Five of the healthiest cheeses – Prevent Cancer Foundation (2024)

Table of Contents
9 Comments Maryam8/3/2018Waoh!Thank you so much for the information. I have learnt a lot to benefit my health because I already removed cheese from my menu.God bless you!Reply Tammy White9/24/2020I mix provolone Swiss mozzarella Mexican blend tomatoes Dill oregano spring onion chives melt all of this in a microwave safe dish until fully melted and stir it and it is like a fondue it is so delicious. Bon appetit!Reply Cathy Gager2/4/2021please change Swiss calories – – – it’s 108, not 180Reply Prevent Cancer Foundation2/4/2021Cathy, thanks for taking the time to let us know. We’ve verified that Swiss cheese has 108 calories/ounce and have updated the text.Reply asdf4/25/2021Is the sodium content correct?Reply Prevent Cancer Foundation4/28/2021Thanks for writing. We have reviewed all of the information against the most recent data from USDA FoodData Central and have made a few updates as of April 28, 2021. We hope you find the information here helpful!Prevent Cancer FoundationReply Paul Yeager12/10/2022I would think that LOW SODIUM cheeses are MUCH healthier.Can you provide similar analysis for specifically marketed “Low Sodium” cheese products? Thanks! p.s. I’m a kidney stone former and sodium is a major concern in my diet.Reply Mary3/18/2023I always look at labels and the fat, sodium, and sugars can vary remarkably by brand of the product you purchase. And I try to check every time because sometimes they change their recipes and numbers can be affected tremendously!Daisy Light Sour Cream 15mg sodium 2 Tablespoons, I purchased a store brand when shopping, when it was all they had —when I got home I realized it had 75mg sodium for 2 Tablespoons!Reply Frances Jones4/6/2023I’m a senior who frequently has labs showing hyponatremia (low sodium), even though I do not restrict sodium or take diuretics. Other than Parmesan cheese showing slightly more sodium, is it a calcium rich, low fat cheese?Reply Leave a Comment Leave a Comment FAQs

Are you a cheese addict? Don’t fret—there are healthy ways you can enjoy your favorite food.

You don’t normally see cheese on healthy food lists, but it’s part of pretty much everyone’s diet. Nutrition is a key part of cancer prevention, so it’s good to keep in mind along with being physically active, limiting alcohol and protecting your skin from the sun.

We did some research on the healthiest types of cheese that you can enjoy at breakfast, lunch and dinner. In general, choose cheeses that are low in sodium and fat—soft cheeses tend to have higher amounts of both. Moderation is key.

Here are 5 cheeses to try next time you go grocery shopping:

1. Cottage Cheese: A white curd cheese that is a light flavor, it mixes well with both sweet and savory ingredients. Mix it with fruit in the morning or top off a bowl of pasta and tomato sauce for a light dinner. Cottage cheese is high in phosphorous that aids in bone health and it contains all nine amino acids. It comes in a variety of types: regular, low fat and nonfat. Low and nonfat are recommended since they contain less fat. While it has various nutritional benefits, it is high in sodium and portion size is key.

2. Goat Cheese: Most popular in France and Spain, this white creamy cheese can be found soft or hard and has a tart flavor. Easier to digest than cow products, goat cheese can be a great alternative for people who are intolerant to cow’s milk. Goat cheese is packed with flavor. Use it in moderation—a little goes a long way. Toss into salads, top off roasted vegetables or add into a fruit salad. Goat cheese is low in calories, fat and has less sodium than feta.

3. Swiss: A hard cheese that is full of flavor. Swiss is a great lunch alternative to higher fat sandwich cheeses like provolone and cheddar. Chop up slices to use in a Cobb salad. Swiss is high in vitamin A and low in calories, fat and sodium.

CHECK IT OUT | 5 ways to make your charcuterie board healthier

4. Parmesan: Originally from Italy, Parmesan has now become a household name. A dry cheese, it is easy to grate and has a salty, nutty flavor. Toss into salads, on pasta or to top off risotto. Portion size is important. While Parmesan contains vitamin A and is low in fat, it still contains a fair amount of sodium.

5. Part-Skim Mozzarella: Whole milk, part skim—what is the difference? Part skim has less fat in it and is the healthier choice. Another Italian favorite, mozzarella, mixes well in almost any dish. Grate it or melt it. Part skim fresh mozzarellas contain less sodium than hard mozzarellas. Mozzarella is packed with minerals and vitamins, low in both fat and sodium.

READ ALSO |

9 Comments

Tammy White

I mix provolone Swiss mozzarella Mexican blend tomatoes Dill oregano spring onion chives melt all of this in a microwave safe dish until fully melted and stir it and it is like a fondue it is so delicious. Bon appetit!

Reply

Cathy Gager

please change Swiss calories – – – it’s 108, not 180

Reply

asdf

Is the sodium content correct?

Reply

Prevent Cancer Foundation

Thanks for writing. We have reviewed all of the information against the most recent data from USDA FoodData Central and have made a few updates as of April 28, 2021. We hope you find the information here helpful!

Prevent Cancer Foundation

Reply

Paul Yeager

I would think that LOW SODIUM cheeses are MUCH healthier.
Can you provide similar analysis for specifically marketed “Low Sodium” cheese products? Thanks! p.s. I’m a kidney stone former and sodium is a major concern in my diet.

Reply

Mary

I always look at labels and the fat, sodium, and sugars can vary remarkably by brand of the product you purchase. And I try to check every time because sometimes they change their recipes and numbers can be affected tremendously!

Daisy Light Sour Cream 15mg sodium 2 Tablespoons, I purchased a store brand when shopping, when it was all they had —when I got home I realized it had 75mg sodium for 2 Tablespoons!

Reply

Frances Jones

I’m a senior who frequently has labs showing hyponatremia (low sodium), even though I do not restrict sodium or take diuretics. Other than Parmesan cheese showing slightly more sodium, is it a calcium rich, low fat cheese?

Reply

Leave a Comment

Five of the healthiest cheeses – Prevent Cancer Foundation (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest cheese for seniors? ›

Cottage Cheese

This power cheese is packed with nutrients like protein, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium. It's also low in cholesterol and a good source of riboflavin.

What is the healthiest cheese for your heart? ›

Using lower-fat cheeses – such as mozzarella, feta, cottage cheese or reduced-fat cheeses – will provide less saturated fat. Our table at the end of the page shows how the fat content of different cheeses compares.

What is the most unhealthy cheese? ›

Although extremely tasty on that cheese plate, soft cheeses such as Camembert, brie and triple-crème (cheese enriched with cream) fall into the “less healthy” category because of their saturated fat content.

What is the healthiest cheese for your gut? ›

Aged cheeses beneficial for your gut include Cheddar, cottage cheese, Gouda, provolone and Swiss. While some cheeses contain beneficial probiotics, be sure to eat them in moderation since most types of cheese are calorie-dense and high in saturated fat.

What cheese brand is real cheese? ›

Sargento® Cheese

Since our founding in 1953, Sargento has been dedicated to innovation. We do what we do for the love of 100% real, natural cheese; from ahead-of-its-time packaging to unique varieties, from industry firsts to industry bests.

What is the best cheese for anti aging? ›

Cheese such as gouda or blue cheese is full of calcium, which helps improve bone density (especially as we age).

What is the best cheese for cholesterol and blood pressure? ›

Choose cheeses that are lower in saturated fat and sodium. (Though sodium does not affect your cholesterol levels, excess sodium can lead to high blood pressure, which is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.) Examples include reduced-fat Swiss, mozzarella and ricotta cheeses.

Is peanut butter heart healthy? ›

One of the main fats in peanut butter is oleic acid. When substituted for other fats in your diet, oleic acid helps maintain good cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Managing these levels in your body can lower the risk of heart disease.

What is the number one healthiest cheese? ›

Some of the healthiest cheeses are feta and goat cheese, which are better for lactose intolerance. Cottage cheese and ricotta have more than 11 grams of muscle-building protein in a single serving. Swiss cheese is naturally lower in sodium, so it is a good option for people with hypertension.

What cheese should you avoid? ›

The types of cheese that most experts would agree are particularly unhealthy would include processed cheese products. Those include things like cheese singles, canned cheese, spay cheese, cheese dips.

What is the most hated cheese? ›

Casu martzu (Sardinian: [ˈkazu ˈmaɾtsu]; lit. 'rotten/putrid cheese'), sometimes spelled casu marzu, and also called casu modde, casu cundídu and casu fràzigu in Sardinian, is a traditional Sardinian sheep milk cheese that contains live insect larvae (maggots).

What cheese is a superfood? ›

Soft creamy cheeses such as mozzarella, burrata, brie, camembert, feta, goat's cheese and cream cheese and medium cheeses such as gouda, cheddar, wensleydale, provolone and muenster, are loaded with calcium (especially in the rind).

What cheese is best to lower cholesterol? ›

(All nutrition values are per the USDA.) Cottage cheese: One cup of low-fat (1%) cottage cheese has 9mg of cholesterol and 1.5g of saturated fat. Low-fat mozzarella cheese: A one-ounce serving of the part-skim variety has 18 mg of cholesterol and less than 3 g of saturated fat.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Sen. Emmett Berge

Last Updated:

Views: 6514

Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Sen. Emmett Berge

Birthday: 1993-06-17

Address: 787 Elvis Divide, Port Brice, OH 24507-6802

Phone: +9779049645255

Job: Senior Healthcare Specialist

Hobby: Cycling, Model building, Kitesurfing, Origami, Lapidary, Dance, Basketball

Introduction: My name is Sen. Emmett Berge, I am a funny, vast, charming, courageous, enthusiastic, jolly, famous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.