Do you never finish a meal without cheese? This is not necessarily a fault. Although it is criticized as too high in calories and too much fat and therefore bad for cardiovascular health, cheese is not the nutritional enemy that one might think. Rich in proteins calcium, phosphorus, potassium or even zinc, it can even enter in the composition of a balanced menu. Yes, but in what quantity? Because there is still a difference between a lichette of Emmental and a whole log of goat’s cheese…
Cheese is good for the heart
First good news, according to a meta-analysis of 15 scientific studies published in theEuropean Journal of Nutritiondaily (moderate) consumption of cheese would, contrary to all expectations, be beneficial for the heart. It could even protect you from certain cardiovascular diseases like strokes. Skipping the cheese platter because you fear an impact on your heart is therefore not an option. On the other hand, it should not be overused, especially since the different varieties do not have the same composition.
A few reasonable grams per day
With 1,200 varieties of cheese in France, it is normal to discover many differences. To know if a cheese is more or less fatty, you can rely on its appearance:
- The fresher a cheese is (and the more water it contains), the less fatty it is (8 to 12% fat);
- Conversely, the more pressed it is (like Parmesan or Comté) the fatter it is (35 to 40% fat);
- Between the two, soft cheeses, such as Camembert or Brie, contain 20% fat;
- According to the study, reason and your heart allow you 40 to 50 g per day of non-fat cheese (ricotta, goat’s cheese, etc.).
- This quantity is less (30 g) when we are talking about a fatter cheese like Camembert.
In case of’hypertension However, it is advisable to avoid very salty cheeses such as Feta or Blue cheeses. And accompany the chosen cheese with a green salad. The potassium it contains helps keep blood pressure low.