Can Cheese Be Included To Form A Diet Which is Healthy?

Cheese is a dairy product which provides us with a high level of calcium, protein and phosphorus which are all essential to maintaining our general health. However, it is also a major source of saturated fat which is not so good for maintaining our general health. So if we love cheese and want to continue using it in our diet we need to review and adjust our attitude towards food and learn to compromise with our eating habits with a view to a life-style change rather than a short term diet.

Diet Options

The ‘cheese diet’ (which appears to be one of the many fad diets on the go) can be done for a maximum of up to 10 days at a time, and claims it will allow us to lose weight, up to 20 pounds a week. The diet information sheet claims that we will receive an adequate supply of protein, vitamins and mineral from 100 grams of cheese per day and up to 50% of our animal fats requirements to maintain our general health.

With cheese being the main constituent of this diet, almost any variety of low fat cheese can be used along with filling up on a quantity of raw vegetables, curd cheese and a serious amount of hot herbal drinks.

The added advantages this diet claims to give you, is the extra time which you will save because you have less shopping and preparation time, you don’t have to cook and you have less pots and plates to clean. You will lose weight quickly in a short period of time.

The main disadvantages are that there are restrictions on the types of fruit and vegetables you can eat during the 10 day period. If you already have health issues it's advisable to seek medical advice before starting this diet and you can almost guarantee your doctor will advise against it. The literature does not tell you what to expect from your weight when you finish the 10 day period and return to a normal menu. It also doesn’t point out the dangers of stretching the diet to last for longer than the 10 day period or how frequently you can safely repeat this diet before it begins to affect your overall health.

One other option is to choose a one of the many low fat diets which are readily available and advise a healthy exercise program and gradual weight loss as being the best way to achieve and sustain a healthy weight. These programs will normally recommend that you can use cheese as part of your diet regime, but to choose the low fat options which will still provide you with a major source of protein, calcium and phosphorus, but reduces the amount of saturated fat your body will absorb.

The low fat diets will provide you with tips on how to change your attitude and approach to using cheese as a major ingredient in your cooking. For instance, if you use a stronger flavored low fat cheese in your cooking and baking etc. You will be able to retain the flavor, without the excess fat content.

Life-style Changes

If you feel you really must use the normal fatty cheese, you can still choose a matured and stronger flavored variety and just use less of the cheese, or perhaps use the cheese in a different way. You could replace a cheese sauce with a plain white sauce and use the cheese to sprinkle sparingly over the top of the dish. This can vastly reduce the amount of fat in the dish and make it look more appealing if you put it under the grill until the cheese starts to melt.

Or you can use either low fat cheese or a smaller amount of the full fat cheese and try adding other fresh or dried herbs and spices to your cooking. Using herbs and spices will add flavor and in some cases enhance the visual appearance of your food. Don’t be afraid to experiment and try different combinations until you find one that meets your tastes. You may have some disasters along the way, but you may eventually find combinations of flavors that will encourage you to make long term changes to your food habits.

Low fat cheeses can be rather bland and tasteless and may not be as good for use as ingredient in your cooking and baking. It is worthwhile experimenting and researching to find some appetizing low fat recipes which will advise which type of low fat cheese is best and will supply the appropriate measures to be used. It is advisable to follow the recipe closely the first time you try it, but then experiment with your recipes and ingredients until the results meet your tastes.

So the answer to the original question is yes, cheese can be included to form a diet which is healthy. But only if you are prepared to do your research and find some recipes which look appetizing and taste good. Try experimenting with different types of low fat cheeses until you find ones you like. You should have no difficulties in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight loss target. Finding and developing dishes which look appetizing and please your taste buds will make it far easier for you to adhere to a diet regime which is healthy and will hopefully along with a gentle exercise regime become a positive long term life style change.

-Written by Ruslan K