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Is cheese OK for diabetics?

People with diabetes can safely eat cheese as part of a balanced, healthful diet. As with other foods, moderation is key, and so a diet that includes too much cheese would be harmful to people with or without diabetes.

medicalnewstoday.com - Diabetes and cheese: Options, benefits, and breakdown

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For diabetes-friendly meals or snacks, people should choose healthful cheeses and serve them with foods that are high in fiber and low in calories . By taking a balanced approach to eating cheese, individuals who love this familiar food item can enjoy it without damaging their health. Cheese is high in fat and calories compared with many other foods, and it might not seem like an obvious choice for people with diabetes. However, a person who has diabetes can enjoy a wide variety of cheese without elevating their blood sugar or blood pressure or gaining weight. People with diabetes can safely eat cheese as part of a balanced, healthful diet. As with other foods, moderation is key, and so a diet that includes too much cheese would be harmful to people with or without diabetes. A person with diabetes can consider the following when selecting a cheese to include in a diabetes-friendly diet.

Calories

Cheese is very high in calories and fat. Though calorie content varies between varieties of cheese, people with diabetes should avoid overindulging. Type 2 diabetes has strong links to obesity and losing even a few pounds can reduce the risk of diabetes. More than 87 percent of people with diabetes are medically overweight or obese. Several steps can help people with diabetes eat cheese and minimize weight gain, including:

Stick to small servings of cheese.

Choose lower-calorie varieties.

Use cheese for flavor rather than as the main ingredient of a meal.

Saturated fat

Cheese is high in saturated fat when compared with many other foods. In small quantities, saturated fat is harmless and can be beneficial to the body. However, too much can cause weight gain, high cholesterol, gallbladder problems, and heart disease. The American Heart Association recommend a diet that contains no more than 5–6 percent saturated fat, meaning that in a 2,000-calorie daily diet, no more than 120 calories or 13 grams (g) should come from saturated fats. Other experts advise no more than 10 percent of daily calorie intake of saturated fat, which raises the amount of cheese a person can consume. People with diabetes can meet these goals by sticking to a diet that contains no more than one serving of cheese per day.

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The connection between saturated fat intake and heart disease is not as clear as it once seemed. An analysis of previous research found insufficient evidence linking saturated fats and heart disease. With that said, being mindful of overall intake is still a sensible position to take, particularly from red meat, bacon, sausage, full-fat dairy products, and other high-fat foods . As people with diabetes already face a higher risk of heart disease than others, they may want to continue reducing their saturated fat intake until research provides clearer guidelines. The emphasis for people with diabetes should be to follow a largely plant-based diet that is rich in unsaturated fats.

Sodium

People with diabetes should keep their salt (sodium) intake to 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day or less. Salt can elevate blood pressure, causing or worsening diabetes-related cardiovascular concerns. Cheese is often high in salt, particularly processed cheeses. A 2018 study, for example, found a mean salt content of 863 mg per 100 g of processed cheese. The study found that fresh cheese had a mean salt content of 498 mg per 100g. To minimize sodium content, people can choose fresh cheese over processed goods.

Will cheese affect blood sugar levels?

Cheese has a low glycemic index (GI), meaning that it releases glucose slowly and will not trigger significant blood glucose spikes. People often consume cheese alongside other foods, however, and some of these may spike blood glucose. People often include sources of carbohydrates, such as crackers, fruit, or honey on a cheese plater. These will directly affect blood sugar, but pairing them with an appropriate portion of cheese can prolong feelings of fullness and satisfaction. People with diabetes must also be mindful of the portion sizes of the foods they eat, along with the cheese itself, to manage their saturated fat and sugar intake.

medicalnewstoday.com - Diabetes and cheese: Options, benefits, and breakdown

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