A few days ago, while I made a meal of a cheese and fruit platter at one of my favourite SoBo (south Bombay) restaurants, a patient who is on a weight-loss programme and happened to be at the restaurant stopped at my table to say hello. The very next day, on my Facebook wall, he commented, “It was easy for you to prescribe greens while devouring a platter of cheese!”

Take your pick : Be careful in your choice of cheese.

So there are plenty of reasons to eat this wonderful food. The trick lies in eating the varieties low in fat, to take advantage of the nutritional benefits and keep the disadvantages at bay. But before indulging, watch out: Certain types of cheese can be very high in salt content, which is bad for people with blood pressure. The dairy in cheese can be a trigger for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Cheese is a known trigger for migraine sufferers, especially aged cheeses and Parmesan.

Those who are lactose-intolerant should avoid cheeses like ricotta. Opt for goat cheese (or chèvre). Traditionally made hard cheese (such as Emmental) and soft-ripened cheeses may create less reaction than the equivalent amount of milk because of the processes involved. Fermentation and higher fat content contribute to lesser amounts of lactose.

Lactose is primarily in the whey, not the curds. When cheese is being made, the whey is discarded, and so is the lactose—ricotta, however, contains whey. Curds still have a bit of lactose. And as cheese ages, loses moisture and becomes hard, even less lactose is left in the curds. According to common belief, goat’s milk cheese is the easiest for lactose-intolerant people to digest. Goat’s milk basically has the same amount of lactose, but it is naturally homogenized, meaning the fat globules are small and remain suspended in the milk rather than being separated. This makes the milk, and therefore goat cheese, easier to digest.

William W. Li, president and medical director of The Angiogenesis Foundation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, US, says hard cheeses like Gouda contain a special vitamin called vitamin K2, which inhibits the growth of cancer cells. Vitamin K2 is particularly effective against lung cancer, the No. 1 cancer killer of women (in the US). Dr Li says Vitamin K2 also helps prevent hardening of the arteries. Other hard cheeses like Jarlsberg, Edam and Emmental also contain Vitamin K2 and eating as few as two slices of hard cheeses a day can lower your overall risk of cancer, including lung cancer and prostate cancer.

Often, people are not well informed about which cheese variety is low in calorie and can be consumed and which should be anathema for weight-watchers. Here’s how to distinguish between the various varieties of cheese:

Fresh cheese

These include cottage cheese, ricotta, feta, cream cheese, mascarpone and mozzarella. All these have a soft, creamy texture.

Ricotta: This variety is lower in fat content, high in calcium and low in sodium. It is high in selenium, an antioxidant which can help prevent arthritis. This is a good cheese for those trying to diet and can be consumed in moderate quantities.

Mozzarella: If you stick to the variety made from skimmed milk, it will keep the calorie count under control. This variety is a good source of protein, vitamin B12 and phosphorus, and a very good source of calcium. However, this variety is high in saturated fat. One slice (around 30g) contains 80 calories.

Feta: It is a good source of protein, riboflavin, vitamin B12, calcium and phosphorus. However, these cheeses are high in cholesterol, sodium and saturated fat.

Cottage cheese: Known as dieter’s cheese, it can be used as a low-calorie, high-protein snack. Usually 30g, made from low-fat milk, contains about 30 calories, and 3g of protein. It is loaded with casein, which is very good for muscle tissue recovery, and can be used as a post-workout snack. It is also a good source of selenium, an antioxidant that helps prevent arthritis and contains vitamin B12, required for cardiovascular health.

Mascarpone and cream cheese: These are very high in saturated fat, so people with a cholesterol problem should stay away from them.

Semi-soft cheese

These include Brie and Camembert.

Brie: It is high in protein and saturated fat. 1 ounce (around 28g) has about 94 calories, 8g of fat and 160mg of calcium.

Camembert: It is high in folic acid and sodium. Around 28g has about 90 calories, 7g of fat and 105mg of calcium.

Semi-hard cheese

These include the ever-popular Cheddar, Swiss and Monterey Jack. Semi-hard cheeses contain over 200mg of calcium per 28g serving and, for the most part, have slightly higher calories than cheeses in the other categories.

Hard cheese

Also known as aged cheese, these varieties are often used in recipes that need grated cheese and have an intense flavour. These include Gouda, Parmesan and Romano.

Parmesan: It is high in calories and calcium and must be consumed in minimal quantities by those watching what they eat. Around 1 ounce or 28g has 120 calories.

Gouda: It is an excellent source of calcium. It is lower in fat and calories than Cheddar but higher in sodium. It has 100 calories and 7g fat per 28g.

Processed cheese should be avoided. It is a combination of natural dairy and ingredients like emulsifiers or artificial flavours, which are used to increase the shelf life of the product. All cheese spreads fall in this category.

High and lows

• Highest in fat content—Gruyère, mascarpone, cream cheese, Cheddar, Parmesan and Brie

• Lowest in fat content—cottage cheese (made from low-fat or skimmed milk) and ricotta

• Highest in calcium content—Parmesan, Gruyère, Cheddar and Swiss

• Lowest in calcium—cottage cheese, cream cheese, mascarpone

• Highest in sodium—blue, feta, Parmesan

• Lowest in sodium—Swiss, ricotta, mascarpone

Savoury accompaniments

Here are a few healthier ways to consume cheese. But keep the quantity in control

• Add a thin slice (28g or 1 ounce) of almost any

variety of semi-soft cheese to apple or pear slices.

• Top a bowl of your favourite berries with small slices of Brie.

Vishakha Shivdasani is a Mumbai-based medical doctor with a fellowship in nutrition. She specializes in controlling diabetes, cholesterol and obesity.

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