Cheese is everywhere. It can be squeezed into your pasta, your omelet, sandwiches, and even sprinkled on your salad. With so many types of cheese to choose from, you can easily incorporate slices, crumbles, sprinkles, or shreds into your all-day (daily) dishes. Cheese gets both good and bad wraps as long as it affects your health, but if you want to lose weight, you may be wondering what dairy products can do to your waistline.
According to one of the dietitians registered with our Medical Experts Committee Dr. Lisa Young, RDNFinally Full, Finally Slim, author of The Portion Teller Plan, Cheese can have both positive and negative effects on the waistline..
“Cheese can be good or bad for your waistline, depending on how you include it in your diet,” explains Dr. Young.
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Let’s start with positive.
When discussing the positives, cheese can offer you two benefits: helping with protein and weight loss.
“The positive thing is that cheese is a good source of protein that helps to satisfy you, so it helps a bit a lot,” says Dr. Young. “And if you’re monitoring your weight, part skims are the best choice.”
Proteins take longer to digest than carbohydrates, so they stay in the stomach longer and make you feel full for longer. This can help avoid unnecessary snacks and overeating on your next meal, two factors that can lead to potential weight gain.
If you’re looking for protein-rich cheese, try low-fat cottage cheese. According to the USDA, one cup contains about 24 grams of protein. It will be a great breakfast option and light meal all day long.
If you’re looking for partially skim milk, partially defatted mozzarella cheese is served with about 20 grams of protein per cup.
Otherwise, Young suggests adding 1 ounce or 2 ounces of cheese to the salad. Or on top of a slice of toast.
However, too much cheese can have the opposite effect.
“The downside is that the calories in the cheese add up quickly, so be careful with your amount and stick to the value of 1-2 ounces, or two fingers,” says Dr. Young. “If you inadvertently bite the cheese at a cocktail party or cut slices one after another, the cheese can lead to weight gain.”
As an example, you might consume two Boar’s Head White American Cheese, which is equivalent to 110 calories. It may not seem like much at first glance, but think about how often you add cheese to your diet. Whether you add it to a sandwich or topping it in a bowl of pasta, add it up.
In addition, in studies published in the journal, NutrientsOverdose of dairy products, including cheese, has been shown to increase the weight of adults aged 18-50 years.
Young also suggests not adding cheese to your diet when eating other protein-rich foods.
“For example, skip cheese from burgers and turkey sandwiches,” she suggests. “Or, if you have an egg and bean salad, skip the cheese.”
Kayla Garitano
Kayla Garritano is Eat This, Not That! I’m a staff writer. She graduated from Hofstra University with a major in journalism and two minors in marketing and creative writing.read more
