Healthy vs Unhealthy Cheeses

This may just be the cheesiest article you ever read!

When you think about changing your lifestyle and taking up a weight loss diet, any thoughts about cheese may not be at the very top of the list, but not all cheese is bad for you, so you may be able to enjoy cheese and its health benefits more than you think.

Contrary to popular belief, there are some cheeses that are good for you, you can incorporate these healthy cheese options that you can incorporate into your weight loss diet that don’t contain massive amounts of bad fats and aren’t that high in calories either.

Follow these cheesy weight loss tips for more information.

Looking for more health and weight loss advice? Read other weight loss diet advice from The Slimming Clinic Blog! Portion control is one of the easiest ways you can control your diet, without making drastic lifestyle changes. Learn more with our Portion Size Guide.

Health Benefits of Cheese:

If you’re trying to lose weight, knowing what healthy foods to include in your diet may not be easy.

At The Slimming Clinic, we’re happy to give you these weight loss tips – especially when it comes to cheese!

Cheese is an excellent source of protein and contains a special type of protein called casein. This is a milk protein which is rich in amino acids (which are essential to protein production) and is highly digestible.

Cheese also contains an abundance of a protein called alpha casein which has many health benefits such as promoting lower blood pressure and increasing the absorption of minerals from the digestive tract.

Cheese is a well-known source of calcium and is one of the richest nutritional sources for it.  Weight loss programs incorporate calcium in your weight loss diet since it is essential to bone health and has been found to help against diseases like osteoporosis.

It’s also been found to help heart health as it can help to reduce the risk of hypertension, which is a leading cause of heart disease.

Cheese is also rich in the following:

• Vitamin B12
• Zinc
• Riboflavin (which contain B2 vitamins)
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin K2
• Probiotics

The fat contents of cheese can be highly variable depending on the type of cheese. Cheese fat is highly complex and contains hundreds of different fatty acids. It’s high in saturated fat but also provides a fair amount of monounsaturated fats. We have found our top four healthy cheeses with low calories and fat contents.

Healthy Cheese Options

1.Feta Cheese

Feta cheese is made from ewe and goats milk and is the ideal cheese for lactose-sensitive eaters. If you are looking for a healthier cheese, feta might be the one for your diet!

In 1 oz./28g of Feta cheese there are:

• 84 calories
• 7.1g of fat

2.Mozzarella (Half fat)

Here’s a fantastic weight loss tip! When shopping for cheeses, try looking out for half fat mozzarella as it contains fewer calories as well as being lower in fat. Adding this healthy cheese to your weight loss diet ensures that you get to enjoy the health benefits of cheese without compromising on your calorie limit.

In 1oz./28g of Mozzarella cheese there are:

• 55 calories
• 3.2g of fat

3.Italian Ricotta

Italian Ricotta cheese is made from whey and is naturally low in fat. Even when following weight loss programs that are based on a low fat diet, you can still make room for some healthy cheese by choosing Italian Ricotta. It tastes great with bagels, crackers and fresh fruit.

In 1 oz./28g of Italian Ricotta cheese there are:

• 53 calories
• 4.2g of fat

4.Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is low in fat and is loaded with casein proteins making it a healthy cheese option. Besides, research shows that snacking on cottage cheese before bed can speed up your metabolism which could aid weight loss.

In 1oz./28g of Cottage cheese there are:

• 20 calories
• 0.3g of fat

Unhealthy Cheeses

When researching the best cheeses to eat on weight loss programs, we did also find some of the unhealthiest cheeses to eat:

1.Halloumi Cheese

Be aware of how much of this squeaky cheese you’re adding to your morning bagel and salads! Halloumi cheese is high in fat making it quite calorific. When on a weight loss diet based on lowering your calorie intake, high amounts of Halloumi cheese could quickly cause a calorie build up.

There are now lower calorie halloumi options you can choose for your weight loss diet, but be mindful of how much you eat!

1oz./28g of halloumi cheese contains:

• 86 calories
• 6.6g of fat

2.Goats/ Blue Cheese

1 oz. of semi-soft goat’s cheese contains 6 grams of saturated fat, which is nearly 30% of the daily recommended value, even if you are not on a weight loss diet.

1oz./28g of goats cheese contains:

• 95 calories
• 8.0g of fat

3.Roquefort Cheese

Roquefort is a processed blue cheese and is incredibly high in sodium. 1oz. of Roquefort cheese is 500mg of sodium which is over a third of your daily recommended allowance and is incredibly high in saturated fats!

Successful weight loss programs are those that encourage weight loss while still helping you become the healthiest version of you. High sodium levels and saturated fats are an unhealthy combination and could easily lead to health problems in the long run.

In 1oz./28g of Roquefort cheese there are:

• 102 calories
• 8.9g of fat

4.Parmesan

It’s a wonderful way to give a little tangy taste to your healthy homemade pizzas and pastas. However, a weight loss tip with this cheese is to be careful of how much you’re melting onto your food as you may be adding a sprinkling of calories rather than flavour, a fact that does not meet the definition of a healthy weight loss diet.

In 1oz./28g of Parmesan cheese there are:

• 108 calories
• 7.3g of fat

5.Cheddar Cheese

As popular as it is, it may not come as a shock to learn that Cheddar cheese is amongst one of the unhealthiest cheeses out there, so next time you’re making your sandwich for lunch, maybe try a different type of healthy cheese.

There are plenty of lower-fat cheddar options in the supermarkets now that you can add to your weight loss program, so if you can’t resist a bit of cheddar, opt for that version instead.

In 1oz./28g of Cheddar cheese there are:

• 116 calories
• 9.8g of fat

 

In Summary

Healthy food options are an important component of your weight loss diet.

Cheese is rich in protein but also high in fats, making this a confusing combination for many cheese lovers looking to lose weight. The good news is that there are healthy cheese options that you can enjoy and still make your weight loss journey a success.

We know that knowing what to eat on a weight loss diet can be really tricky at times. With The Slimming Clinic medical weight loss programmes, we offer expert weight loss support from dietitians and doctors, to appetite suppressants and weight loss supplements.

Our experts are here to help you navigate the often tricky world of weight loss programs and ensure you know what and when to eat on a weight loss diet to ensure the best results and that you reach your weight loss goals.

If you are stuck and would like expert help in your weight loss journey, medical weight loss programs that we offer at The Slimming Clinic can help you get unstuck and provide you with some fantastic weight loss tips and support.

If you want more support with all areas of your weight loss diet. Contact us today and find out how we have supported thousands of patients to successfully lose weight and improve their health!

Source: Personal Trainer Pioneer