By Hollie Harris
Australia is a nation obsessed with food, but our daily dietary regimens are still off-track. While we eliminate elements to lose weight, such as fat, carbohydrates and sugars, or attempt to replace entire food groups with supplements, we’re forgetting that nothing delivers nutritional benefit like natural, whole foods.
According to an Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Health Survey, Australian women in particular are using supplements, with 33 per cent of women taking a dietary supplement, but they’re failing to meet their daily intake of the five food groups essential for good health.
This includes the dairy food group, with just 3.5 per cent of women getting their daily number of serves.
However, there is an unexpected hero to this story. Cheese contains a unique package of nutrients that are easily absorbed by the body which are also found in milk and yoghurt, and the good news is, it won’t make you gain weight.
Dairy Australia Dietitian, Blake Robinson, said when it comes to fat content in food, many consumers are unaware that not all fats are created equal, and not all foods containing fats should be avoided.
“Some people limit their cheese intake, treating it as an indulgence due to the fat content, but cheese is low GI, which helps keep your appetite under control. It’s a great way to add high-quality protein to meals to help maintain healthy muscle mass, important to keep your metabolism firing,” Blake said.
“What’s more, the nutrients in cheese work together to prevent your body absorbing some of the fat and send signals to increase fat burn and store less fat.
“Growing research shows cutting out cheese is not an effective strategy for weight loss. In fact, if you’re on a reduced kilojoule diet that includes cheese, you can expect to lose more weight than someone who is avoiding cheese – especially from the waist area.
“This ties back to the fact that eating whole foods is better for you than trying to fill the gaps of a poor-quality diet with supplements, and that’s why cheese should be enjoyed every day. Australians love the taste and it has proven health benefits.
“If you’re lactose intolerant, you might be limiting your dairy intake and missing out on these benefits. The good news is you don’t need to give up what you love and this includes cheese. Most hard cheeses, like parmesan or cheddar, contain little to no lactose so are usually well tolerated, and most are also gluten free,” Blake said.
Dairy foods make up one of the five food groups recommended every day in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, however the survey showed nine in 10 Australians aren’t getting enough.
“Australians need more milk, cheese and yoghurt each day to ensure they’re getting the health benefits from dairy. For most adults, the Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend at least two and a half serves per day, and this increases as you get older. One serve is equivalent to two slices of cheese, or half a cup of ricotta,” Blake said.
Karen Martini, celebrity chef is an Australian cheese lover and is working with Dairy Australia to inspire women to get creative in the kitchen by cooking with this nutritional and delicious ingredient.
“We love Australian cheese in our family, and it’s the secret ingredient to many of our meals. It’s an easy way to add flavour and texture, makes green vegetables tastier and adds another dimension to seasonal salads,” Karen said.
“One block of cheese goes a long way which makes it a smart choice for the household; we enjoy cheddar in savoury muffins, on top of homemade burgers or pizzas, or as a snack on its own. It’s also delicious with some fresh or dried fruit,” Karen said.
