Know your cheese

Mission Nutrition Blog - 21st September 2011

Head to the supermarket or to your local deli these days and you will be overwhelmed with the number of choices you have when it comes to cheese! It used to be thought that the softer the cheese, the lower in fat – but these days, it can be hard to tell! So, here is what you NEED to know, when it comes to cheese and nutrition.

 

• A 40g serving of cheese (about 2 slices) is considered 1 of the 3 servings of dairy that most people need each day (post-menopause ladies and for kids – it is 4 serves/day!)
• Yes, many cheeses are high in fat – but it doesn’t mean that cheese is ‘bad’ – as a big believer in food being neither good, nor bad, it is importnat to consider the serving size of some of the more creamy and delicious cheese varieties – less is more J
• Most cheeses are relatively high in calcium – except for cottage cheese which has very little – so, as fantastic as cottage cheese is, if you are short on calcium, you may need to look elsewhere to get a boost
• Grating your cheese makes it go so much further – whether it is on a sandwich or on top of your tasty pasta dish – a fine grater will make a little bit of cheese go a long way
• A standard block of Tasty or Colby is around 30% fat – that is 1/3 of the block. Edam and Tasty light cheese are around 25% fat, so ¼ of the block. Brie and Blue cheeses can be anything from 20-50% fat – so it is best to check and remember – put a THIN slice on your crackers (get yourself a sharp knife) rather than balancing a ¼ of a Brie on your poor little water cracker! 

Here is some nutritional information on some of the cheeses you might commonly come across. I have used what I think is a relatively normal serving (having seen my friends and family on the cheese) rather than the 25g they say on the label. Remember, most people need around 2000kcals/day. I often suggest meals are around 500kcals and snacks 150kcals (of course if depends on the person!) but you can just see how this relates to the Kcals in the cheese if you know the basics J Also, around 45-80g fat/day and 1000mg calcium/day is around about right for most people.

If you have any ideas or suggestions or things that have helped you decide the right cheese to buy, let us know on our Facebook page, we would LOVE to hear from you!

Want to know what to buy when you are shopping?

• We run regular supermarket tours which help you to choose the right ingredients when shopping and help keep your grocery bill down. Keeping in mind the rising cost of groceries, at $50 a head, this could be the best money you spend all year! More info about supermarket tours here.
• Consider attending the Know Your Look Style Retreat coming up which our own Rene is speaking at. More info here.
• Or, for your own personalised nutrition assessment and plan, call us today and see how we can help you sort out exactly what to eat and when. We are a team of qualified and experienced Dietitians and Nutritionists who can help you be your best! Contact us today on 09 948 7999 or email us today.
  
  

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