Say Cheese for Lower Cholesterol

Eating Cheese can be Heart Healthy

According to a study at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, women who ate a serving a day (about the size of four dice) had higher HDL (good cholesterol) and lower LDL (bad) than those who ate less.  Men didn't reap the same benefits, possibly because they tend to pick cheeses with more saturated fat and salt.

To please your palate and your heart:

• Stick to part-skim. Slimmed-down versions of mozzarella, Cheddar, and other cheeses have less saturated fat but just as much taste—and you don't have to sacrifice good-for-your-arteries calcium and essential fatty acids.
• Skip fat-free products. Most are loaded with sodium to make up for lost flavor, and the texture's often rubbery.
• Go gourmet. Specialty cheeses are high in fat—but their intense flavors are satisfying, so you can more easily stick to a small serving.