21-02-2025
Cheddar, stilton or brie: The best types of cheese for your body
Most cheeses are fermented to some degree, but some more intensely than others, so more microbes are present. Swiss cheese, for example, has distinctive holes that are the handiwork of Propionibacterium freudenreichii, a bacterium that releases carbon dioxide as it ferments. Certain strains are known to survive digestion, and research suggests they may help reduce gut inflammation and support vitamin B12 production.
Surprisingly, not all blue cheese makes the gut-friendly list. Those distinctive blue veins come from mould (Penicillium roqueforti), but some varieties like Stilton are known to contain gut-friendly bacteria, too. 'It's the cheeses that contain
Lactobacillus bacteria that are more likely to have beneficial effects,' says Dr Leeming. 'But we don't know much about the fungal species on blue cheese yet.'
Ageing doesn't necessarily make a cheese more gut friendly. 'Aged cheeses like Parmesan and Gruyère lose most of their live bacteria over time,' she says. The best cheese for gut health is aged long enough for healthy bacteria to thrive but not so long that they decline.
What about unpasteurised cheese?
'In theory, unpasteurised cheese is better for your gut health than pasteurised because of the extra potential for live microbes,' says Dr Leeming. But there are safety considerations.
A 2022 UK study found that while 82 per cent of unpasteurised cheeses were safe to eat, they aren't completely risk-free. Pregnant people, young children, frail older adults, and those with weakened immune systems, should avoid unpasteurised cheese, Dr Leeming says.
Is cheese good for bone health?
Cheese can help maintain strong healthy bones because it contains calcium, phosphorus, protein, and vitamin K2, says Alex Ruani, a doctoral researcher in nutrition science education at University College London and the chief science educator at The Health Sciences Academy.
'Some research indicates that regular, moderate cheese consumption could support bone strength in post-menopausal women and elderly individuals,' she says. This could be because nutrients in cheese can help reduce excessive bone loss. 'This happens when natural bone breakdown outpaces bone formation, leading to brittle bones, height loss and a higher risk of fractures,' Ruani says.
There's evidence that vegans generally have lower bone density than non-vegans, and a higher risk of fractures and osteoporosis. 'Vegans are advised to consume fortified plant-based alternatives or top up with supplements to maintain healthy bone density,' Ruani says.
Will cheese make you gain weight?
Full-fat cheese is generally high in calories. For example, a 30g serving of cheddar, one of most energy-dense cheeses, contains around 120 calories. Parmesan and Gruyère contain similar amounts. 'But although cheese is calorie-dense, in moderation it doesn't inherently cause fat gain and can be part of a healthy, nutrient-rich diet,' Ruani says.
A study of the latest evidence, published in Advances of Nutrition in 2023, found that moderate cheese intake doesn't necessarily lead to obesity and may even support weight management. This could be because cheese is high in protein and fat, which helps us keep full for longer. The same study found that eating cheese neither increased nor decreased the overall risk of death from any cause.
Some animal studies have suggested that butyric acid, a type of fat, may play a useful role in weight management, but there's limited good evidence for this.
How much cheese is healthy?
Although scientific opinion has changed about saturated fats in cheese, this isn't a green light to consume excessive amounts. 'Cheese can be part of a healthy diet, but you should look at your overall saturated fat intake and your own health needs
when deciding how much to eat,' says Dell Stanford, a senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation. 'Cheese is also high in salt, which can raise your blood pressure. Having high cholesterol and high blood pressure put you at higher risk of a heart attack or stroke.'
Official guidelines recommend no more than 30g of cheese per day, a piece roughly the size of a matchbox. This aligns with recommendations for healthy people to limit their saturated fat intake to 11 per cent of total calories, or 220 calories per day as part of a 2,000-calories-a-day diet. For those with, or at high risk of cardiovascular disease, the recommended daily limit of saturated fat intake is 7 per cent of calories.
For some people, eating slightly more cheese than recommended is unlikely to do any harm. 'In healthy individuals, up to 40-60g of cheese per day is generally considered safe and likely beneficial for bone health without excess saturated fat or caloric intake,' Ruani says. 'But it's important to ensure we stay within the limit of saturated fat from all sources combined.'
Dr Feeney agrees that eating slightly more than the recommended amount is unlikely to be harmful. 'The saturated fat in cheese doesn't seem to have the detrimental effects of saturated fats from other sources,' she says. 'Bearing in mind that cheese is energy dense, someone who is concerned about their weight might like to eat less but from a heart health perspective, more than 30g is not a problem.'
Here we look at the different types of cheeses and their average nutritional profile (nutritional values are based on a 30g serving unless otherwise indicated):
