Cheese, one of the yummiest foods that both adults and children love to indulge alike is also good for health. Cheese can be a better alternative for protein, calcium, needed fats as well as some vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin B-12.

It is safe for your baby to have cheese beginning around six months of age. Although he cannot have cow’s milk until he is one year old, the culturing process involved in making cheese makes the milk protein safe for your baby to digest. Be sure not to offer your baby cheese made with unpasteurized milk, because it may contain bacteria that can make your baby sick. Cut the cheese into finger-tip-size pieces and supervise your baby eating it in order to prevent choking. It is best to offer processed cheese in moderation.

The valuable proteins, minerals and vitamins that milk contains are in other foods too, especially the many foods made from it, but you need to be cautious when choosing one option over the other. A slice of cheese may provide your child about the same amount of nutrition as a cup of milk would. However, cheese is processed food and usually with a much higher level of salt.

Try to include other dairy options such as curd and cheese cottage (paneer) along with milk and processed cheese. You could also try adding cheese to steamed vegetables, sandwiches, paranthas and pasta. Paneer tikkas or cutlets are a good nutritious snacks.

The protein in cheese may even help you lose weight by making you feel full and satisfied.

Watch portions to limit calories. If you enjoy cheese, don’t eliminate it from your diet. …Protein keeps you full. 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.

Any cheese for diet is better than no cheese at all. When you are looking for new ways to lose weight the cheese diet plan may be what you’ve been looking for. With essential nutrition including calcium, B vitamins and vitamin A that’s one check away on your diet checklist for balanced nutrition that’s going to help you in weight loss.

Contributed by: Hritu Sodhi