Cheese can fit into almost any eating plan – from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans general population recommendations and many of its meal plans to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and other meal plans such as diabetic, Mediterranean, plant-based, vegetarian, gluten-free and low-lactose, among others. Natural cheese is made with four simple ingredients and process cheese is made from natural cheese. Cheese is a high-quality food rich in nutrients that has been, and continues to be, part of a healthy eating plan. While nutrient profiles vary due to the large variety of cheeses, cheese contributes essential nutrients for good health to the U.S. diet, including calcium, phosphorus, protein, vitamin A and zinc.

Despite the fact that cheese contributes only 8 percent of the sodium to the U.S. diet, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® has spearheaded an industry best practices task force of over 18 cheese companies working to address public health as well as people’s needs and lifestyles. Cheese makers continue to lead process control and product innovations as part of the solution to help lower sodium — while maintaining expectations for food safety and taste.

National Dairy Council and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy are thrilled to bring two new resources to health and nutrition professionals to help educate the public about the role of cheese in a healthy eating plan.