May is American Cheese Month, celebrating ALL cheeses made in the U.S.A. So, not just the processed kind. But the timing here still seems mean: Mashed.com ranked the 10 unhealthiest cheeses, and American is #1.
They didn't just look at how fatty they are, since that's a given. They also looked at things like sodium and how nutritious they are in general. Don't feel like you have to avoid them completely. But here are the Top 10 cheeses that probably shouldn't be part of your daily diet.
1. American cheese. It's heavily processed, full of preservatives, and loaded with salt. It's only orange because of food coloring.
2. Mascarpone. A soft, spreadable cheese that's used in a lot of desserts. Keep using it. It's just really high in saturated fat.
3. Double Gloucester. (GLAW-ster) A semi-hard cheese from England. (It's the star of the annual "Cheese Roll" where people chase a wheel of it down a really steep hill. This year's event is later this month on May 27th.
4. Brunost. A sweet Norwegian cheese that's got more sugar than most types.
5. Any cheese that comes in a can or jar. So, things like Cheez Whiz, Easy Cheese, and nacho cheese.
6. Brie. It's high in calories and loaded with saturated fat.
7. Stilton. A type of blue cheese from England. It's considered one of the world's BEST cheeses, but not one of the healthiest.
8. Pre-grated parmesan cheese. Fresh is better than the kind that comes in a plastic shaker. After American, it's the saltiest cheese you can buy.
9. Roquefort. A blue cheese that originated in France. Again, lots of calories and saturated fat.
10. Pre-packaged shredded cheese. It's loaded with additives and preservatives. That's why you're better off buying a block and shredding it yourself.
(Mashed)