CHEESE! YOU LOVE cheese! Oh, wow, queso. Mozzarella sticks. The best part of French onion soup. Grilled cheese. But also, wait a second, aren’t you supposed to not love cheese? Don’t most diets—paleo, Whole30, whatever “plant-based” means these days—ban cheese outright? Won’t heart doctors blame your high cholesterol on your nacho habit?
Why is Men’s Health even doing something on cheese, anyway?
We get it. There is, after all, lots of mixed messaging on cheese. Some cheese isn’t great for you (though delicious), and yeah, you should probably avoid the dicier ultra-processed stuff or indulge only once in a while. But a lot of cheeses are great for you, from one-chunk-is-all-you- need cave-aged Gruyère to super-fresh-tasting chèvre.
Real cheese has tons of muscle-building protein, bone-strengthening calcium, gut-healthy probiotics, and stomach-satiating fats. “Cheese can absolutely be part of a healthy diet,” says Kelsey Kunik, RDN, the founder of Graciously Nourished, a dietetic practice. “Especially when eaten as part of a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and lean proteins.”
We’re not just doing something on cheese—we’re throwing a party for amazing cheese that also happens to be pretty amazing for you. We’re celebrating. We’re savoring. Every bite. As you should too.
The 6 Best High-Protein Cheeses. Period.
The 4 Biggest Myths About Cheese, Debunked
The 6 Best Cheese Gifts In the Whole Cheesy World
Meet Chef Tyler, the Lactose Intolerant Social Media Grilled Cheese Phenom
Paul Kita is a Deputy Editor at Men’s Health, where he has covered food, cooking, nutrition, supplements, grooming, tech, travel, and fatherhood at the brand for more than 15 years. He is also the author of two Men’s Health cookbooks, Guy Gourmet and A Man, A Pan, A Plan, and the winner of a James Beard Award.
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