

The message here is that if you enjoy cheese, there’s no need to stress that a slice of Swiss or a few cubes of feta will derail your efforts. Īll this to say: You don’t need to eat more dairy products to lose weight. If you’re looking to build core strength, consider movements that target the abdominal muscles, like planks. Not to sound like a broken record, but the same strategies that promote healthy weight loss also support healthier levels of belly fat. There’s no evidence that any single food can target belly fat, explains Angela Goscilo, M.S., R.D. Specifically, Lactobacillus fermentum may be linked to reduced risk of respiratory infections and improved blood cholesterol. Probiotics are important for gut health and can help support the immune system. Īt some point, you may have stumbled across an internet theory that the probiotics found in some cheeses can fire up metabolism and melt belly fat. Mozzarella cheese is a source of probiotics, including Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus fermentum. Protein also makes meals more satisfying. The protein in dairy may partly explain why: A 2013 study found that higher protein intake may help preserve muscle mass as pounds come off. One recent review published in Nutrition Reviews etermined that as part of an energy-restricted diet, increased dairy consumption resulted in greater weight loss. While upping your cheese intake won’t shift the scale on its own, some research suggests that eating more dairy products could be helpful as part of a broader weight-loss program. Otherwise, it’s totally fine to enjoy cheese! If you are in one of those groups, nondairy cheese might be something to consider. Unless you have a milk allergy and/or are lactose-intolerant, there’s really no health reason to ban cheese from your diet, Passerrello says.

And many varieties are good or excellent sources of calcium and protein, the latter being an important factor for satiety. While specifics vary by type (more on all that in a moment), cheese, in general, delivers key nutrients, including phosphorus and vitamins A and D, she says. Not only is cheese delicious it can also totally work in a healthy pattern of eating-even the full-fat kind and even when you’re following a weight-loss program, assures Caroline Passerrello, M.S., RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and an instructor at the University of Pittsburgh. But if you've recently started your weight-loss journey, you might be wondering if you need to cut out the creamy, crumbly, gooey delights of cheese. From bubbling mozzarella on a fresh pizza pie to nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano sprinkled on your movie-night popcorn, nothing quite compares to cheese.
