It’s that time of year again. Everyone is getting a new gym membership, trying to get their lives on track for the new year, and working on having fewer hangovers in 2017. January is also a time when people try to eat a little healthier and cut harmful things out of their diets, and sadly delicious things like dairy and sugar get placed on the metaphorical chopping block. However, there is good news, gentle readers. Science is apparently back on the side of cheese. Yes, high sodium, saturated fats, and cholesterol are all still present, but Time made a case for the fact that there are indeed some health benefits from a nice, smelly fromage.
Now, don’t take this as a sign that you can toss your new healthy eating initiative completely out the window with a steady intake of mac & cheese, but as with most things, a moderate intake can actually be a good thing. First off, it’s an excellent source of protein, calcium, and the hard to get B12, all of which are essential elements of a balanced diet. There are also studies that posit that eating cheese might even help your heart, and it doesn’t increase your risk of hypertension. The fermentation process also leaves cheese packed with good bacteria and it’s full of good fatty acids. So, go ahead and perfect that cheese plate, y’all!
The fact that cheese often goes hand in hand with the bad kind of fat and carbohydrates (looking at you, my beloved pizza) does raise some concern, but on it’s own, it just might be the perfect indulgence to keep you from abandoning your new diet. Basically, snack on, guilt-free.
(Via Time)
