Let’s Talk About Cheese and Reversing Type 2 Diabetes

When I first set out to reverse my diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes, I knew I’d have to give up all kinds of foods that were wreaking havoc on my body. The one I thought I’d miss the most was cheese. But, it turns out – as with most things in life, the truth isn’t black and white – because there are good and bad cheeses.

“Cheese sometimes gets a bad rap because it is generally high in fat and certain types, like processed cheese, aren’t the best picks because they may contain added oils, dyes, and even sugar,” says Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN, author of Eating in Color. “But cheese can absolutely add nutrients, like protein and calcium, to your diet, and it’s incredibly satisfying.” 

How To Identify Good Cheese?

So, what are the best cheeses to eat when you have diabetes? First, remember, we’re talking about real cheese here. Avoid processed cheeses completely. Often times, the good fats are removed and replaced with harmful (and addictive) sugars and chemicals like emulsifiers, extenders, phosphates, hydrogenated oils, and the like.

These are the cheeses to eat if you want to reverse your Type 2 or just be healthier in general.

GOAT CHEESE AND SHEEP CHEESE

The best cheeses to eat when you have Diabetes are Goat Cheese or Sheep Cheese. Both of these options actually have more heart-healthy fats than cheeses made with cow milk. You can find them as soft cheeses or fermented as Feta.

GOAT CHEESE

A one-ounce (28-gram) serving of soft-style goat cheese provides:

• Calories: 102
• Protein: 6 grams
• Fat: 8 grams
• Vitamin A: 8% of the RDI
• Riboflavin (vitamin B2): 11% of the RDI
• Calcium: 8% of the RDI
• Phosphorus: 10% of the RDI
• Copper: 8% of the RDI
• Iron: 3% of the RDI

It’s also a good source of selenium, magnesium and niacin (vitamin B3) and goat cheese provides healthy fats, including medium-chain fatty acids, that can improve satiety and benefit weight loss. And, don’t forget about the probiotics, which promote digestive health, reduce inflammation and boost immunity.

SHEEP CHEESE

Meanwhile, a one ounce serving of sheep cheese provides:

• Calories: 105
• Protein: 6 grams
• Fat: 9 grams
• Potassium: 58 mg
• Vitamin A: 4% of the RDI
• Riboflavin (vitamin B2): 9% of the RDI
• Calcium: 15% of the RDI
• Phosphorus: 15% of the RDI
• Iron: 6% of the RDI

Sheep cheese also provides the fatty-acids and probiotics that improve digestion and weight loss, both of which will help you to reverse your Type 2 and lower your cholesterol.

FETA CHEESE (Fermented Goat and/or Sheep Cheese)

A one-ounce (28-gram) serving of Feta provides:

• Calories: 74
• Protein: 4.4 grams
• Fat: 6 grams
• Calcium: 15% of the RDI
• Vitamin B6: 5% of the RDI
• Potassium: 18 mg
• Cobalamin: 8% of the RDI

Feta cheese is one of the best cheeses to eat when you have diabetes. Fermented sheep or goat milk (or a combination of the two) is used to make this tangy cheese. It is believed that the combination calcium and Vitamin D can assist in protecting the body against some types of cancer. Feta cheese is also high probiotics because of the fermentation and this is critical to healthy digestion.

MOZZARELLA CHEESE (The real thing, not some packaged, processed fake food.)

A one-ounce serving of REAL – not processed – Mozzarella provides:

• Calories: 85
• Protein: 6.3 grams
• Fat: 8 grams
• Potassium: 27 mg
• Vitamin A: 4% of the RDI
• Vitamin B12: 8% of the RDI
• Vitamin B7: 9% of the RDI
• Vitamin D: 6% of the RDI
• Calcium: 15% of the RDI
• Cobalamin: 20% of the RDI

This is a high-protein choice that is a good source of Biotin, also called Vitamin B7. Since this nutrient is water soluble, the body does not store it. Eating this cheese variant can thus satisfy your immediate nutritional need. Studies have shown Biotin can also lower blood glucose levels in diabetic people.

COTTAGE CHEESE

A one-cup serving of 1% milk-fat cottage cheese provides:

• Calories: 163
• Protein: 28 grams
• Carbs: 6.2 grams
• Fat: 2.3 grams
• Phosphorus: 24% of the RDI
• Sodium: 30% of the RDI
• Selenium: 37% of the RDI
• Vitamin B12: 59% of the RDI
• Riboflavin: 29% of the RDI
• Calcium: 11% of the RDI
• Folate: 7% of the RDI

It also has decent amounts of vitamin B6, choline, zinc, and copper. The carb content of cottage cheese is around 3% and it does consist of lactose, a milk sugar to which some people are intolerant. Cottage cheese is fermented and made by coagulating milk and separating the milk fats from whey using either acids or enzymes. Cottage cheese made with an enzyme called rennet will produce visibly larger curds while cottage cheese made using non-rennet ingredients will produce smaller curds. 

GOUDA CHEESE

A one-cup serving of gouda cheese provides:

• Calories: 101
• Protein: 7 grams
• Carbs: 7.8 grams
• Fat: 2.3 grams
• Calcium: 198mg
• Phosphorus: 155mg
• Zinc: 1.11mg
• Vitamin B12: 0.4mcg

With less than 1 gram of carbohydrates per serving, Gouda may be made from cow’s milk, but it has very little lactose and may be easier for you to digest.

Of course – remember, moderation is the key to successfully reversing your Type 2 Diabetes. Yes, you can have these cheeses. And, yes, they all have proven benefits for diabetics. But, you must remember to use only real, fresh cheeses and even then, eat them in moderation.

I didn’t eat any cheeses until after three months of leans and greens to really give my body the rest it needed to heal. Then, I slowly added a small amount of one of these cheeses to my diet and only for one meal in any given day. As with everything in life -moderation is the key to success.