How to choose the healthiest cheese

Cheese is a supplement of the Mediterranean diet. But as anyone who has stood in the grocery store’s cheese section knows well, the options can seem unlimited.

The best choice of all is to use cheese sparingly, Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, a registered dietitian in Cleveland Clinic’s section of Preventive Cardiology says. While cheese is a good source of calcium and protein, it’s also a hefty source of saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol, which negatively affects your cardiovascular health.

Approach cheese as you would a seasoning, Ms. Zumpano says. Rather than using it as the main ingredient in a dish, use it to top salads or add a bit of flavor, she says.

Stay away when the label says “cheese product,”  a processed food that contains a slew of artificial ingredients and hydrogenated oils. Natural cheeses, such as ricotta, fresh or part skim mozzarella and feta are best.

An even healthier version of a natural cheese would be one that is reduced-fat, meaning made with 2 percent or part skim milk. The labels on these cheeses usually have the words light, low-fat, 2 percent or reduced fat. Be mindful of ingredients to be sure that the fat is not being replaced with artifical ingredients, salt or unacceptable oils.

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