Cheese is nutrient-rich — and delicious — but it is better to consume it in little portions.

Cheese does contain some essential nutrients, including calcium and protein, along with vitamin B12 and zinc. Nevertheless, the calories can add up quickly if you are not mindful.

Softer cheeses generally have fewer calories than hard cheeses: an ounce of whole-milk ricotta (about two tablespoons) has about 50 calories, an ounce of feta has 75 calories, as well as an ounce of whole-milk mozzarella has 85 calories. However, an ounce of Swiss (one piece) has 108 calories, and an ounce of cheddar has 114 calories.

For the same calories, you can have a glass of black bean soup and probably feel in the same way full.

Cheese can be full of saturated fat, that will be recognized to increase LDL cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol. In reality, cheese is undoubtedly one of the largest sources of saturated fat into the US diet.

A bit of research (sustained by the Danish dairy board) implies that full-fat cheeses do not seem to adversely influence LDL cholesterol as will be predicted considering its saturated fat content.

It is not clear precisely why here is the instance but might have to go along with other nutrients in cheese, like calcium or protein, modifying what sort of fat is absorbed or metabolized.

Is granola healthier?

Nevertheless, with regards to fat content, some cheeses are lighter than the others — as well as the higher the fat, the larger the calories. Cottage cheese gets the minimum amount of fat, with 1 gram per ounce. Ricotta has four grams of fat per ounce, and feta and mozzarella have 6 grams each. Parmesan, Swiss and cheddar are higher in fat, with 7, 8 and 9 grams of fat per ounce, respectively.

Utilizing soft cheeses like mozzarella versus cheddar is a good idea if you are researching ways to cut calories.

Interestingly, despite its higher calorie content, hard cheese like cheddar can be useful for your smile. Apart from getting calcium along with other minerals from this, eating hard cheese generates saliva, that will help make your mouth less acidic as well as your teeth less at risk of cavities.

Some recommend utilizing cheese being a taste enhancer for dishes instead of which makes it the main focus: sprinkle feta or goat cheese for a salad for additional taste, or add Parmesan to your chosen soup for extra pep. Moreover, in case you are enjoying cheese with crackers, limit it to 1 ounce. This could be the equivalent of a couple of dominos for softer cheeses like Brie, goat cheese or Havarti and about four small dice for hard cheese like Swiss or cheddar.