Did you know that cheese is the #1 source of saturated fat in the American diet?

The Chart

So, why is saturated fat an issue?

Saturated Fat and You “A strong body of evidence indicates that higher intake of most dietary saturated fatty acids is associated with higher levels of total blood cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Higher total and LDL cholesterol levels are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.” – The Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Saturated Fat and You “Saturated fats and trans fats tend to raise ‘bad’ (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood. This, in turn increases the risk for heart disease.” – MyPlate

But wait, there’s good news!

Saturated Fat and You “Consuming less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and replacing them with monounsaturated and/or polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with low blood cholesterol levels, and therefore a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.” – The Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Saturated Fat and You “To lower risk for heart disease, cut back on foods containing saturated fats and trans fats.” – MyPlate

So where does cheese come in?

Enjoy Cheese – In Moderation Great things about cheese… – It’s a good source of protein. – There are a wide variety of cheeses available.

Enjoy Cheese – In Moderation Avoid processed “cheese foods” such as American cheese or Cheez Whiz. These include artificial ingredients and flavorings.

Enjoy Cheese – In Moderation Choose lower-fat and lower-sodium versions of your favorite cheeses.

Enjoy Cheese – In Moderation When dealing with strong cheeses, a little bit can go a long way. Use smaller amounts of flavorful cheeses such as Asiago or Roquefort.

Let’s Talk Intensity Sprinkle a small amount of intensely-flavored cheese on top of a leafy green salad, or use a crumble of cheese on a sandwich.

Cheese as a Flavor Booster Instead of using cheese as the primary flavoring in recipes, use a small amount of cheese as one of many different flavor components.

Cheese as a Flavor Booster Example: Add to your grilled cheese! Use less cheese, replacing some of the volume with baby spinach and spicy mustard.

Practice Portion Control Use 1 ounce of pre-packaged cheeses for a snack. Add a piece of fruit or some raw vegetables too.

Let’s review!

Cheese Reduction Tips Skip overly-processed “cheese foods.” Find reduced-fat versions of your favorite cheeses. Use strong cheeses – a little bit goes a long way. Make cheese a flavor-booster, not the main event.

Let’s talk details!

Make Informed Decisions Knowing the saturated fat and cholesterol content of a variety of cheeses can help you make healthful choices.

Let’s walk through an example.

1 Ounce of Cheddar Cheese 110 Calories 10 Grams (g) of Fat 6g Saturated Fat 7g Protein

1 Ounce of Cheddar Cheese 30g Cholesterol 180g Sodium 20% DV Calcium

Let’s compare that to an ounce of mozzarella cheese!

1 Ounce of Mozzarella Cheese 90 Calories 7g Fat 4.5g Saturated Fat 6g Protein

1 Ounce of Mozzarella Cheese 20g Cholesterol 150g Sodium 15% DV Calcium

How are they different?

Cheddar and Mozzarella Cheddar has more calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. It also has more protein and calcium.

It’s fun to compare!

Thank you for coming!