Eat Cheese For Health... | Glenda Britton, RHN

As the Holiday Season slips into gear – I thought I’d share some Good News for you when it comes to what to eat and what to serve over the Holidays.

The goods news is: Cheese can be healthy!

Yup, you read that correctly – and I’m not just talking about cheese made out of cashews – I’m referring to what is probably the most delicious cheese available today….

Cheese can help boost life expectancy!

Here’s some tips to make sure you’re doing it right:

Nibbling NOT Gorging is important – cheese has a lot of calories. A 1” cube is equal to one ounce – try and not to exceed 2 ounces a day.

We’re not talking cheese slices! Quality counts – If possible, go to a reputable cheese shop or farmer’s market and look for words such as “Raw” and/or “Unpasteurized”.

Raw and unpasteurized cheeses have probiotics that help with the digestion of the proteins in dairy. They also have enzymes that help to feed the good bacteria in the gut, which we now know is an underlying factor in almost every aspect of health.

Cheese from grass-fed cows has 147% more omega 3 fatty acids than conventional dairy. Omega 3’s are an essential fatty acid, meaning we have to get it from food or supplementation our bodies do not make it. Omega 3’s are helpful for heart health, brain function and to lower inflammation in the body.

A short list of probiotic-rich cheeses include Parmigiano Reggiano, traditional cheddars, Gouda, and Alpine cheeses like Gruyere.

What makes cheese so healthy?

Good source of vitamins riboflavin and B12, along with calcium, potassium and magnesium
It may be surprising to some to hear that eating a small amount of cheese actually helps to lower cholesterol. They believe it may be due to calcium’s ability to move fat through the gut, so it doesn’t get absorbed – Vitamin K2 also plays a role.
GOS (galacto-oliogosaccharides) prebiotics to help feed gut microbiota, so important for every aspect of health
Omega 3’s – lowers inflammation, support brain function
Conjugated linoleic acid helps with brain function, builds bones, muscle improvement, anti-cancer, improves digestion, reduces food allergies and sensitivities
Butyrate: helps to lower inflammation in the gut. Butter is good ghee (clarified butter) is even better!