By: Debbie Barry, Account Manager

To say I have been obsessed with what food to eat over the last 9 months is an understatement. While most of us struggle with the daily calorie in calorie out. I have tried many ways to incorporate one of my favorite foods and that is cheese. Cheese often brings to mind “sinfully” delicious appetizers, main courses, desserts and snacks. And although cheese can be high in sodium and fat it is also packed with powerful nutrients. For example: 1 oz of cheese packs up to 1/3 of your daily requirement of calcium, protein and vitamin D. For me, I go with what I like and that is to use the full fat cheese. The 40 extra calories you are trying to save you can burn off by taking a walk or running up and down the stairs a few times. If you are trying to control the saturated fat, making an effort to trim external fat from meats, using olive oil instead of butter and the limit the desserts and pizza you eat will make the three grams in your cheese a non-issue.

However…

Even if you are on a calorie reduced diet, there are cheeses that you can incorporate into your diet. You can sprinkle in the occasional splurge if you don’t want the full fat. A few examples:

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  Parmesan has a grainy texture and nutty, buttery flavor, it has just 23 calories for 1 tablespoon.

  
  


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  Ricotta is smooth, creamy and slightly sweet and you can get fat free for 50 calories per ¼ cup.

  
  


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  Feta is salty, tangy flavor that comes from curing in brine which makes it a little higher in sodium but at 75 calories per 1 oz serving very diet friendly.

  
  


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  Low fat Mozzarella sticks contain 50 to 80 calories per stick depending on how they are made and are great for a snack.

  
  


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  Goat cheese can be creamy, crumbly or semi firm, mild aroma and strong tangy taste. Good choice if your lactose intolerant.

  
  


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  Gouda is a creamy cheese it has a rich buttery flavor, slightly lower in fat than cheddar and an excellent source of calcium.

  
  

When you want to splurge go for the extra sharp aged cheeses, these cheeses burst with flavor and require a lot less to get the full impact.
So to sum it up, go ahead and eat cheese, it’s a good thing!