Is It Clean?: Cheese

Melty, tangy, ooey-gooey--for all the right reasons, Americans love cheese (honestly, who doesn't?!). However, if you're trying to buy and eat clean cheese options, you need to check your source.

When it comes to eating clean yogurt, cheese, milk, and other dairy foods, it's extremely helpful to know how to navigate the dairy section in a grocery store. Cooking Light's Nutrition Editor, Sidney Fry, recommends avoiding all low-fat, 1/3-less-fat, and pre-shredded cheeses. Processed cheese products are a no-go, clearly. And you probably want to steer clear of any flavored cheese products, like herbed goat cheese spreads or honey-swirled cream cheese.

Her best advice: turn to your local farmers' market instead. For the cleanest cheese varieties, seek out local dairy farmers who sell products made with locally-raised cow's, sheep's, and goat's milk. You may also find it beneficial to ask if the animals are grass-fed or raised on an organic, plant-only diet and without antibiotics or hormones. Once you find a source you trust, strike up a relationship so you can keep the cheese train flowing.

Keep Reading: Clean-Eating Sugars Are Whole Grains Clean? Clean-Eating Bread Options How to Make Any Recipe a Clean Recipe