattern both healthy for people and sustainable for the planet, the planetary health diet sets the target for dairy foods at 250 grams per day, with a range of 0 to 500 grams per day. 250 grams is about one cup of milk, or equivalent amounts of cheese .

Cheese Is Plentiful In Healthy Fats

Once upon a time, we were told that fat was evil, causing us to be obese and clogging up our precious arteries. Thus, the low-fat, no-fat diets began to roll out, resulting in a population that was overweight and very sick.

Now we know that fats are essential to a healthy diet. They help to keep you full, so you eat less, and are necessary to help your body absorb certain vitamins. It is still only recommended that 10% or less of your daily calories should come from fat, and you should be selective with where your fats come from and what type of fats you choose.

Unsaturated fats are the best for you. These are typically found in nuts and fish. Saturated fats can also be good, but in moderation. These are often solid at room temperature, and are found in animal products, like meat, butter, and cheese, and certain oils, like coconut and palm. Trans fats should be avoided altogether, being undeniably the worst fat for your heart and found in fried foods and packaged snacks.

Cheese, in moderation, can help you get these necessary fats into your diet. Try choosing aged cheeses, like parmesan, and using it as a garnish to salads. The fats in the cheese will help keep you full and help your body absorb the vitamins in your vegetables .

Bottom Line: We now know that fats are essential in our diets, and cheese is a good source of healthy dietary fats.

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Helps You Dodge Death

OK, that’s extreme. But eating cheese really may help you live longer, per a 2016 study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which followed 960 French men for almost 15 years to see whether the foods they ate had any relationship to when they died. The happy finding? Eating about 2 ounces of cheese a day was associated with a 38 percent lower likelihood that they died during the study. Perhaps calcium’s blood pressurelowering effects play a role or its ability to curb fat absorption in the gut, write the researchers.

Are Certain Cheeses Better Avoided

Edgar recommends selecting high-quality cheeses from small producers and steering clear of processed, bright-orange cheese that is likely packed with emulsifiers, preservatives, and other additives. Some grated or shredded Parmesan may even contain cellulose, which is made from wood pulp.

While mass-produced cheese is often less expensive, the flavor and quality are likely to leave you unsatisfied. Instead, consider eating less cheese and spending more for a little bit of the good stuff.

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Which Cheese Is Best For Keto

Most cheeses can fit in nicely into a ketogenic diet because they are high in fat and low in carbohydrates.

There is some variability in the amount of carbs found in cheese.

You will need to look closely at the nutrition label to see how many grams of carbohydrates are in each serving of cheese.

But the odds are that your favorite kind of cheese is keto-friendly!

There are many kinds of keto cheese to choose from and limitless ways to incorporate them into your keto diet.

For example, cheddar cheese can be used in a keto-friendly version of a comfort food classic, broccoli cheese soup.

Making keto soup can be pretty simple with minimal ingredients.

You can easily whip up this soup with just shredded cheddar cheese, broccoli, chicken broth, garlic, and heavy cream.

In no time at all, you can have a filling dinner. Better yet, the soup is low in carbs and would hit the spot on a chilly day!

Another comfort keto food that uses cheese is keto mac and cheese, but instead of macaroni use cauliflower.

Not only does that make it work for keto, but it also helps you get more vegetables into your diet!

The cheese sauce should be made only using keto cheeses, such as cream cheese or cheddar cheese, and other keto dairy such as heavy cream.

Traditional cheese sauces use thickeners such as flour, which would not make it suitable for keto.

You can make things really simple with keto cheese crisps.

Healthy Vegan Cheese Recipes

Vegan Cheese Sauce by The Vegan 8

This one has no oil, nuts, or flour! Using potatoes, zucchini, and nutritional yeast as a base, this recipe incorporates a variety of delicious flavors to make a creamy and savory sauce.

Cranberry & Thyme Vegan Cheese Ball by It Doesnt Taste Like Chicken

Many vegan cheese balls require a vegan cream cheese product, but this one doesnt. This one uses less than 10 ingredients and makes a great savory appetizer served with crackers or raw veggies.

Cashew-Less Vegan Queso by Minimalist Baker

This is a great nut-free cheese sauce that would go well with just about anything. Whats the secret ingredient to make it so creamy? Eggplant!

Vegveeta Dip by Dreena Burton

This is an easy, cashew-based recipe that just requires a high-speed blender and a stovetop. Ive enjoyed this dip with tortilla chips, raw veggies, and placed it on homemade pizza. If youre oil-free, you can omit the oil or substitute water to thin it.

Vegan Tofu Feta Cheese by Simple Vegan Blog

This recipe uses pressed, marinated, and deliciously flavored tofu cubes to mimic feta.

If you enjoy what cheese adds to your meals, I encourage you to give homemade non-dairy versions a try. You just might grow to love them.

Tell us in the comments below:

• Do you eat cheese? Why or why not?

• What do you think? Is cheese good for you?

• Have you ever made your own non-dairy cheeze? What recipe or ingredients did you use and how did you enjoy it?

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Turn It Into A Smoothie

Kale isnt the only thing that tastes better in a smoothie! Adding cottage cheese into a smoothie not only gives it a protein boost but the flavor is completely hidden. By combining the cottage cheese with lots of fruits and juice, you cant tell its there. The blender will give the cheese a smoother texture as well, so there is no need to worry about a clumpy smoothie.

For the perfect ratio, use about ½ cup of cottage cheese, ½ cup of water or juice, and 1 cups of fruit. Choose any fruit you like in this recipe, but it is best to use ones that are flavorful .

Eat More Cheese It Can Help You Lose Weight

Who among us does not love cheese? However, it is often the first food to go when you are on a weight loss diet. What if we told you that cheese is good for weight loss? Thats right, certain types of cheese can actually help you burn fat and keep you in shape. Read on to know what types of cheese to eat and avoid when trying to lose weight, how much cheese to eat in a day, the best time to eat cheese, and more!

• What are the Benefits of Cheese for Weight Loss?
• What are the Best Cheeses for Weight Loss?
• Which Cheeses Should You Avoid When Trying to Lose Weight?
• How Much Cheese Can You Eat in a Day?
• What is the Best Time to Eat Cheese for Weight Loss?
• How to Eat Cheese for Weight Loss?
• What are the Risks of Overconsumption of Cheese for Weight Loss?
• What are the Other Health Benefits of Cheese?
• Dont Have Time To Read?
• FAQs

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How Many Calories Are In Cheese

Calories in a slice of cheese differ from type to type. Certain cheeses are high in calories, such as:

• Romano: 110 cal per oz
• Fontina: 110 cal per oz
• Monterey Jack: 106 cal per oz
• Parmesan: 119 cal per oz
• Cheddar: 114 cal per oz

On the flip side, some healthy cheeses are low in calories. For instance:

• Mozzarella: 85 cal per serving
• Feta: 80 cal per serving
• Goat cheese: 75 cal per serving

However, this doesnt mean the lower the calorie, the healthier it is. Some of the healthiest cheeses are high in calories, but their impressive nutrient profiles outdid the downside of calories.

Best Cottage Cheese Recipes

These easy cottage cheese recipes are healthy, versatile, and so delicious!

Some people can grab a spoon and eat cottage cheese straight from the container.

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However, people like me prefer to use it as an ingredient in larger things, which is why I came up with this list of awesome recipes.

Cottage cheese is a versatile ingredient. You can use it in breakfast bowls, Italian dishes, dips, sweets, and even pancakes!

With that in mind, be sure you read this list through to the end.

You might just be surprised at some of the things you can make using this simple ingredient.

If youre looking for a delicious, low-carb breakfast that you can whip up in less than 5 minutes, look no further than this cottage cheese breakfast bowl.

All youll need is cottage cheese, flaxseed oil, and chia seeds.

Then top the whole thing off with your favorite toppings .

Its a sweet, healthy start to your day.

Whether Im looking for breakfast or a snack, I often turn to avocado toast.

Its hard to beat something that takes 5 minutes to make and is so versatile.

Sometimes I top my avocado toast with a fried egg sometimes, I go for radishes, onions, and garlic.

On other days, I add cottage cheese, avocado, and a tomato slice.

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Its simple, fresh, and very yummy.

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