Nothing beats the taste of a creamy, salty Brie or smoky Gouda, but if you’re not careful, this popular food can easily pack on the pounds, escalate a salt issue, or bloat you up.

The art of moderation is important, but if the thought of cheese celibacy sounds frightening, worry not, my friends. Wondering which cheese is healthiest and how you can choose from the thousands of varieties out there? Luckily I’ve done the homework for you, so all you have to do is indulge.

6 Excellent Plant Protein Foods With All The Essential Amino Acids

Cheese is a rich source of proteins, phosphorus, and calcium.

But did you know that there are more than 1000 varieties of cheese?

You can reap the benefits if you choose the best type of cheese with the most number of health benefits.

1. Feta

Feta cheese: 75 calories per ounce

Origin: Greece

Key Health Benefits: Low in Calories and Carbohydrates

• Feta Cheese is one of the key components of Greek cuisine.

• It is a soft, salty and white cheese made from sheep’s or goats’ milk which has a tangy taste and creamy texture.

• Feta has lower fat and calories content than most cheeses.

• This irresistibly delicious cheese can be easily stuffed in a salad and is rich in protein. It has a strong flavour and great taste.

• It is packed in brine to retain freshness which increases the sodium content.

• Feta cheese is loaded with CLA conjugated linoleic acid which makes it helpful to maintain weight and improve body composition and also contains calcium and protein.

• The best thing to do with Feta Cheese would be to crumbled and added to the salads, eggs, soups or vegetable dips.

Buy online feta: https://www.bigbasket.com/ss/feta-cheese/#!page=1

2. Goat cheese

Goat cheese: 103 calories per ounce

Origin: France

Key Health Benefits: Rich in protein and higher amounts of niacin, calcium, iron, and potassium. 

• Goat cheese contains more fat, but the fat globules are small, which facilitates digestion. They also contain higher amounts of MCT (that stuff that helps digestion from before!)

• An added health benefit to choosing goat cheese over others is higher levels of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). CLA is found primarily in the meat and dairy of grass-fed animals.

• Studies show that CLA might protect against cardiovascular disease and contain anti-carcinogenic properties.

• Next time you want a creamy cheese spread, toss the heavy cream cheese and choose a lighter goat cheese.

Buy online Courtyard Farms Goat Cheese

Also, read about The French Paradox

3. Mozzarella Cheese (String Cheese)

Mozzarella: 79 calories per ounce

Origin: Italy

Key Health Benefits: Rich in Vitamins and Minerals

• Mozzarella Cheese and String Cheese have minute differences between them, they both have more or less the same health benefits.

• Mozzarella is a soft, white and chewy texture cheese with high moisture content and made mainly from buffalo’s milk or cow’s milk.

• Mozzarella contains strains of bacteria that work as probiotics such as lactobacillus fermentum and lactobacillus cuneiform.

• It is low on calories and sodium and has a good amount of protein, calcium and phosphorus.

• This is a staple ingredient in Italian recipes, and is quite popular across the globe and used in making a spectrum of baked food.

• The goodness of probiotics in mozzarella cheese improves gut health, bolsters immunity, helps prevent colon cancer and supports nerves and muscles.

Also, check 7 Best Natural Drinks To Improve Gut Health You Need to Try

Buy online La Cremella Mozzarella Bufala

4. Parmesan

Parmesan: 122 calories per ounce

Origin: Italy

Key Health Benefits: High in Sodium Content and Low Fat

Parmigiano-Reggiano or simply Parmesan cheese comes from the Parma areas of Italy.

• Parmesan cheese is a hard variety which is generally aged for 12-36 months that gives a hard and granular texture which is processed from raw unpasteurized cows milk which is aged for 12 months to kill the harmful bacteria and offer a strong complex flavour.

• Parmesan is heaped with a wealth of nutrients which includes protein, vitamins, calcium, phosphorus and sodium.

• It has low calories and suits best for Italian dishes like pasta, pizzas, eggs and sliced with fruits or grilled vegetables and nuts.

• Parmesan cheese with an immense amount of calcium and phosphorus promotes growth and development of bone.

Buy online Kraft Real Grated Parmesan Cheese

5. Cheddar

Cheddar: 114 calories per ounce

Origin: Somerset, England

Key Health Benefits: Natural Cheese rich in Calcium, Phosphorous, Vitamins & Minerals

You must be careful with cheddar cheese as you might end up eating a lot. The reason behind this is that it was simply delicious.

• Cheddar cheese is a hard and natural cheese variety, most popular cheese in the UK.

• The richness of protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin K makes it a highly nutritious cheese but it also has high calories.

• It is made from cow’s milk that is matured for several months which gives it a smooth texture and renders a mild to sharp taste.

• The goodness of vitamin K and calcium helps to strengthen the bones promote blood flow and lower the risk of heart disease.

• It is used in preparing grilled starters like cheese toast, cheese grilled chicken and cheese pasta.

• All in all, this cheese is important for bone growth and good health when had within limits.

Buy online D’lecta Natural Cheddar Cheese

6. Cottage Cheese (Paneer)

Cottage cheese: 28 calories per ounce

Origin: Universal

Key Health Benefits: Versatile cheese low in calories and high Sodium

This is the type of cheese which is most loved by dieters. Thanks to the low calories and versatility of this cheese.

• While “Cottage cheese” has its roots from France, in India it is popularly referred to as Paneer.

• This soft, creamy and fresh cheese does not undergo ripening or ageing process to obtain the flavour. It is usually made at homes by adding lemon juice or vinegar to full cream milk which curdles the milk and drained wholly and shaped to get the final product.

• It is a great source of protein and low on calories. The wealth of other essential nutrients includes B vitamins, calcium, selenium, phosphorus, zinc and copper.

• Cottage cheese is used to make varieties of dishes like paneer butter masala, paneer tikka, salads and paneer bhurji.

• Cottage cheese helps to lose weight, build muscle mass, good for diabetics and improves bone health.

• You can add it to almost any dish and it can be also made at home from curd.

Buy online Amul Fresh Paneer

Here we have the 18 Best Cheese Brands In India

What’s your favourite type of cheese that you enjoy the most?

Do you have any other type of cheese in mind? Feel free to comment below and let us know!😊