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Healthy Heart Tip: Check Your Cheese

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Here in the UK, the 4th of June is National Cheese Day, a day dedicated to celebrating cheese. Cheese can form part of a healthy, balanced diet as it’s rich in protein and calcium which are both important nutrients in our diet. However, cheese is also a source of saturated fat and can be high in salt.

If we consume too much it can contribute to weight gain and poor cholesterol levels which can contribute to heart diseases. In this week’s healthy tip, we look at the saturated fat content of cheese and suggest heart-healthier alternatives for you to try.

How much cheese?

Including some cheese in your diet has health benefits, but it’s worth being mindful of the amount we consume. A 30g portion of cheese provides around 7% of your daily calories. The trouble is we can very easily eat much more than this in one sitting. It’s a good idea to weigh your portions to make sure you don’t consume too much, particularly if you are consuming full fat varieties or are trying to lose weight. Try not to consume more than three 30g portions each day.

Low fat & fat free cheeses

Choosing low fat and fat free cheese options is a great way to reduce our saturated fat consumption whilst still enjoying the flavour and benefiting from the protein and calcium cheese has to offer. Opt for fat free cottage cheese and reduced fat soft cheeses and hard cheeses like cheddar. Quark is a great option as it’s high in protein and much lower in fat than other soft cheeses.

Watch out for the salt

Some cheeses such as halloumi and feta can be very high in salt. It’s fine to consume these in moderation but try to find lower salt versions if possible, some supermarkets sell them. Try to limit your consumption of these saltier cheeses to maybe one or two times a week.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of the Healthy Heart recipes from the Heart Research UK website

Heart Research UK
Proud to stand out from the crowd, Heart Research UK is the charity dedicated to your heart. They inspire and invest in pioneering medical research, ground-breaking training and education, and in communities to improve their heart health for themselves. For over 50 years they have driven advancements in the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease to benefit patients as soon as possible.