4 hours Ago By Yahoo Life UK
Cheese, glorious cheese! All over the world, the funky, smelly, delicious dairy product is beloved in all its numerous forms and shapes - and Britain is in in the world. According to data by market research firm , the UK is the sixth cheesiest nation, with the Netherlands and France taking the top spots. Unsurprisingly, cheddar is the most adored cheese of Britons, followed by foreign favourites French brie and Italian parmesan.
Over Christmas, a cheese board is a customary addition to the big day. Britons usually stock up on the classics, like a strong cheddar, brie, camembert, and Stilton, to nibble on throughout the festivities. But there’s bad news ahead for the cheese-obsessed, because our favourite cheeses are in the firing line for the most unhealthy cheeses on the board.
Many cheeses are high in fat, which can raise your cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease. They can also contain high levels of sodium, which put you at risk of high blood pressure. However, cheese also tends to have a high protein and calcium content, and can play an important role in a healthy diet.
Don’t despair, though, as there are plenty of healthier options you can swap them for. And while you shouldn’t eat any food in excessive amounts, treating yourself to your favourite cheese every now and then is absolutely fine. Here are the six most unhealthy cheeses - and what you can swap them for instead.
Mascarpone It may look unassuming, but ultra-creamy and luxurious mascarpone cheese is one of the highest fat cheeses available, with 44% fat content - 30% of which is saturated. There aren’t any reduced-fat mascarpones out there, but the recommends substituting half the mascarpone in recipes with low fat Greek yoghurt, Quark, or a low-fat cream cheese to cut down on the fat. Brie Brie is the second most popular cheese in the UK, and it’s easy to see why - it’s creamy flavour and texture has wide appeal.
However, it has quite a high fat content at 29%, 18% of which is saturated. Luckily, there are ‘light’ versions you can eat instead, which have less fat. Camembert According to the British Heart Foundation, camembert comprises around 23% fat, 14% of which is saturated.
It also has high salt levels, averaging at 1.5g or more per 100g. It’s a cheese to be enjoyed only occasionally, and when you do, go easy on how much you eat.
Stilton Stilton is a firm favourite among blue cheese lovers. It has a fat content of 35%, 23% of which is saturated, and nearly 2g of salt per 100g, and so should be eaten as a treat once in a while instead of often. Parmesan There’s nothing quite like a sprinkling of delicious Parmesan over pasta to really complete the dish.
But Parmesan is high in calories, as well as fat and salt, as it is made up of 30% fat (19% saturated) and can contain 1.7g of salt per 100g. However, thanks to its strong flavour, you don’t need to use much of it.
Danish Blue This very blue cheese contains 29% fat per 100g, 19% of which is saturated. This makes it slightly lower in fat content than Stilton, which you might think of as a good thing - however, the British Heart Foundation points out that it has even more salt than its British counterpart. Danish Blue contains 3g of salt per 100g, so it should be eaten sparingly.
So which cheeses should you be eating instead? Cheddar Thankfully, the UK’s favourite cheese makes it onto the healthy list so you won’t have to remove it from your cheese board. Although it has a relatively high fat content, it is rich in protein and calcium, as well as vitamin K2, which is necessary for healthy bones and teeth. You can choose reduced-fat versions of cheddar for an even healthier option.
Cottage cheese Cottage cheese rose in popularity this year thanks to fitness enthusiasts on TikTok, because of its low-fat, low-calorie, high-protein contents. It is particularly popular among people looking to lose weight, as it can keep you full for longer without the excess calories. Quark Quark is a soft, fresh cheese that usually has no salt added and is unaged.
It is high in calcium, protein and vitamin A, and low in fat compared to most other cheeses. It is also low in lactose, making it suitable for people who are lactose intolerant. Feta Feta is made from sheep’s or goat’s milk and is soft and tangy.
While it has a high salt content, particularly as it is preserved in brine, feta is a good source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a type of fat that is believed to help reduce body fat deposits and improve immune function. Mozzarella Pizza lovers will rejoice when they see that their favourite stretchy topping is low in calories and relatively low in fat and salt content. A typical ball of mozzarella has just 18% fat, 12% of which is saturated.
You can go for a reduced-fat version to lower fat consumption even further, as these typically have just 10% fat (7% saturated). Ricotta Ricotta has been around since the Bronze Age and remains one of the healthier cheeses around with only 10% fat (6% saturated). It also contains less salt than other cheeses, and is popular in both sweet and savoury dishes.
Paneer This is an Indian cheese that can often be found in vegetable dishes and curries. It is made without the use of animal rennet, making it suitable for lacto-vegetarians, who do not eat meat or eggs, but can still consume dairy. It is much lower in salt than many cheeses, and is a good source of vitamins A and D.
(Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read) (The Conversation, 5-min read) (GloucestershireLive, 2-min read).
