Cheese Cuts Risk Of Heart Disease And Stroke, Study Says

Gooey mac and cheese, here we come — according to a recent study, indulging in a serving of cheese each day can help slash your chances of heart disease. This unexpected turn of events is great news for pizza lovers and grilled cheese fanatics, but don't get too excited. The benefits are limited at one serving of cheese: two thin slices, a quarter cup crumbled, or a chunk the size of a matchbox.

The research, which analyzed results from 15 credible existing studies, found that people who ate a serving of cheese each day were 14 percent less likely to develop coronary heart disease. Cheese also lowered the risk of stroke by 10 percent.

The study did not delineate the kinds of cheese consumed, however — a fancy cheese board was not compared to a processed slice of American. And since purer forms of cheese are typically high-class, pricier foods, the correlation could be tied to the existing correlation between health and higher income.

However, while the results don't necessarily prove that cheese is causing the lowered heart disease risk, it does show that cheese certainly doesn't make that risk worse.

"Cheese contains saturated fatty acids but also has potentially beneficial nutrients," the authors claim. In fact, cheese has so many nutrients that it's recently been considered a superfood. We're not sure about that, and neither are the study authors, but we do know it's super delicious.

To keep up with your cheese consumption this season, we recommend treating yourself to one of these incredible cheese advent calendars. And why not pour a glass of wine with that daily chunk of cheese? Studies show drinking wine every day could be great for your health, as well.