We all want to have cheese, but unfortunately it has some bad reputation floating around — like cheese makes you fat, or it's categorised as one of the unhealthy foods to eat because it's high in calories and sodium.
But seriously, is there anything "grater" than cheese?
Cheese is often maligned as being higher in saturated fats and sodium than other snacks, but the right type of cheese can be delicious, filling and nutritious. It's an excellent source of protein, calcium and other nutrients. Adding the correct portion size of the right type of cheese to your snack or salad can make it satisfying, delicious and nutrition-dense.
1. Mozzarella Cheese
Mozzarella cheese is very high in moisture and low in sodium compared to other cheeses. Mozzarella contains bacteria that act as a probiotic, improving gut health, immunity and inflammation in the body.
Add it to: your caprese sandwich or caprese salad, or grate some onto your margherita pizza.
2. Feta Cheese
Feta is typically made from goat or sheep milk. It's high in sodium but lower in calories compared to other cheeses. Feta cheese contains CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which helps reduce body fat and improve body composition.
Add it to: your watermelon feta salad, or crumble some feta over grilled vegetables, or have 2–3 cubes of the cheese with a cracker.
3. Cottage Cheese / Paneer
Cottage cheese or paneer is the most common cheese used in India. It's high in protein and very high in selenium, a key antioxidant that helps reduce the risk of chronic inflammation.
Add it to: your spinach gravy or tomato-based gravy. Grate the paneer and make a paneer bhurji, add some cubes to your pizza or salad, or grill it to make paneer tikka.
4. Goat Cheese
Goat cheese is naturally lower in lactose and casein, which makes it easier to digest than cheese made from cow's milk. It also has more MCTs, so it's rapidly absorbed in the body and less likely to be stored.
Add it to: crumble goat cheese over your pizza, or make a whipped goat cheese spread with herbs for lavash, crackers, or a few carrot/cucumber sticks.
5. Parmesan Cheese
Parmesan cheese is made from raw, unpasteurised cow's milk, aged for at least 12 months to kill harmful bacteria. This cheese is packed with nutrients — especially calcium and phosphorus, both important for bone health. One serving of parmesan has about 9 grams of protein and tends to be lower in fat. It's true that parmesan tends to be high in sodium, but the beauty of this cheese is that a little goes a long way.
Add it to: grate parmesan flakes over your pasta and pizza, sprinkle on your salad, or spread parmesan slices on a cheese board with fruits and nuts.
6. Ricotta Cheese
This Italian cheese is made from the whey of cow, goat or sheep milk left over from making other cheeses. The protein content in ricotta cheese is around 12 grams per 1/2 cup — mostly whey, which is easily absorbed and also helps with muscle building and growth.
Add it to: a grilled ricotta spinach sandwich, or use it as a ravioli filling with butternut squash. Add ricotta to your eggplant or zucchini lasagna to make it taste even more delicious.
While you're shying away from your favourite food — cheese — nutrition experts will agree that not all cheese is bad for you. It may be smart to use a low-fat version of cheese for everyday meals. Enjoy your cheese without feeling guilty, just keep an eye on portion size. Moderation is the key!
What's your favourite type of cheese that you enjoy the most? Let me know in the comments below :)
