Happier, Healthier You
by Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief a Yahoo! Health Expert for Women's Health
I don't know about you, but I've never met a cheese I didn't like. Parmesan, cranberry Brie or anything in between, I'm basically a cheeseaholic. So I was particularly excited to find out that my favorite nibble can actually help keep me slim. That's right—women who ate an ounce of full-fat cheese every day gained fewer pounds over time than those who didn't, according to a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Turns out whole-fat dairy may stoke your metabolism because it contains conjugated linoleic acid. To harness these health properties, each day savor a single ounce (about the size of your thumb) of one of the cheese whizzes below.
Make goat cheese your go-to spread
Your 1-ounce portion has 76 calories, 6 grams of fat (4 g saturated) and 5 g filling protein, so it curbs munchies. Bonus: Traces of copper in goat cheese stoke your immune system. Have goat cheese in place of mayo on a sandwich or in a wrap, mix it with chopped nuts and dried fruit to create a nutritious schmear for whole-grain toast or crackers, or spread it on a pizza crust, as in this tasty Artichoke, Goat Cheese and Chicken Pizza.
Sprinkle Parmesan on veggies
Reason to keep your grater handy: a serving of Parmesan has nearly as much calcium as a glass of milk, and 10 g protein. Add a shower of the white stuff to green beans, salad or enjoy some fluffy, golden Parmesan rolls with your dinner.
Melt some cheddar
Upgrade from a slice of American to this sublimely meltable favorite and you'll get 6 percent more calcium. It's terrific on burgers, tacos and grilled cheese, but if you're looking for something different, try these Pinto Bean & Cheddar Patties.
Snack on Monterey Jack
This mellow fromage and its spicy cousin, pepper Jack, deliver 20 percent of your daily requirement of calcium and 6 g protein in a single 110-calorie ounce. Have a couple bites with grapes or apple slices as an afternoon snack or enjoy it in a Mexican dish.
Add ricotta to pasta (and more).
Mangia, mangia! The cheese of choice of Italian grandmothers everywhere should be yours, too—even full-fat ricotta has just 49 calories per ounce. Add it to your pasta at dinner or spoon a dollop over fresh berries, then sprinkle with nuts and drizzle with honey for a sweet and filling breakfast.
Stuff a sandwich with provolone
Want to instantly upgrade your lunch? One slice of provolone delivers 21 percent of your daily requirement for calcium, as well as bone-building minerals phosphorus and selenium, for 100 calories and 7 g fat (5 g saturated). Savor some in these Turkey Paisano Sandwiches with Fig-&-Black Olive Vinaigrette. Bonus: Firm cheeses like provolone tend to have less lactose, making them tasty options for those who are lactose-sensitive.
Fold mozzarella into omelets
For a nutritious breakfast, add mozzarella to your morning meal. A 1-ounce serving delivers 22 percent of your daily calcium for 85 calories and 6 g fat (4 g saturated). Try it at lunch, too, in a Grilled Vegetable & Mozzarella Panini.
2 comments:
I love cheese too! Try to use organics if you can and at best raw cheese that way you don't get those icky hormones! And with cheddar go for white cheddar as yellow cheddar is only yellow because they add coloring to it to make it that way!
We use all natural cheese exclusively now! And I've always liked white cheddar better than yellow, I think it has a sharper taste, which I enjoy!
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