I love a good cheese plate. It’s my go-to starter for dinner parties and few weekends go by without an epic snack plate, even if it’s just for two. However, just like everything else, you can have too much of a good thing and there’s nothing worse than feeling uncomfortable full before the main course even hits the table. Here are my evidence-based tips for creating an impressive and delicious healthy cheese board…
1. Swap processed meat for nuts
Replacing animal fat with plant-based alternatives rich in polyunsaturated fats appears to beneficial for heart health. Furthermore, observational studies have linked processed meat to cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Nuts, on the other hand, are full of heart-healthy fats, plant protein, and fiber and make a great, crunchy addition to healthy cheese boards.
2. Try hummus or guacamole instead of pate
Both hummus and guac are rich sources of fiber that assist with cholesterol control, satiety, blood sugar control, and digestive health. Pate is usually made with chicken/duck/goose liver, fat, and flavorings and is rich in saturated fat, which may increase LDL levels (bad cholesterol). Hummus and guacamole are rich in heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats and evidence suggests that replacing saturated fat with plant-based polyunsaturated fat can have a positive impact on heart health.
3. Load up on fruit and veggies
Light and lovely plants are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals – and add volume for few calories. Most of us don’t get enough fruit and veggies so adding them to a cheese board is a great way to squeeze a few more in. My favorite fruit and veggie choices for cheese plates include:
- Baby carrots
- Baby bell peppers/ bell pepper slices
- Broccoli florets
- Apple slices
- Grapes
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
4. Go for whole-grain crackers with >3g fiber per serving
If you’ve been following me for a while you’ll know that I’m a big fan of fiber and whole grains are a great source of this widely under-consumed nutrient. Eating adequate fiber promotes regularity, keeps cholesterol in check, nourishes your microbiome, and may help protect against colorectal cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and more. Look for crackers with at least 3g of fiber per serving, and readily recognizable ingredients. (Learn more about whole grains here).
5. Pick your two favorite cheeses and pre-slice
Wrestling with a cheese knife is overrated and more likely to result in larger portions. Make your cheese go further by pre-slicing. There’s no need to be afraid of cheese (unless you’re allergic to milk or severely lactose intolerance). Fat from dairy products (like cheese) doesn’t appear to be as bad as we once thought. In fact, population studies suggest that consuming dairy may help protect against colorectal cancer and is not detrimental to heart health. Furthermore, dairy products are a rich source of highly bioavailable protein and calcium, as well as phosphorous, B-vitamins and vitamin A. That said, cheese is energy-dense so if you’re trying to slim down or simply want space for the main course, be mindful of your portions.
Hungry for more nutrition tips and mouthwatering recipes? Find them here.
References:
Hooper L, Martin N, Jimoh OF, Kirk C, Foster E, Abdelhamid AS. Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Aug 21;8:CD011737. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011737.pub3. PMID: 32827219.
Cross AJ, Leitzmann MF, Gail MH, Hollenbeck AR, Schatzkin A, Sinha R. A prospective study of red and processed meat intake in relation to cancer risk. PLoS Med. 2007 Dec;4(12):e325. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0040325. PMID: 18076279; PMCID: PMC2121107.
Micha R, Wallace SK, Mozaffarian D. Red and processed meat consumption and risk of incident coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Circulation. 2010 Jun 1;121(21):2271-83. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.924977. Epub 2010 May 17. PMID: 20479151; PMCID: PMC2885952.
Barber TM, Kabisch S, Pfeiffer AFH, Weickert MO. The Health Benefits of Dietary Fibre. Nutrients. 2020;12(10):3209. Published 2020 Oct 21. doi:10.3390/nu12103209
Alexander DD, Bylsma LC, Vargas AJ, Cohen SS, Doucette A, Mohamed M, Irvin SR, Miller PE, Watson H, Fryzek JP. Dairy consumption and CVD: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Nutr. 2016 Feb 28;115(4):737-50. doi: 10.1017/S0007114515005000. Epub 2016 Jan 20. Erratum in: Br J Nutr. 2016 Jun;115(12 ):2268. PMID: 26786887.
