Is cheese good for you? Some facts may surprise you 

Is cheese healthy?

Whether you prefer melted cheddar on toast, grated parmesan on your pasta, or a full-on cheese board, there are plenty of ways to enjoy cheese. But is this tasty dairy product good for your heart?

Cheese is a good source of nutrients like protein and calcium, which your body needs to stay healthy.

However, cheese is usually high in saturated fat and salt too. This means that eating too much could lead to raised cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, increasing your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

And many cheeses are high in energy (calories), so it’s important to enjoy them in moderation if you’re trying to manage your weight.

But some cheeses are a healthier choice than others. Soft, fresh cheeses like quark, cottage cheese and ricotta tend to be lower in saturated fat and salt.

And, while reduced-fat cheeses are not completely fat free, they do contain less saturated fat than full-fat versions.

How much cheese can you eat a day?

You can include some cheese in a healthy diet, but it’s important to keep an eye on your portion sizes.

The recommended daily portion of hard cheese is 30g. This is around the size of a small matchbox, or around half the length of your index finger by the height of your fingertip.

It's also important to know that the portion sizes of soft cheeses for a daily balanced diet are different to hard cheese:

• 1 portion of full-fat cream cheese is 15g, which is about 1 tablespoon. 
• 1 portion of low-fat or reduced-fat cream cheese is 30g, or 2 tablespoons.
• 1 portion of cottage cheese – which is low in saturated fat – is 3 tablespoons.

Portion sizes are important as part of a healthy diet: find out more about the recommended portion sizes of other foods.

Is cheese bad for cholesterol?

Like other full-fat dairy products, cheese is high in saturated fat.

Eating too much saturated fat can raise your cholesterol levels, which can increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and stroke.

This is why UK health guidelines recommend no more than 30g of saturated fat per day for men and 20g for women.

On average, full-fat cheddar has around 6g of saturated fat per portion.

In fact, 9 per cent of saturated fat in the average UK diet comes from cheese alone, according to the government’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey published in 2020.

So it’s important to eat cheese in moderation and choose lower-fat versions, especially if you have high cholesterol levels.

• Find out what other foods to avoid with high cholesterol.

Is cheese a good source of protein?

Cheese is a good source of protein. It contains essential amino acids that can help your body grow and repair.

Cheese is considered a high protein-food, as 25 per cent of the energy it contains comes from protein.

A 30g portion of cheese or 60g portion of cottage cheese contains around 8g of protein.

The recommended daily amount of protein is around 0.75g per kg of body weight, which works out as:

• 45g a day for a 60g woman 
• 55g a day for a 75kg man.

So, while cheese can provide some protein, you also need a variety of other protein-rich foods in your diet, including meat, fish, eggs, nuts, beans, lentils and other dairy products.

• Here are more naturally high-protein foods.

How much calcium is in cheese?

Cheese is high in calcium, an essential mineral that keeps your teeth and bones strong and healthy.

Calcium also helps to regulate your heart rate, as muscles – like the heart – need calcium to work. And it plays a role in blood clotting too.

According to the NHS, you need 700mg of calcium a day. Hard cheeses like cheddar or edam contain more calcium than soft cheeses like mozzarella or brie. For example:

• 1 portion of cheddar contains around 220mg of calcium.
• 1 portion of mozzarella contains just over 100mg of calcium.

Other sources of calcium include other dairy foods like milk and yogurt, green leafy vegetables like kale, and fish with bones you can eat, such as sardines or pilchards.

Is goat’s cheese better than cow’s cheese?

Goat’s cheese is sometimes thought of as a healthier alternative to cheese made with cow’s milk.

However, goat’s cheese still contains saturated fat and salt.

• Hard goat’s cheese has 6g of saturated fat and 0.6g of salt per portion, roughly the same as other hard cheeses like cheddar.
• Soft goat’s cheese has around 5.5g of saturated fat – similar to brie – and nearly 0.5g of salt per portion.

Goat’s cheese is often touted as being easier to digest for people with lactose intolerance.

It does contain less lactose than some soft cow’s milk cheeses like ricotta or cottage cheese, but it actually has a similar lactose content to other semi-soft cheeses such as brie or feta.

• Try our recipe for goat’s cheese and red onion bruschetta.

Is vegan cheese healthy?

While plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, beans, lentils nuts and seeds are important parts of a healthy diet, not all vegan alternatives are automatically good for you.

Like plant-based meat substitutes, vegan cheeses are often ultra-processed and high in saturated fat and salt. They also tend to contain less calcium and protein than dairy cheeses.

If you do want to include vegan cheeses in your diet, check the label, as some brands will have different levels of nutrients than others. 

And, like dairy cheese, make sure to eat plant-based cheeses in moderation. 

• Read our expert’s take on whether plant-based diets can ‘reverse’ heart disease.

Is grated cheese healthier than sliced?

Grated cheese may be a healthier choice for you than sliced cheese if you use less of it.

A pre-cut slice of cheese usually weighs 20g to 30g and many people use a few slices in a sandwich. This would take you up to 60g, which is double the recommended daily amount.

However, when you're grating cheese into sandwiches, sauces, toasties or jacket potatoes, you should still watch your portion size, as it’s easy to have too much.

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