Top 5 Low-Saturated-Fat Cheeses

According to a dietitian, these are the 

Top 5 Low-Saturated-Fat Cheeses

Living your life without savoring a sharp Cheddar or a creamy Brie simply won't do if you adore cheese. It is simple to understand why so many people adore this traditional dairy snack, given its distinctive flavor, craveable consistency, and delightful ability to melt over pizza or a pasta meal.

But let's say you have diabetes, heart disease, or another ailment that calls for you to consume fewer saturated fats. You could then ask if you can include cheese in your diet without sacrificing your health objectives. While many varieties of cheese can contain significant amounts of saturated fat, a type of fat that, when consumed in excess, is linked to some undesirable health outcomes, like elevated LDL ("bad") cholesterol, per a 2018 review published in Current Nutrition Reports, cheese is packed with essential nutrients that support our overall health, including calcium and protein.

In accordance with the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, less than 10% of daily calories should come from saturated fat. And the American Heart Association advises reducing saturated fat to just 5% to 6% of total calories, which is an even lower cutoff. 

Following the AHA recommendations would mean that no more than 120 of a person's daily 2,000 calories should come from saturated fat. A daily intake of 13 grams of saturated fat is represented by this number.

When limiting your intake of saturated fats, is cheese okay to eat? 

Indeed, several types of cheese are heavy in saturated fat. For example, Cheddar, Muenster, and blue cheese all contain well over 5 grams of saturated fat per ounce or around 40% of the recommended daily intake of this nutrient according to the AHA recommendations. However, as long as you eat cheese in moderation and include it in a diet that is generally balanced and healthful, cheese should not be eliminated from a heart-healthy or diabetes-friendly diet.

Cheese used to be considered a "bad" food by many people who had health issues. But as more information becomes available, we discover that cheese's calcium, bioactive lipids, and peptide content may improve heart health. In reality, 2020 research reported in Foods suggests that a more reasonable guideline is to modestly consume full-fat dairy foods while leading a healthy lifestyle, as opposed to eliminating dairy-fat sources like cheese. 

Just keep in mind that several types of cheese include a lot of sodium despite having high levels of saturated fat. Limiting salt intake may be necessary for persons with illnesses including diabetes, high blood pressure, and kidney disease to prevent negative health effects. 

But if you prefer to limit your choices, take a look below.

Best Fat-Free Swiss Cheese Low Saturated Fat Cheeses 

As the name suggests, fat-free Swiss cheese has no fat at all. This cheese kind often has fewer calories than its full-fat sibling since it has less fat. Just keep in mind that this cheese may not be the ideal option if you are looking for it to melt because it lacks fat and may not perform as well as the original variety. But fat-free Swiss cheese can work as a quick addition to a sandwich or an easy snack option.

2% Milkfat Cottage Cheese 

Cottage cheese is an excellent complement to fruit salads, pasta meals, and even as a baked potato topping. Additionally, it might be a pleasant addition to the diet of cheese enthusiasts who want to reduce their intake of saturated fat. The USDA estimates that this cheese has little more than 1 gram of saturated fat per 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces).

Ricotta Cheese from Part-Skim 

Ricotta cheese made from part-skim milk is a great option for adding creaminess to a variety of meals. This cheese can be just as filling as cheeses that are equally good but have much more saturated fat since it has curds that are smaller than cottage cheese and a fresh cheesy flavor. According to the USDA, one ounce of part-skim ricotta cheese has 1.4 grams of saturated fat. The Cannellini Bean & Herbed Ricotta Toast and our Ricotta & Yogurt Parfait are two delectable ways to eat this low-fat cheese.

Sliced Mozzarella 

Part-skim mozzarella, which is still delicious to eat, has less saturated fat than full-fat mozzarella since it is manufactured using milk that has had some of the fat skimmed out. Because part-skim mozzarella often melts smoothly, it can be used to create cheesy egg dishes or handmade pizzas. Part-skim mozzarella cheese is a better option for folks who are trying to restrict their consumption of saturated fat because it only has 2.8 grams of fat per ounce. In a Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna or Air-Fried Mozzarella Sticks, try using part-skim mozzarella cheese.

Skinny Swiss Cheese 

As the name suggests, fat-free Swiss cheese has no fat at all. This cheese kind often has fewer calories than its full-fat sibling since it has less fat. Just keep in mind that this cheese may not be the ideal option if you are looking for it to melt because it lacks fat and may not perform as well as the original variety. But fat-free Swiss cheese can work as a quick addition to a sandwich or an easy snack option.

Cheese from Neuchâtel

For people watching their consumption of saturated fat, Neufchâtel cheese might be a great substitute for higher-fat cream cheese as a soft, spreadable cheese. This cheese has 3.6 grams of saturated fat per ounce (versus 5.1 grams found in 1 ounce of regular cream cheese). Many recipes that call for cream cheese can be substituted with Neufchâtel cheese. Try these Nutty Pimiento Cheese Balls or this Cheesy Vegetable Bake.

The conclusion 

If you love cheese but are trying to limit your intake of saturated fat, you can still partake in your favorite dairy product while maintaining your dietary objectives. You should be fine as long as you stick to foods with less saturated fat and eat sensible portions. Additionally, learning about dairy-free cheese alternatives may help you satisfy your appetite for cheese in a way that is low in saturated fat if you can't live without varieties that are often higher in saturated fat (we're looking at you, Cheddar). 

So go ahead and spread some Neufchâtel on your whole-wheat bagel or top your turkey sandwich with a slice of part-skim mozzarella cheese. By doing this, you won't completely ruin your diet, and will significantly increase your enjoyment of cheese.

What is Cheese?

Cheese is a dairy product made from the coagulation of milk protein casein. It comes in a broad variety of flavors, textures, and forms. It contains milk-derived proteins and lipids (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep). In order to make the casein coagulate, milk is often acidified during manufacture and either rennet enzymes or bacterial enzymes with a comparable activity are added. The liquid whey is subsequently separated from the firm curds, which are finally pressed to create finished cheese. Some cheeses include flavorful molds throughout, on the rind, or in the outer layer.

Let us know at iHeartFoodie what you think about saturated fats and cheese in the comments below. 

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