Is Cheese Good or Bad for You? The Evidence

It is both, depending on type and amount: cheese is a strong source of protein and calcium, and it is also high in saturated fat and sodium for its size. Studies of large groups of people link moderate cheese intake with neutral or slightly better heart outcomes, which is why the old verdict of "bad" no longer holds.

The useful question is which cheese and how much. An ounce of cheddar has 114 calories, 6.5 grams of protein, 5.3 grams of saturated fat, 185 mg of sodium and 201 mg of calcium, while an ounce of 1% cottage cheese has 20 calories. This page gives the balance and links to the pages that cover each concern in depth. It is general information, not medical advice.

What cheese gives you

What cheese gives you is concentrated nutrition. Using USDA's FoodData Central figures per ounce, cheddar has 6.5 grams of protein and 201 mg of calcium, Swiss 7.6 grams and 252 mg, and hard Parmesan 10.1 grams and 336 mg. Under FDA labeling rules (21 CFR 101.9), the Daily Value for calcium is 1,300 mg, so an ounce of Swiss supplies about 19 percent of it.

Cheese also brings phosphorus, vitamin B12 and other nutrients, though these were not checked for this page. For calcium by cheese and how well it absorbs, see calcium in cheese.

The downsides of cheese

The downsides of cheese are saturated fat, sodium and calorie density. The Daily Value for saturated fat is 20 grams and for sodium 2,300 mg (21 CFR 101.9). One ounce of cheddar is 5.3 grams of saturated fat, about 27 percent of that figure, and a cup of shredded cheddar weighs about four ounces, so portions get away from people fast.

Sodium ranges widely: 53 mg in Swiss, 185 in cheddar, 323 in feta and 513 in Roquefort per ounce. The low-sodium cheese guide ranks them, and cheese and blood pressure covers what that means for people watching their pressure.

What studies say about cheese and heart disease

What studies say about cheese and heart disease is more favorable than its saturated fat suggests, but the evidence is observational. A 2021 meta-analysis in Scientific Reports by Jakobsen and colleagues pooled cohort studies and found that higher cheese intake was associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease (relative risk 0.91 for high versus low intake, 7 studies, 554,323 people). Each extra 20 grams a day was associated with a 4 percent lower risk. For ischemic stroke (3 studies) it found no association. The authors rated confidence moderate for heart disease and low for stroke.

Not every review agrees. A 2017 dose-response meta-analysis of 29 cohorts by Guo and colleagues found no significant link between cheese and coronary heart disease or all-cause mortality, and a small inverse link with cardiovascular disease that vanished when one large Swedish cohort was removed.

Both are associations. People who eat moderate amounts of cheese may differ in other ways, and neither review shows cheese protects the heart. The fat question is in the saturated fat guide, and the blood test question in cheese and cholesterol.

Is cheese good or bad for you by type

Is cheese good or bad for you by type? Fresh and lower-fat cheeses tend to come out best on calories, sodium and saturated fat, and salty or very rich cheeses come out worst, as USDA numbers show.

The healthiest cheeses page ranks these on the same data.

Who should be more careful with cheese

People who should be more careful with cheese are those with a medical reason to watch sodium, saturated fat or lactose, and pregnant people. Anyone with high blood pressure, high cholesterol or kidney disease should ask a doctor or registered dietitian how much cheese fits. Lactose intolerance is not the same as avoiding all cheese, since aged cheeses have little lactose; see lactose in cheese. In pregnancy, the FDA and CDC advise against soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk, as covered in pasteurized vs raw.

What most is cheese good or bad for you advice gets wrong

What most is cheese good or bad for you advice gets wrong is treating one number as the verdict.

Saturated fat alone is not the answer. Cheese is high in it, yet the cohort evidence above does not show the harm that fat content alone would predict. Neither does it prove benefit.

One ounce is not what people eat. A "serving" is an ounce, but pizza, sauces and shredded toppings multiply it.

"Cheese" is not one food. An ounce ranges from 20 calories (cottage cheese) to 128 (hard goat cheese) and from 28 mg of sodium (part-skim ricotta) to 513 mg (Roquefort).

Questions about whether cheese is good or bad for you

These answers cover the common questions about whether cheese is good or bad for you.

Is cheese healthy to eat every day?

Cheese can be healthy to eat every day for many people in moderate portions, since cohort studies link moderate intake with neutral or lower heart disease risk. Check with a doctor if you have a heart, blood pressure or kidney condition.

Is cheese bad for cholesterol?

Cheese is not clearly bad for cholesterol, but it is high in saturated fat, so portion and type matter. The cholesterol page above covers what the science says.

Does cheese make you gain weight?

Cheese can add calories quickly, at 114 per ounce for cheddar, but no single food causes weight gain on its own. Total calories matter, as the cheese and weight loss page explains.

Which cheese is best for you?

The best cheese for you depends on your goal. For protein, calcium and low calories, 1% cottage cheese, Swiss and part-skim mozzarella are strong picks on USDA data.

Is cheese good or bad for you: the takeaway

Whether cheese is good or bad for you comes down to portion, type and the rest of your diet. Keep to about an ounce at a time, favor lower-sodium and lower-fat types most days, and read the label. Next, pick one lower-sodium cheese from the table above and compare its label with your usual.