Want to go on a diet? But then the idea of giving up all indulgent food, especially if you absolutely love everything cheesy – grilled cheese sandwich, cheese dosa, cheese dosa for example, pulls you back, we totally understand! In fact, the love for cheese-filled goodness is universal! People consider cheese to be off-limits considering it is an extremely calorie-dense food with a high fat content. The thought that every time you bite into a slice of pizza, hundreds of calories are going to flood your body, and assuming all of it is coming from the cheese is a misconception (that pizza is full of empty calories from refined flour, sodium, added sugar, color and flavour). For people trying to lose weight and counting every single calorie, indulging in this gooey goodness can rake up guilt like nothing. As we have mentioned previously, cheese is instantly categorized into the list of bad foods that lead to quick weight gain. We have always maintained that maintaining a calorie deficit would trigger the fat-burning process, and would you believe that “cheese” can be added to that category? With portion control in mind, here’s how you can eat cheese and still lose weight. So, in this post, we would tell you which cheese to indulge in and why it’s okay to have cheese while on a weight loss diet.
Why Having Cheese is Okay While Trying To Lose Weight?
Most cheese varieties have high protein and calcium content and both these nutrients help to fight the bulge. Without enough calcium, it’s a bit difficult to burn stored fat (especially belly fat) and cheese has a high percentage of calcium content. Protein, as we all know, burns more calories, keeps you full for longer, curbs appetite, and also boosts metabolism – paneer (or cottage cheese) for example is a good source of protein. Also, varieties such as ricotta is a good source of vitamin D (whose deficiency is linked to weight gain and hormonal imbalances). Most importantly, cheddar, gouda, and feta types have probiotics that strengthen the gut and reduce the number of calories one absorbs from the food and fight inflammation as well. Certain cheese varieties have nutrients such as vitamin A, zinc, B12, vitamin K, etc. Not to forget, we need a certain amount of fat in our daily diet to prevent overeating, for proper absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, and E, and to maintain hormonal balance, and cheese can be a good source of such fat.
Best Cheese Options While Trying To Lose Weight:
1. Feta Cheese: Originally feta cheese is made from goat or sheep milk, but it can also come from cow’s milk. It’s a good source of protein, also high in calcium. A study says you can get around 14% of your daily recommended calcium intake in one serving of feta cheese. There are 75 calories, 4 gm of protein, and around 6 gm of fat in 28 gm of feta cheese. You can also get rare nutrients like selenium and phosphorous from this cheese as well.
2. Cottage Cheese aka Paneer: It’s a good source of protein for vegetarians who are trying to lose weight. It increases satiety and reduces hunger pangs. Since it’s low in carbs, it can be made part of all diet forms. In one cup of cottage cheese, there would be approximately 160 calories, 1 gm of fat, and around 14 gm of protein (and this one cup would keep you fuller for longer!). Also read: “12 Best Plant Protein Sources for Vegetarians.”
3. Cheddar Cheese: It’s also a good source of protein and calcium, promoting fullness, curbing appetite, boosting metabolism as well. Cheddar has around 110 calories and 9 g of fat in 28 gm.
4. Parmesan Cheese: There’s a lot of nutrients in this yummy cheese variety – protein, calcium, and also low in lactose. You can add it to salads and soups for extra creaminess, but it’s slightly high in calories, with 122 calories in 28 gm and around 8 gm of fat.
5. Mozzarella: It’s the cheese we all love! Used in pizza toppings, it has good protein, calcium, and around 79 calories in 28 gm, 6 gm of protein, and 6 gm of fat. Also to note, mozzarella cheese is low on carbs as well.
Tips To Remember While Including Cheese in your Diet:
1. As is the case with even the healthiest of foods (eggs, oats, avocado, etc.), keep the calorie count in mind and practice portion control with cheese.
2. Swap Mayonnaise with Cheese: As a spread, cheese is definitely much more healthier than mayonnaise and lower in calories as well. Replace your mayonnaise with yummy cheese.
3. Paneer (cottage cheese), feta, parmesan varieties can add so much flavour to bland soups and salads.
4. Avoid cream cheese, blue cheese which have extremely high amount of calories.
Most importantly, if weight loss is on your mind, Rati Beauty diet would help you lose inches and weight without asking you to deprive yourself of food; eat the right kind of food and find ways to get into a calorie deficit to burn fat on the Rati Beauty diet.
12 Secrets for Eating Pizza Without Gaining Weight
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