Cheese

The University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter (March 2009) sums up the good and bad news about cheese.

Calcium. Like all dairy foods, cheese provides calcium and protein, as well as some vitamin A, B12, riboflavin, zinc and phosphorus. It's also a source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fat that may have anti-cancer, weight-reducing, and heart-protective effects. However, you'd have to consume a lot of cheese to get meaningful amounts of CLA, which also means you'd also get a lot of saturated fat and calories. Low-fat cheese contains less CLA; nonfat cheese contains none.

For cavity resistance. Cheese may help prevent cavities. In a small study from Turkey last year, people who ate cheese (1/3 ounce) after rinsing with a sugar solution had a rapid decrease in acidity, which lowers the risk of cavities.

For weight loss. Studies here disagree. A new study in Nutrition & Metabolism, funded by the National Dairy Council, suggests that cheese and other dairy foods may help prevent weight gain after dieting. Another study found that regular cheese eaters gained less weight over time than those who ate cheese less often. But other studies, including one from Johns Hopkins in 2008, have found that people who eat more cheese tend to be more overweight.

Cancer connection. This is another debatable topic. A large Swedish study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition a few years ago found a link between cheese (at least 2 ounces a day) and reduced risk of colorectal cancer in women. Other studies have not found this benefit. A few have even linked dairy products, including cheese, to increased prostate and ovarian cancer -- though others have found no such link.

Heart disease. Cheese may not be especially good for your heart, but some research suggests that it may not be so bad for it either, at least when it's part of an overall healthy diet. The Mediterranean diet, which is associated with many health benefits including a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease, allows for moderate amounts of cheese. And dairy foods, including cheese, are an important part of the anti-hypertension DASH diet.

The conclusion: "Think of cheese as a flavor enhancer -- a supporting player in a meal. A thin slice with fruit makes a nice dessert. An ounce or two of cheese, even daily, is reasonable -- as long as you can afford the calories and your diet is not otherwise high in saturated fat."