People who tend to gravitate toward vegan cheese may do so for a variety of personal and environmental reasons.
“Typically, folks choose vegan cheese because they’re avoiding animal ingredients because of personal ethics. But a growing number of consumers are choosing vegan cheese because they believe it to be healthier than dairy-based cheese, and for its lesser environmental impact,” says Taylor Wolfram, RDN, who specializes in vegan nutrition in Chicago.
Health benefits of vegan cheese depend largely on which ingredients a specific one contains and what health issues you’re trying to address. Here are some ingredients commonly used in vegan cheese and their potential benefits.
- Nuts A diet rich in nuts may improve blood lipid profiles.
- Seeds Seeds, including pumpkin and sesame seeds, contain antioxidants, which are thought to play a role in heart disease and cancer prevention.
- Tofu A higher intake of isoflavones, which are found in soybeans, and tofu, specifically, are associated with a lowered risk of coronary heart disease.
Vegan cheese could also be beneficial for people with lactose intolerance, since it doesn’t contain lactose.
Why You Need to Read the Label
Regardless of the ingredients you’re looking for or looking to avoid, it’s important to read the nutrition label on the cheese you’re buying, rather than assuming that the “vegan” label makes it healthier.
You’ll also want to check the ingredients list for any additives such as artificial colorings, dyes, sweeteners, or flavorings. If it’s not something you’d use in your kitchen, it’s probably not something you want in your vegan cheese.
It’s also important to make sure the sodium content per serving aligns with your daily goal. The recommended sodium limit is 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day or less depending on your age and potential health concerns, according to the 2020–2025 U.S. Dietary Guidelines. As a rule of thumb, look for items that have about the same number listed for calories and sodium; that’s to say, if a serving contains 200 calories, it should have no more than about 200 mg of sodium.