22 December 2025

A lot of people are pretty excited about this new study of high fat cheese and dementia - and resultant headlines, like “High-Fat Cheese Could Be Good for Your Brain”- and I’m definitely NOT here to tell you to avoid cheese…

But you probably have already guessed I would use the word nuance. And one of my favorite questions…instead of what?

It may not surprise you to learn that, in this study, the people consuming the most high fat cheese started out with better metabolic health (here, I’d hypothesize there’s a socioeconomic element to it, since we all know how pricey quality cheese can be). And the people who consumed the most low fat dairy began with more risk factors. Since we know correlation does not equal causation, is this a chicken-egg situation? I know I wouldn’t choose low fat cheese solely based on flavor, but we just don’t know which came first - the food choice or the risk factors.

This study does not nullify decades of research that demonstrate a reliable health benefit from replacing saturated fat calories (including cheese) with more legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and fruits. It did not look at ways to change diet, but rather sought to identify factors associated with better brain health. Again, we don’t know if consumption of high fat dairy is a lever or a flag.

Unless you’re doing a Medifast-type program, foods don’t exist in a vacuum.

That’s one reason Registered Dietitians and public health experts agree the key factor - whether you’re talking about cardiovascular health, diabetes, cancer or dementia - is dietary pattern. Evidence regarding established dementia risk factors still emphasizes heart health, physical activity, blood pressure control, smoking cessation, and balanced diets as more reliable strategies for promoting brain health than focusing on one food.

As foods go, of course I have my favorites - tofu, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, blueberries and kale among them - but I would not suggest anyone limit their diet to specific “superfoods” when health is the result of a broad “super pattern”.

This Swedish study suggests that the relationship between dairy fat and dementia risk might be more complex than previously believed and deserves further investigation with more rigorous methods, like randomized controlled trials. If anything, it confirms current thinking that foods are not “good” or “bad”, but rather contribute to our health in different - and sometimes conflicting - ways as part of a wider diet.

Maybe there are components in quality (high fat, aged or fermented) cheese that benefit the brain - I’m keeping an open mind. Cheese also contains high amounts of saturated fat and sodium, so if cheese is part of your life, I’d still recommend you consider consuming the “grain” of salt, rather than the whole shaker.

• Consume mindfully. It takes about a gallon of milk to produce one pound of cheese. The average cow produces 5 gallons of milk per day (“high yield cows” can produce more, at significant risk to health and mortality). Take time to appreciate the resources and savor
• Variety is interest. Balance your cheese with other foods, e.g. whole grain crackers, vegetables and fruits. This is another case where the healthier option is more delicious.
• Less is more. Strong cheeses get you more flavor bang for your buck. Save money and the planet by using less.
• Try a plant based cheese. I’m not a huge fan of most commercial coconut-based “cheeses” (to each his own, but saturated fat! so see notes above), but there are loads of delicious recipes you can make at home with simple ingredients.

Flipping the idea of a cheese board with plant based variety

I’m making my Tofu Mojo High Protein Cheese for Christmas - anyone can do this. To a food processor, add a package of pressed firm tofu, 2/3 cup almond flour, 1 cup nutritional yeast, 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 Tbsp. white miso, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, salt to taste. Blend till smooth, refrigerate, then roll into a ball and coat in your desired topping of nuts, herbs or spices.

Happy 8th day of Hanukkah, and wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season.

LAST MINUTE GIFT IDEA - a gift certificate for a practical plant based cooking workshop is the ideal gift - it could even be one you share with your recipient! It’s the gift that keeps giving…learn something new in the kitchen and healthy people have more fun.