Happy National Cheese Day! And boy, does the D2D team love cheese. However, many people believe that cheese, along with most dairy, is bad for our health. It turns out there are many benefits to incorporating cheese into your diet!

1. Dairy is good for us!

Let’s get this one straight right away. Dairy is good for our health. We need dairy in our diets because it’s high in many different nutrients, like calcium, vitamins, and minerals. The USDA recommends consuming 2-3 cups of dairy a day, whether that’s milk, yogurt, or cheese.

2. Cheese is a good source of fat

Now, we know what you may be thinking: we shouldn’t eat a lot of fat! That’s not exactly true. Several studies say we should not be limiting our daily intake of fats because they’re a necessary part of our diet. They give us energy and help the body perform everyday tasks.

However, we should keep an eye on and try to limit our intake of saturated fats. Saturated fat consumption should be under 10% of our daily calories. So, if you find your diet high in saturated fats, consuming low-fat cheese and other dairy products may be beneficial.

3. Cheese is high in vitamins and minerals

Because cheese is made from milk, it’s high in many vitamins and minerals. These include vitamins A, B12, B6, D, and K, calcium, potassium, iodine, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and riboflavin. Cheese also contains omega-3 fatty acids and protein.

4. Cheese may protect against heart disease

Many people believe that dairy, including cheese, increases the risk of developing diet-related illnesses. However, this is not the case. Studies show that cheese and other dairy products, both low and full fat, not only don’t cause diet-related illnesses but may even protect us against both cardiovascular disease and stroke risk.

One study even showed that a high cheese intake led to an 8% lower risk of coronary heart disease and a 13% decreased risk of stroke.

5. Cheese can be a good source of probiotics

We know we need probiotics! And, we thought that we could only find them in kombucha, yogurt, and sauerkraut. It turns out we were wrong. According to Harvard Health, some types of cheese, specifically those aged and not heated after, contain probiotics. These cheeses include cheddar, parmesan, swiss, and gouda.