Eating cheese every day might actually be good for you

When was the last time you had some cheese?

Not just a slice on a burger or some parmesan grated over your pasta, or even a cheese-drenched Christmas burger: we’re talking about just munching on a massive block of the stuff.

It’s probably been a while, right? You’ve probably cut down on dairy, and cheese specifically, due to worries about its impact on your heart.

Well, there’s no need to go cold turkey, if a new study is to be believed. Indeed, a small amount of cheese could actually be good for you.

Maybe it’ll even help the British public finally figure out which cheeses are good, rather than producing this utter mess.

The study, published by the European Journal of Nutrition, carries the catchy title, ‘Cheese consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis of prospective studies’.

It looks into the health impacts of cheese, both positive and negative, and weighs the presence of ‘saturated fatty acids’ against other qualities of the foodstuff.

And, following some extensive research, the study found that those who consume a small amount of cheese each day saw their risk of heart disease actually drop.

The ideal amount? Roughly 40g per day. That’s equivalent two mini Babybels, or two of those individually-wrapped Cathedral City cheddars, if you want a guide.

As reported by Konbini, it’s got a bit to do with something called ‘conjugated lineolic acid’, which could increase the amount of ‘good’ cholesterol in the body.

Bear in mind the study cites ‘cheese’ in general, rather than any specific variety, so 40g of low-fat cheddar and 40g of deep-fried camembert might not have the same effect.

Of course, having an ‘optimum’ amount of cheese probably isn’t the news you want to hear as we enter the season of Christmas cheeseboards, where ‘a slab of stilton’ counts as a meal.

And no, we’re not sure you’re able to save up a cheese allowance in order to blitz through a whole kilo in one sitting, or even an entire Ultimate Cheese Burger. Sorry folks.

(Images: iStock)