Is Cheese Good For Weight Loss?

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Who doesn’t love cheese? Whether it’s gooey melted cheddar on a burger, creamy brie on a cracker, or tangy feta in a salad, cheese is a beloved and versatile ingredient that can add flavor and texture to many dishes.

But when it comes to weight loss, cheese often gets a bad rap for being high in calories and fat. So, is cheese a friend or foe for those trying to shed some pounds? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the nutritional benefits and drawbacks of cheese and whether it can fit into a healthy weight loss diet.

How is cheese made?

Cheese comes from removing much of the water and other components from animal milk, and leaving mostly the protein casein.

Casein is a protein found in milk, alongside other proteins, and extracting this protein and concentrating it to create cheese is what gives cheese it’s high protein content.

Cheesemaking is a craft with a long history and tradition. Here is a general breakdown of the cheese-making process:

1. Coagulation: The milk is heated and a coagulant, such as rennet, is added to make the milk proteins clump together and form solid curds. The curdling process can also be achieved using an acid, such as vinegar or lemon juice.
2. Cutting: Once the curds have formed, they are cut into small pieces to release more whey.
3. Heating and stirring: The curds are then heated and stirred to help them release more whey, which will further concentrate the curds.
4. Draining: The curds are then separated from the whey by draining the mixture through a cheesecloth or other fine mesh strainer.
5. Shaping: The drained curds can then be pressed into molds or shaped by hand to create the desired shape.
6. Salting: The cheese is then typically salted to help preserve it and add flavor.
7. Aging: Depending on the type of cheese being made, it may be aged for varying periods of time to allow it to develop its characteristic flavor and texture.

Different types of cheese require different techniques and variations of these basic steps. For example, soft cheeses like ricotta or cream cheese may not require as much processing or aging as harder cheeses like cheddar or parmesan.

Additionally, different types of cultures, molds, or other additives may be added to the milk to create specific flavors or textures in the final product.

Nutritional benefits

Cheese is a dairy product that is rich in several essential nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. Here is a rundown of some of the nutritional benefits of cheese:

• Protein: Cheese is a great source of protein, which is essential for building and repairing tissues in the body. A 1-ounce serving of cheese contains approximately 6 grams of protein.
• Calcium: Cheese is also an excellent source of calcium, which is important for strong bones and teeth. A 1-ounce serving of cheese can provide up to 20% of the daily recommended intake of calcium.
• Vitamin A: Some types of cheese, such as cheddar and mozzarella, are good sources of vitamin A, which is important for healthy vision, skin, and immune function.
• Vitamin B12: Cheese is also a good source of vitamin B12, which is important for nerve function and the production of red blood cells.
• Vitamin D: Cheese doesn’t naturally contain Vitamin D unless it’s been made with milk that has been fortified with Vitamin D.
• Zinc: Cheese contains zinc, which is important for wound healing, immune function, and the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates.

Different types of cheese

Here is a quick overview of the nutritional value of some of the common cheeses consumed in North America:

Because there are so many different cheeses, I’m going to try grouping them together and comparing two general characteristics of cheeses, which are soft versus hard cheeses, and fresh versus aged cheeses.

Soft vs hard cheese

Softer and creamier cheeses like Brie and Camembert, tend to have more fat than protein.

The saturated fat content is what contributes to the creamy nature of the cheese.

Harder cheeses like cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, and Romano, tend to have more overall protein, with Parmesan being one of the cheeses highest in protein per weight.

Keep in mind that even though hard cheeses tend to have more protein than soft cheeses, this doesn’t necessarily mean that soft cheeses have more overall calories or fat than hard cheeses.

In fact many of the hard cheeses have similar if not more calories and fat than softer cheeses. They just also happen to have much more protein than their soft counterparts.

Fresh vs aged cheese

Fresher cheeses like goat cheese, feta, ricotta, and cottage cheese, are packaged and served soon after the cheesemaking process, and are not allowed to sit and age for long.

They have a lighter and more mild flavor to them. They tend to be higher in moisture, and due to their higher water content, also tend to be lower in calories per weight, with cottage cheese being one of the lowest calorie cheeses.

Aged cheeses like cheddar, Blue, Gorgonzola, Gouda, and Parmesan, have been allowed to age or ferment for longer periods of time, and tend to become drier in the process, resulting in a lower moisture content, but may still be soft like Gorgonzola.

They tend to have a sharper, stronger, and more distinct taste to them, and also tend to have more calories than fresher cheeses.

Processed cheese

Processed cheese is a cheese that has been mixed with various non-dairy ingredients, like emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial coloring and flavors, and is usually the cheese with the lowest protein and nutrition, and highest sugar content.

In general, most clinicians recommend you stay away from this type of cheese if possible.

Cheese for weight loss

Pro: Good appetite suppression

Cheese is quite high in protein and fat, and mostly lower in sugars, making it a good food to help improve fullness and suppress hunger.

Because protein is less efficiently converted into stored fat in our bodies, cheeses with higher protein content would be best for this role.

Harder cheeses like cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan tend to fit this role well.

Con: High calorie density

Although harder cheeses have a higher amount of protein, they also tend to be the cheeses with higher calorie densities, meaning you’ll have to be careful in controlling the amounts you consume.

When it comes to dairy products, cheeses tend to be the highest in calories, protein, fat, and calcium, with the exception of a few cheeses like cottage cheese.

Fresher cheeses like cottage cheese, ricotta, and feta cheese, tend to be the cheeses with lower calorie densities than their peers.

Pro: Good protein density

Cheese has some of the highest concentrations of protein. Harder cheeses tend to provide the highest amounts of protein. So high in fact, that they rival other traditional animal sources of protein like beef or chicken.

This makes them some of the best protein sources for vegetarians who can consume cheese.

Con: May increase heart disease

Unfortunately the high protein content in cheese is often accompanied by high amounts of fat and sodium. This means, you’ll need to be careful if you have cardiovascular issues like high blood pressure or are on a diet that restricts sodium, like the DASH diet.

Experts are somewhat divided as to whether cheese can increase one’s risk of cardiovascular disease. The overall research would agree that having too much cheese can probably increase your risk, but it’s not clear how much cheese is too much. A meta-analysis in Scientific Reports in 2021 suggested that over 20 grams/d of cheese could affect cardiovascular risk.

Having cheese for weight loss

Overall, cheese can provide a good amount of nutrition, protein, and fat to help with hunger.

However, due to it’s high calorie concentration and sodium levels, it would be a good idea to keep track of how much cheese you’re consuming on a daily basis, while on your weight loss diet.

Because the amounts of calories, protein, fat, and sodium vary so much between different cheeses, your best bet is to keep track of each cheese separately, then add them all up for a total value, rather than trying to generalize all cheese.

My suggestion is, if you like cheese, you can add or use cheese as a way to improve the nutrition and fullness of certain meals.

For example, you could sprinkle a measured amount of parmesan or cheddar onto a salad to boost it’s hunger suppressing qualities.

Or if you prefer to eat it straight up as a snack, I would consider the lower calorie cheeses such as cottage cheese.

For example, having half a cup of low fat cottage cheese after your exercise as a post-workout meal.

Best cheeses for weight loss

If you love cheese, there are several types of cheeses that are lower in calories and high in protein. Here are some examples:

• Cottage cheese: Cottage cheese is a fresh cheese that is low in calories and high in protein. A half-cup serving of low-fat cottage cheese contains about 81 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 14 grams of protein.
• Feta cheese: Feta cheese is a soft, crumbly cheese that is commonly used in salads and Mediterranean dishes. A 1-ounce serving of feta cheese contains about 74 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 4 grams of protein.
• Swiss cheese: Swiss cheese is a semi-hard cheese with a mild, nutty flavor. A 1-ounce serving of Swiss cheese contains about 106 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 8 grams of protein.
• Mozzarella cheese: Mozzarella cheese is a soft, mild cheese that is commonly used in pizza and pasta dishes. A 1-ounce serving of part-skim mozzarella cheese contains about 71 calories, 4 grams of fat, and 7 grams of protein.

So if you’re a cheese lover, don’t fret. Cheese can be a part of your weight loss diet. Just make sure you track and control your intake, to ensure you don’t end up eating too much.

Learn more about

• Is Milk Good For Weight Loss?
• What To Eat To Lose Belly Fat – Protein and Fat
• Other foods for weight loss

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