If cheesy pastas are your guilty pleasure, then here’s news that will lessen the guilt.
Chinese researchers have found that eating cheese, albeit in moderation, may lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases(CVD). The study, published in the European Journal of Nutrition looked at published research on the correlation of cheese and CVD risk – what is called a meta analysis – and found that CVD risk is inversely proportional to cheese consumption. That is, more the latter goes up, higher is the dip in the former.
Cheese is known to have a high content of saturated fatty acids – associated with the harmful LDL cholesterol- but what redeems it in cardiovascular terms is the fact that it also contains a number of potentially beneficial nutrients. The study however found that 40 gm of cheese per day is the optimum consumption for the beneficial effects to kick in.
for India the rising popularity of continental dining options and the availability of premium foreign products in the country may have contributed significantly to the rising cheese consumption.
The association between cheese and LDL cholesterol has long been the reason why health conscious individuals the world over have made yoghurt their dairy product of choice. Nevertheless cheese consumption overall has been on the rise; for India the rising popularity of continental dining options and the availability of premium foreign products in the country may have contributed significantly to the rising cheese consumption.
The British Heart Association describes cheese as a major source of protein and calcium but recommends that a person with high cholesterol should limit intake of high fat varieties of cheese.
“Some types of roquefort, halloumi, feta and cheese singles are saltier than seawater. Cheese contains calcium and protein, so it can be OK in moderation, but remember: low-fat yoghurt, tinned fish, tofu, lentils and beans are good sources of calcium and protein too.
Keep cheese portions small and weigh them to reduce temptation. Using lower-fat cheeses – such as mozzarella, feta, cottage cheese or reduced-fat cheeses – will provide less saturated fat,” BHA advises on cheese.
Advice from the Harvard Medical School is along similar lines as the latest study in the European Journal of Nutrition. “…dairy fat was not associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (defined as nonfatal heart attack, fatal heart disease, and stroke) when compared with the same amount of calories from carbohydrates. However, replacing about 5% of calories from dairy fat with a similar amount of unsaturated fat from vegetables or vegetable oil was linked to a 24% lower risk of cardiovascular disease,” reads a newsletter from January 2017.