can we still eat cheese? A nutritionist’s answer

To take care of our health, having a healthy and varied diet every day is very important. Indeed, eating too much fat, too sweet or too salty can facilitate the development of certain pathologies, such as hypertension, diabetes or even cholesterol. As a reminder, there are two types of cholesterol: good (HDL) and bad (LDL). The latter is particularly due to the consumption of foods that are often too fatty. Cheese is one of them, but should you absolutely avoid it when your LDL level is too high? Here is the answer from a nutritionist.

How do you know if you have too much bad cholesterol?

Produced in part by the liver, cholesterol can become bad if we don’t pay attention to our diet. “Some people have high cholesterol even though they don’t eat any fat at all and vice versa, it’s genetic”specifies Alexandra Murcier, dietitian-nutritionist at Our time. Let us remember that total cholesterol corresponds to the sum of the two, and that the HDL level must be higher than that of LDL.

“If the HDL cholesterol level is higher than the LDL cholesterol level, it is positive. However, when bad cholesterol (LDL) is present in too large quantities in the blood, it contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques which gradually block the arteries., explains the expert. This is why it is advisable to be careful about what you eat. Foods high in saturated fat are therefore not recommended for people with high LDL levels.

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Can you eat cheese when you have cholesterol?

Don’t worry, just because you have cholesterol doesn’t mean you have to stop eating cheese! “On condition that you limit your consumption to a portion of 30g three times a week, or an eighth of a Camembert”, recommends Alexandra Murcier. According to her, it is even better to consume it in the morning, so that the LDL level increases less.

“In some cases, it is possible to consume 50g portions because the overall diet, and in particular the intake of saturated fats, must be taken into account. A person who eats cheese but not butter, cream, or red meat can afford to eat a little more cheese. What we need to be wary of is the cumulative effect of foods high in cholesterol.”adds the expert.

Furthermore, the choice of cheese also has an impact. When you have cholesterol, it is better to choose cheese “with a lower saturated fatty acid content”. She therefore recommends goat’s and sheep’s cheese, such as feta and ricotta, but also mozzarella or cancoillotte. Conversely, it is better to avoid hard cheeses, such as Comté, Emmental, Gruyere or Parmesan.