Choosing a cheese with a lower fat content is not necessarily healthier than choosing a 'normal' cheese. Researchers have found no evidence that it has an effect on LDL levels (bad cholesterol).
Several Danish dairy companies asked scientists at the University of Copenhagen to conduct research into the effects of cheeses with 'normal' fat levels and with less fat content.
The researchers followed 139 participants for twelve weeks. The participants were divided into three groups: a group ate about 85 grams of cheese daily with fat percentages varying from 25 percent to 32 percent, a group ate 85 grams of cheese daily with fat percentages ranging from 13 to 16 percent and there was a control group that had bread and had to eat jam.
Cholesterol
The groups all delivered blood prior to the twelve weeks and afterwards. The researchers found that there was no difference in the LDL level in the blood, also referred to as 'bad cholesterol'. There was also no significant difference in the body weight of the participants.
The people who ate fattier cheese, however, had a small increase in HDL levels in their blood, also referred to as 'good cholesterol'.
The researchers emphasize that the results can not be extended to other products. "But it is good to include cheese with a normal fat content in the diet."
By: NU.nl
