It’s high-calorie. High-fat. Laden with sodium. Still, we each hoover 34 pounds of the stuff a year. Cheese is that good.
Sigh. This tasty dairy product might never be a full-fledged health food. But—and this is a big BUT—new science makes a compelling case for losing the post-noshing guilt: Researchers have found that butyrate, a fatty acid your gut produces in the presence of cheese, may help thwart colon cancer, reduce disease-causing inflammation, and—ding, ding, ding—help ward off obesity. And while butyrate is found most often in aged cheeses, other types have their own superpowers. A mouthful a day to keep the doctor away? No buts about that.
Each of these seven dairy dreams serves up a different, delicious health perk. Pick the variety that’s right for you.