Cheese is a great source of protein and calcium, but many cheeses are also high in cholesterol and saturated fat. In fact, around 23% of the average American’s daily intake of saturated fats comes from cheese.
Eating too much cholesterol or saturated fat increases your risk ofhigh LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease. But while cheesecanbe a part of a healthy, well-balanced diet, which cheeses you choose and how much you eat matters.
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Best Low Saturated Fat Cheeses
The following chart lists the saturated fat and cholesterol content of numerous low-fat and fat-free cheeses.
The most popular cheeses are made from whole milk and are high in saturated fat. However, several fat-free and low-fat versions of these cheeses are widely available in supermarkets and contain far less saturated fat andcholesterolthan their whole-fat counterparts.
Altogether, you can’t go wrong with choosing low-fat or fat-free cheeses instead of their whole-milk counterparts. Any type of cheese made with nonfat or skim milk will have notably less saturated fat and cholesterol.
What Is Low Fat Cheese?
Low-fatcheesesare low insaturated fat. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines foods as “low-saturated fat” if they have no more than 1 gram of saturated fat per serving.
The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than 5% to 6% of your daily calories in saturated fat. For a person who eats 2,000 calories per day, this means they should eat no more than 13 grams (120 calories worth) of saturated fat per day.
As for cholesterol, people who have risk factors for heart disease, such ashigh blood pressureanddiabetes, should follow alow-cholesterol diet, which should include no more than 200 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per day. People who do not have risk factors forheart diseaseshould eat no more than 300 mg of cholesterol per day.
Cheese Tips for a Low-Cholesterol Diet
You don’t have to entirely remove cheese from your diet when watching your saturated fat and cholesterol intake. You should, however, pay close attention to how much cheese you are eating and stay within the recommended daily amount.
If you arelimiting your cholesterol or saturated fat intake, or simply want to eat a more heart-healthy diet, the following tips might help:
Summary
While cheddar cheese and American cheese are the two most popular cheeses, they are also among the highest in cholesterol and saturated fat. Ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, and fat-free cheeses are not as popular, but they are much healthier.
Limiting how much cholesterol and saturated fat you consume is important for keeping your heart healthy. If you don’t want to stop eating cheese, you don’t have to; eat smaller portions, choose vegan or reduced-fat versions, or save your favorite cheese for special occasions.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture.FoodData Central.
YouGov America.This is America’s favorite cheese.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Guidance for industry: food labeling guide.
American Heart Association.Saturated fat.
UCSF Health.Cholesterol content of foods.
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