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Love the salty, satisfying taste of cheese but not in love with how it can thwart your weight loss goals? All cheese types are not created equal and, given its extremely high protein and calcium content, this is one food you needn't eliminate from your diet altogether. Instead, find out three ways you can still eat cheese and lose weight or maintain your healthy weight.
Focus On The Real Thing
There's a big (huge!) difference between processed American cheese slices and authentic natural cheese — which will probably cost you a few more dollars at the grocer and won't last as long. The former is filled with preservatives and is often loaded with saturated vegetable oils, excess salt, sugar, and food colorings, to give it that neon orange hue. Trade in your cheese slices for low-fat cheddar cheese and you'll benefit from twice the protein as processed cheese — and a whole lot more flavor that will result in you feeling more satisfied with less cheese on your plate.
Cheesy Substitutes Can Save You Calories
Consider cheesy substitutes that can actually help you shave off calories from your daily diet. Instead of dipping veggies and fruit into hummus (which is incredibly healthy, but is also high in fat), try using low-fat cottage cheese or ricotta as a dip. Trade in your afternoon handful for popcorn or pretzels for a low-fat mozzarella stick. And spread a thin layer of Neufchatel cheese on toast or a sandwich for a slightly salty kick that has more nutritional value than most spreads like mayonaise or butter.
Choose Cheese Types That Are Lowest In Fat
Cheese types that contain the lowest number of calories and grams of fat include cheddar, parmesan (perfect on soups), feta or goat cheese (excellent salad toppings), Neufchatel cheese, and even mozzarella.
The universe of cheese is as diverse as any other food type — know the differences among cheese types, make smart choices, and you can enjoy this delish food regardless of whether you're trying to lose weight.
