We all have a passion for cheese, from a good cheese board when entertaining or a romantic night, to a cheesy pizza. However, cheese is often high in saturated fat, sodium, and calories, so is it really healthy? As with other foods, eating too much isn’t good, but cheese can definitely be part of a healthy diet. It is a good source of calcium (if made from cow’s milk) and the fermentation process used to make some cheeses is beneficial for your gut health. Let us explore today some of the healthy cheeses that will make you feel better about indulging in cheese.

Parmesan is high in sodium, but its pungent flavor goes a long way. One ounce of Parmesan cheese has 10 grams of protein and over 25 percent of your daily calcium intake. I use Parmesan not only in Chicken Parm but sprinkle it atop my salads and I will share my recipe for baked Parmesan Zucchini Curly fries with you in the coming weeks. There are 111 calories in 1 ounce of Parmesan cheese, 7 grams of fat, and 4 grams of saturated fat. Sodium content is 333 mg, 1 gram of carbs, no sugar (yeah!), 336 mg of calcium, 197 mg of phosphorous and 221 IU (International Units) of vitamin A.

Mozzarella is one of my favorite cheeses, I did not post the recipe but a few weeks ago I made Caprese Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, it was simply scrumptious. This fresh cheese is also delicious in caprese salads and margherita pizza. Of course, I use it in my Lasagna. It is actually a very healthy cheese with only 85 calories in a one ounce serving, it is low in calories and perfect for any Italian dish. There are 6 grams of fat in mozzarella, 4 grams of saturated fat, 138 mg of sodium, 1 gram of carbs, no sugar, 6 grams of protein, 143 mg of calcium, 100 mg phosphorous, and 192 IU of vitamin A.

Cottage cheese is popular in many weight loss diets because of its low fat content, 3 grams of fat and 1 gram of saturated fat in 1/2 cup of 2%. Cottage cheese is high in protein with 24 grams in 1/2 cup, and is a perfect match with some fruits. But watch out for the sodium content which is 348 mg in 1/2 cup of 2%, as well it contains 5 grams of sugar. I/2 cup of 2% cottage cheese contains 5 grams of carbs, 12 grams of protein, 125 mg of calcium, 170 mg of phosphorous, 141 mg of potassium, and 267 IU of vitamin A.

Ricotta cheese is spreadable, has a mild yet slightly sweet taste and is perfect for pairing with jam on toast. I recently found a recipe for Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake. Y’all know pound cake is one of my go to cakes when baking, so have no fear, you will see this recipe in the near future. Ricotta of course also works well in savory dishes, lasagna comes to mind. It also has over 10% of your daily recommended Vitamin A IU and 9 grams of protein. 1/2 cup serving of ricotta has 186 calories, 13 grams of fat, 135 mg of sodium, 9 grams of carbs, no sugar, 9 grams of protein, 225 mg of protein, 191 grams of phosphorous, 272 mg of potassium, and 552 IU of vitamin A.

Swiss cheese is the one for you if you are watching your sodium intake. One ounce of Swiss cheese contains only 53 mg of sodium, much less than most other cheeses. It is absolutely perfect on a turkey sandwich, mixed in a casserole or on a charcuterie board. 1 ounce of Swiss cheese contains 111 calories, 9 grams of fat, no carbs, no sugar, 8 grams of protein, 252 mg of calcium, 163 mg of phosphorous, and 297 IU of vitamin A.

Now, for those of you who are lactose intolerant, try the decadent goat cheese. It is not made from cow’s milk as the name denotes, so will cause no unwelcomed tummy issues. You can also find a variety of flavors of this cheese at your local grocery, like herb and garlic, and even a sweet one like cranberry goat cheese. It is great crumbled in salads, dipped on crackers, and spread on a sandwich. 1 ounce of goat cheese contains 75 calories, 6 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of unsaturated fat, 130 mg of sodium, no carbs, no sugar, 5 grams of protein, 40 mg of calcium, and 293 IU of vitamin A.

There you have it these are some of the healthiest cheeses you can choose a large variety and multiple uses for each. Try a few or try them all, if you haven’t. I have tried them all and find them to be not only delicious, versatile, but most of all healthy. Don’t forget, keep your eye out for the Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake, coming soon.

As always,

Peace, Love, and Blessings💖