What Cheeses Can I Eat With High Cholesterol?

Having high cholesterol and loving cheese can quickly create a dilemma. A lot of people believe that having high cholesterol means that you have to stay away from cheese altogether, but that is not the case. While it is true that bringing cholesterol under control will mean a reduction in your cheese consumption, there are a few exceptions. You do not have to simply replace the cheese with vegetables like mushrooms and sprouts, although those are very healthy alternatives.  You can also look for the cheese that will give you flavor and the benefits of calcium to your diet but has less cholesterol. So what are the cheeses that you can have when you still want to enjoy something like Cheddar or some cheese curds?

Mozzarella Cheese

Mozzarella cheese is one of the more popular ones in the country and in moderation isn’t a bad choice to have when you are trying to control cholesterol. The amount of cholesterol depends on the type of milk that is used when making the cheese. If the cheese is made with whole milk then you can expect 22 mg of cholesterol, while skim milk reduces the amount to 16 mg per oz. If you really love mozzarella and you cannot live without it, then it is recommended that you consume part skim mozzarella which can be as low as 15 mg per oz.

Consider Robust Cheeses

Though the content of cholesterol in Sharp Cheddar Cheese is higher than the one in mozzarella cheese, you will get more taste.  A 1 oz. slice of cheddar can contain 30 mg of cholesterol. Choose aged, Sharp Cheddar and have small portions. You can also try to lower the amount of cholesterol that you consume by choosing the cheese labeled “low fat.” The difference in cholesterol content is huge and in fact it is one of the lowest that you can have. While standard Cheddar Cheese has 30 mg of cholesterol, the low-fat version only has 6mg.

Try Cheese Curds

Cheese curds are another good cheese to have when you are looking to avoid high cholesterol. Of course it all depends on the cheese curds or how it is prepared. Needless to say you should stay away from deep fried cheese curds as they add a lot of saturated fat.  Common cheese curds are from Mozzarella or Cheddar and generally have about 9g of fat (6g of saturated fat) per ¼ cup serving. Depending on the meal plan your doctor has you on you can still enjoy the rich flavor and unique texture of cheese curds, just in moderation.