Cheese is a beloved food all over the world. And between Thanksgiving and the new year, many snack trays presented to us will include cheese.
The USDA reported that in 2020 Americans ate a whopping 38 pounds of cheese per capita.
But how healthy is all this cheese eating?
While cheese is high in protein, vitamins, calcium, and amino acids it also is calorie-dense and is sometimes high in fats and sodium.
Many dieticians believe it can be a good source of both calcium and protein but that we should watch not to go overboard as the calories add up quickly when it comes to cheese. The protein in cheese is a good alternative to eating meat (attention: vegetarians) because it is still of animal origin and contains those same essential amino acids as meat that our body needs but cannot make on its own.
This makes cheese a so-called “complete protein.”
As with any food how much one consumes should be considered in the context of what else one is eating. Totally eschewing or eating tons of one kind of food or macronutrient is rarely healthy.
However, rest assured, consuming cheese in moderation can be a regular part of a healthy lifestyle.