Is Cheese Bad for Your Heart – or Not?

Who doesn’t love the taste of cheese? With so many varieties to choose from, it’s not surprising that many people are addicted to its creamy taste and texture. But some doctors will tell you to limit the amount of cheese in your diet because of its high saturated fat content. Is cheese bad for your heart – or not?

Is Cheese Bad for Your Heart: Cheese and Saturated Fat

A single slice of cheddar cheese has about 6 grams of saturated fat. According to the American Heart Association, you should limit calories from saturated fat to no more than 7% of your total calories. This means a person eating a 2,000 calorie diet would ideally get no more than 14 grams of saturated fat a day. A single slice of cheddar cheese has almost half that amount.

What’s so bad about saturated fat? Previous research shows it raises LDL-cholesterol, the unhealthy form of cholesterol that clogs arteries and leads to heart disease, although more recent research calls this into question. Still, the American Heart Association stands by its recommendation to limit saturated fat. Despite its saturated fat content, a new study suggests that eating cheese may not be so bad for your heart after all.

Danish researchers compared the effects of eating butter and eating cheese on LDL-cholesterol levels in a group of 49 participants. The volunteers replaced 13% of their calories with either butter or cheese for a period of six weeks. The amount of saturated fat the participants ate was similar. Only the form in which they got it differed – cheese or butter. Good news for cheese lovers! Unlike butter, the cheese didn’t increase total cholesterol of LDL-cholesterol levels. Cheese may not be as heart-unfriendly as previously thought.

Is the Calcium in Cheese Protective?

Why does the saturated fat in cheese not raise LDL-cholesterol? One theory is the calcium in cheese offsets the effects of the saturated fat. A single slice of cheddar cheese supplies a fifth of the day’s requirement for calcium – but don’t take that as a glowing endorsement for calcium supplements. Calcium supplements don’t offer the same heart-healthy benefits. In fact, a study published in the British Medical Journal showed that calcium supplements slightly increased the risk of heart attack, especially in people who didn’t get adequate amounts of vitamin D. This is another example of how supplements don’t always have the same benefits as getting vitamins and minerals naturally through diet.

Other Health Benefits of Cheese

Cheese may be high in calories, but it’s also a satiating food because of its protein and fat. A single slice of cheddar cheese has 7 grams of muscle-building protein, and the strong flavor of cheese makes it satisfying in small quantities. Cheese is also a good source of a fatty acid called CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). Some research suggests that CLA has anti-cancer benefits and may boost fat loss while increasing lean body mass. In addition, the calcium in cheese makes it a natural for preserving bone health.

Is Cheese Bad for You: The Bottom Line?

Eating cheese in moderation is a good way to get protein and calcium, and it doesn’t appear that cheese raises cholesterol levels. Whether it’s the calcium in cheese or some other component that’s heart protective still isn’t clear. All in all, adding moderate amounts of cheese to your diet shouldn’t have a major impact on the health of your heart – but watch your waistline. Cheese is still high in calories.

References:

Am J Clin Nutr December 2011 vol. 94 no. 6 1479-1484.
BMJ 2010; 341 doi: 10.1136/bmj.c3691.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 May;85(5):1203-11.

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