The miracle of cheese

New findings may enhance your enjoyment of après-ski raclettes or holiday cheese boards. Eating a single serving of cheese per day could cut your risk of heart attack or stroke, a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition suggests.

Chinese researchers conducted a meta-analysis of 15 studies from Europe and the United States, which monitored the health effects of cheese consumption in more than 200,000 people. Those who ate small amounts of cheese daily showed a 14 per cent less chance of developing heart disease, while stroke risk was slashed by 10 per cent.

While cheese is a source of saturated fat, the researchers state that it “also has potentially beneficial nutrients,” such as calcium, which limits how much saturated fat the body absorbs. They add, “It’s unclear how long-term consumption affects the development of cardiovascular disease.” Before you exercise free rein over that wedge in your fridge, the serving size is quite modest in the context of the study. One portion is 40 grams (1.4 oz), which represents a matchboxsized chunk, two slim slices or a quarter cup of crumbled cheese. Canada’s Food Guide lists a serving as 50 grams (1.8 oz) of cheese. According to the Canadian Dairy Information Centre, Canadians ate 13.4 kg of cheese per capita in 2016. While it may seem like a lot of the dairy product, it’s an average of 36 grams per day, which is slightly less than the amount recommended by researchers.