5 Ways Eating Cheese Can Help You Lose Weight

It's no secret that cheese is pretty phenomenal. In fact, according to one survey, more people would give up oral sex than would give up cheese (that is, if they had to choose). If you're trying to drop pounds, then you probably expect a lot less cheese in your future—but we have some good news for you. The dairy product can actually help you slim down—particularly if you swap it into your diet in place of higher-calorie, less-nutritious options:     

Top Your Toast With Mascarpone, Not Butter
Most people have only eaten mascarpone as an ingredient tiramisu—but it's actually a great butter substitute if you just can't part with the creamy stuff. Mascarpone tastes just as rich and indulgent, but it has 62 calories per tablespoon (compared to 102 calories per tablespoon in butter). That's 40 percent fewer calories! 

Spread Sandwiches With Cream Cheese, Not Mayo
Each tablespoon of full-fat mayonnaise has 94 calories and 10 grams of fat. A tablespoon of whipped cream cheese, in comparison, has 30 calories and just two and a half grams of fat. If you eat sandwiches on the regular, that can add up to some huge caloric savings.

Snack on Fresh Mozzarella, Not Potato Chips
Even if you go with a version made from whole milk, you'll still only set yourself back 85 calories if you indulge in an ounce of fresh mozzarella (many bags of potato chips come in past 200). Plus, you'll be taking in more than six grams of filling protein. In fact, in one study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, people who ate a high-protein, moderate-calorie cheese snack ate less during their next meal. (BelGioioso Cheese also makes fresh mozzarella snacking cheese that's conveniently packaged in one-ounce, 70-calorie servings.)

Dip Crudité in Cottage Cheese, Not Hummus
One percent fat cottage cheese contains 20 calories per ounce, versus 50 per ounce for hummus—all for virtually identical amounts of protein.

MORE: Protein: Your Secret Weight-Loss Weapon  

Top Fruit With Ricotta, Not Crème Fraîche
We get it—crème fraîche makes fruit feel more like a dessert. But each ounce packs 110 calories, 11 grams of fat, and just one gram of protein. Part-skim ricotta, meanwhile, contains 39 calories, two grams of fat, and three grams of protein—and it still tastes indulgent.

MORE: 7 Research-Backed Breakfast Tips for Faster Weight Loss 

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