The mighty cheese platter is such a magnetic dining centrepiece that it beckons all to gaze at its oozy and ripened glory.
Lucky for the health conscious among us, cheese can play an important part of a healthy diet.
“It’s really important to know that people who want to eat healthily have food options and don’t need to demonise cheese,” says the senior food and nutrition advisor,
Cheese belongs to the dairy category – one of the five food groups that make up a balanced diet in the . calcium, protein, vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin B-12, vitamin A, zinc and a host of other nutrients.
“Cheese is a wholefood and it's something we can absolutely enjoy as part of a healthy eating pattern.”
It’s really important to know that people who want to eat healthily have food options and don’t need to demonise cheese.
Cheesy, hearty advice
According to , 90 per cent of Australian adults are not getting enough dairy in their diet, with some people fearing dairy may have a negative impact on cholesterol.
O’Hanlon explains that the conducted an evidence-based review on dairy in 2017 and concluded that dairy was a food that “didn't increase the risk of heart disease, but didn't reduce the risk of heart disease. It was found to be generally neutral”.
That means if you’ve got a heart condition or high cholesterol, you can still eat cheese and other dairy but in limited proportions. O’Hanlon also recommends this group of people follow their doctor’s health advice.
But cheese-lovers with a healthy heart have the green light to enjoy two to three serves of dairy a day. “One serve of dairy would be equivalent to two slices of cheese or about 40 grams of cheese.”
How to enjoy more of the good stuff
Of course, just like all foods, there are some cheese varieties that are healthier than others. So it’s wise to know which cheeses are ‘healthier’ for you so you can have a bit more of them from that platter.
“Ricotta is a good choice if you want to eat more cheese for the same amount of kilojoules,” O’Hanlon says. “You can have more ricotta – up to 120 grams as one serve.”
To spruce up your cheese platter, serve a whipped or baked ricotta flavoured with garlic, lemon and thyme. “Throw in some beautiful fresh figs, berries or sliced pears, a range of nuts and you’ll have a healthy cheese platter.”
Other selections to feature on your platter are fresh, unripened cheeses like mozzarella (think fior di latte mozzarella, bocconcini, burrata and stracciatella).
“This kind of cheese usually has lower levels of saturated fat and salt, and aren’t as highly processed as many other cheeses. So mozzarella is a good choice for daily cheese consumption.”
Cheese is a wholefood and it's something we can absolutely enjoy as part of a healthy eating pattern.
O’Hanlon also suggests there's emerging evidence about the of mouldy cheeses, like blue cheese. Mouldy cheeses are fermented foods that contain good microbes. “They appear to play a role in fuelling our gut with good bacteria.”
Some studies have also discovered that eating blue cheese can help to around the tummy, and therefore assist in reducing obesity.
Hard, mature, ripened cheeses like Parmesan and Comte are also good choices for a healthier platter. “Just use them in smaller amounts than you would ricotta or fresher cheeses.”
Don't forget vegan cheese
Director of Jenny Flanagan, reminds SBS that vegan cheeses should also be added to your platter as an option for people who don’t eat dairy or just want to explore other cheese varieties.
“It’s an individual choice as to why you might switch to dairy-free but for us, it’s about making sure everyone is included at the dinner table,” says Flanagan.
“People just want to have cheese in their life and vegan cheese is a way for people to still enjoy those desires.”
Vegan cheese selections span cheddar block styles to vegan mozzarellas. Some are made with organic almond milk while others are based on coconut oil, which O'Hanlon says may increase cholesterol levels.
It’s an individual choice as to why you might switch to dairy-free but for us, it’s about making sure everyone is included at the dinner table.
To make a healthy vegan or dairy cheese choice at the supermarket, O’Hanlon recommends that shoppers always check the nutritional panel and ingredients list. Observe the salt content, and quantity of preservatives and additives in the cheese.
“We recommend you enjoy a little bit of really good, quality cheese and savour that experience rather than eating a poor quality cheese and having too much of it," O'Hanlon tells SBS.
"You've got to enjoy your food and joy is an important component of a healthy, balanced diet as well.”
