ABSTRACT
Regular cheese contains saturated fat, consumption of which may negatively influence the amount of serum lipids. The American Dietary Guidelines (https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/) recommend consumption of low-fat food. However, we observed a negative association between cheese intake and serum triglycerides and a positive association with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Cheese intake was also inversely related to metabolic syndrome and blunted the harmful association of intake of soft drinks with serum lipids. Cheese contains calcium and factors that may inhibit desaturases, thereby partly explaining why cheese might not have negative effects on serum lipids. Thus, opposing forces seem to govern the cheese effect but will any of these prevail? In an exploratory pilot study, 17 healthy subjects participated in a 4-wk crossover trial without washout. During the first 2 wk, 9 subjects were randomly assigned to add 125 g/d of regular cheese to their habitual diet. After 2 wk, cheese intake was discontinued and the subjects were instructed to return to their habitual diet. The other 8 subjects followed their habitual diet during the first 2 wk, and then added 125 g/d of cheese for the next 2 wk. Mean values (mmol/L) before and after 2 wk on habitual (cheese) diet were as follows: serum triglycerides: 0.91 (0.89) and 0.95 (0.91); total cholesterol: 5.25 (5.16) and 5.08 (5.24); low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: 3.18 (3.17) and 3.09 (3.22); and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol: 1.71 (1.64) and 1.61 (1.66). The fatty acid pattern in total serum lipids and desaturase indexes did not change significantly in response to high cheese intake. Thus, an appreciable increase in daily cheese intake for 2 wk may not alter concentrations of serum lipids, estimates of desaturases, or the distribution of serum fatty acids.
