Americans love their cheese. The Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service said Americans consumed 32.48 pounds of cheese per capita in 2008, up from 11.37 pounds in 1970. And, according to the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans, cheese is the leading source of saturated fat in the American diet, accounting for more than 13 percent of our daily intake. In light of this finding, columnist Jennifer LaRue Huget took a second look at one of her favorite foods.
She noted the dietary guidelines say most Americans are allowed 1.5 ounces of low-fat natural cheese per day. But, she said, some nutritionists suggest reconsidering cheese a calcium-supplying dairy product and place it in the category of discretionary calories, which also includes alcohol and sweets. It’s the saturated fat and the sodium that causes cheese’s bad reputation. A recent study showed consuming lots of animal-based saturated fat corresponds to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer
She also talks to cheese advocates who say choosing strong flavored cheeses are better (so one can eat less of them). Other say low-fat chesses are the way to go. A spokesperson for National Dairy Council pointed out cheese’s benefits from its antioxidants, zinc, selenium, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels.