Is cheese fattening?
There is good evidence to show dairy foods, including cheese, are not fattening.
Last updated 17/01/2024
Dairy foods, including cheese, can actually help with weight loss as part of a calorie controlled eating plan.
Some people may feel the need to limit their cheese intake because they're concerned that it's fattening. However, there is good evidence to show dairy foods including milk, cheese and yoghurt are not fattening.
Cheese is recognised as a five food group food in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, where a serve of cheese is considered 40g, equal to 2 slices of hard cheese.
While cheese does contain saturated fat, high quality evidence shows that cheese consumption is actually associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke and has no association with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or overweight and obesity.
Research also shows that milk, cheese and yogurt can actually help with weight loss as part of a calorie controlled eating plan.
These many health benefits are due to the nutrients and complex nutrient interactions contained in dairy foods, including cheese.
References
- National Health and Medical Research Council. Australian Dietary Guidelines Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia; 2013.
- Stonehouse W et al. Dairy Intake Enhances Body Weight and Composition Changes during Energy Restriction in 18-50-Year-Old Adults-A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2016 Jul 1;8(7). pii: E394. doi: 10.3390/nu8070394.
- Drouin-Chartier JP et al. Systematic review of the association between dairy product consumption and risk of cardiovascular-related clinical outcomes. Adv Nutr. 2016 Nov 15;7(6):1026-1040. doi: 10.3945/an.115.011403.
Was this useful?
Thank you for your feedback