In general, if you have high cholesterol, you can still eat cheese in moderation. Keep reading to learn more about cholesterol, saturated fat, and how to incorporate cheese into a balanced diet.
When you are lowering your cholesterol, saturated fat content matters most. Too much saturated fat can raise the level of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL (bad) cholesterol in your blood.
If you have high cholesterol, the American Heart Association recommends keeping saturated fat below 6% of your total daily calories.
In a 2,000 calorie diet, that is around 11 to 13 grams of saturated fat per day. You can still eat cheese if you keep this number in mind.
Cheese and cholesterol
There are many different varieties of cheese. All cheeses are a good source of calcium, but they don’t all contain the same amount of saturated fat. For example, in 1 oz of cheese:
Cheddar | 5.36 g saturated fat |
Mozzarella | 3.94 g saturated fat |
Swiss | 5.16 g saturated fat |
Blue | 5.3 g saturated fat |
A 2021 study found that consuming certain kinds of cheese was not associated with an increase in LDL cholesterol. However, more robust studies are needed to confirm these findings.
How to eat cheese and watch your cholesterol
While you may not want to eat a lot of cheese, you do not need to completely remove it from your diet. Below are some tips to remember when selecting and eating cheese.
Watch portion sizes
Many cheeses suggest a one-ounce serving. Since cheese often comes in block form, portioning can be difficult.
Cheese sticks that come pre-portioned take the guesswork out of the equation. If your favorite cheese doesn’t come in a single serving size, one ounce of cheese is about the same size as three stacked dice.
You may also want to purchase a food scale so that you can easily measure out portions.
Write it down
If you’re having trouble tracking your saturated fat intake for the day, consider using a nutrition tracking app such as MyFitnessPal. Your notes app on your phone or a simple pen and paper approach can also work.
Savor it
If you go for a full-fat cheese, choose a small portion and savor every bite to get the most satisfaction out of a smaller quantity.
Make substitutions
Some cheeses are available in varieties with less saturated fat. For example, in around 1 oz of each cheese:
Cheddar | 5.36 g saturated fat |
Reduced fat cheddar | 3.53 g saturated fat |
Nonfat cheddar | 0 g saturated fat |
You do not have to eat reduced fat or nonfat cheddar all the time. You can even mix full-fat and reduced fat varieties together.
Other tips for managing cholesterol
There are other dietary changes you can make to manage your cholesterol, such as:
eat fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon
reduce or completely remove processed meat
add pureed fruits and vegetables to baked goods
increase your vegetable and whole grain consumption
Before making any significant changes to your eating patterns, talk to your doctor. They will be able to advise you on what is appropriate to adjust in your diet.
Takeaway
If you have high cholesterol, cheese is not totally off-limits.
Keeping track of how much saturated fat you’ve eaten in a day, portioning out your servings of cheese, and substituting for lower fat varieties are all ways that you can continue to eat cheese in your diet.
It’s important to talk to your doctor about the amount of saturated fat you can have. Your doctor may make recommendations tailored to your individual health needs that differ from the AHA recommendations.