There’s no doubt that French cheeses are lusciously delicious! But how can we rationalize their calories and fat?? According to researchers, eating French cheeses may help explain the “French Paradox,” which is the phenomenon in which the French experience lower cardiovascular rates than those of us in the US, despite their higher intake of saturated fats.

Here are a few noteworthy health benefits of French cheeses:

• Cholesterol kindness: The saturated fat in cheese does not raise harmful levels of circulating cholesterol that lead to heart disease in the same way that hydrogenated fats or butter have been shown to do. Scientists theorize that the combination of nutrients in cheese (protein, calcium and type of saturated fat) is not harmful to heart health.
• Friendly “bugs”: French cheeses (and other cheeses) are a fermented food (cream and milk are fermented with special bacterial cultures), and as a result, positively impact the actions of gut bacteria. Studies show cheese may help lower heart disease rates as well as potentially influence energy metabolism and ultimately weight control.
• Cancer protector: A few research studies have shown that cheese eaters have lower rates of colon cancer due to end products of healthy bacterial action. This is yet another sign that this fermented food has positive health benefits!
• Bone builder: Cheese, whether from cows or goats’ milk, is a good source of calcium. The good news for bone health is that softer cheese supplies 5-10% of your calcium needs and hard cheese supplies up to 20% of calcium needs. Routinely including cheese in your diet may also help keep blood pressure low, thanks to the presence of calcium.
• Protein kicker: Every 1-ounce serving of cheese supplies 6-8 grams of protein, including all the key essential amino acids! In fact, the protein in cheese and other dairy specifically support muscle recovery following exercise.

 The next time you reach for that creamy Camembert, savory Emmentaler or any other of your favorite French cheeses, don’t forget that cheese in general supplies ample calories! Each ounce of cheese soft to hard, cow to goat, contains about 90-100 calories, and that doesn’t include the crackers, nuts, dried fruits or other treats you might pair with your cheese! Enjoy your cheese, just remember, to maintain a healthy weight you’ll need to be aware of calories consumed.

— Dr. Liz Applegate, Director of Sports Nutrition at UC Davis