Cheese often gets a bad rap when it comes to monitoring your heart or cholesterol. However, its composition could also depend on how the cows are fed. This is what a team of Irish researchers wanted to verify.
What the study reveals about grass-fed cheddar
To find out, researchers compared two types of cheddar as part of a clinical trial, published in the scientific journal International Dairy Journal. Their objective was to see if the cows’ diet could have an influence on certain markers of cardiovascular health.
For six weeks, 58 adults aged over 50 living in Dublin consumed 120g of cheddar cheese daily. One group received cheese from grass-fed cows, the other received cheddar from cows fed a mixed ration.
Result ? Participants who consumed cheddar from grass-fed cows had lower levels of circulating saturated fatty acids.
The authors explain that the cows’ diet could thus modify the composition of the cheese. In contrast, no clear difference was observed regarding total cholesterol or LDL cholesterol.
Saturated fats and salt, cheddar should be consumed in moderation
This result does not mean that cheddar becomes good for the heart. Cheese remains high in saturated fat and salt.
The American Heart Association therefore recommends limiting saturated fats to less than 6% of daily energy intake. For a 2,000 kcal diet, this represents approximately 13 g per day.
Regarding sodium, the recommendation is not to exceed 2,300 mg per day, with an ideal goal of 1,500 mg for people affected by high blood pressure.
Another important point: the 120 g of cheddar consumed each day in the study represent a particularly large quantity. This is therefore not a dietary recommendation.
How much cheddar can you eat?
A portion of 30 to 40 g allows you to enjoy its taste without making it the main source of saturated fat and salt of the day.
You can also vary the pleasures with less salty cheeses, such as fresh mozzarella, ricotta or certain Swiss cheeses.
Finally, if you have high cholesterol, hypertension or cardiovascular disease, it is better to adapt your consumption with a health professional.