Eating Cheese May Help You Live Longer

Bring on the flaming Kasseri Saganaki! Step right this way Pecorino Romano, Feta, Brie, Asiago and Cheddar! The good news is recent research indicates that dairy products should be an important part of your diet. In a clinical study published in the journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, scientists found that eating dairy products lowered the risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Healthier blood appears in people who eat dairy products regularly because of a specific acid that occurs after eating dairy. While you've probably heard that low-fat dairy is your best bet because it contains less saturated fat, researchers found no association between diet dairy products and disease risk. So, you might live longer eating that creamy cheese high in butter fat!

One researcher reports that high-fat dairy has gotten a bad rap in the U.S. because of fad diets and junk science. But dairy products like cheese contain a unique form of fat that is absorbed differently from fat from other foods. And your body needs this form of dairy fat to absorb essential vitamins. What's an ideal amount to eat? About two and a half servings per day. I'm thinking ice cream for dessert.

[Good Housekeeping]