As the table in the slide shows, cheese contains different proportions of salt, fat and protein. Using this to illustrate two points:

** Grams of protein per 100 grams is a misleading metric. If you pack a food with enough fat and carbohydrates, you can drown out impressive protein content. This applies to all foods not just cheese.

** You can have an impressive amount of protein. It can account for a significant percentage of the calories in the food. But throw enough salt in there and the benefits of consuming the food are countered by the large dose of sodium in the food.

TAKEAWAY

More calorie-dense cheese is a good option for children. They need more energy and a good dose of protein. As you age, you need to be more wary of your energy intake but still need a large dose of protein.

Both groups would do well to lay off the large dose of sodium found in parmesan cheese, processed and cheddar cheese.

Adults should bias towards measured doses of low fat paneer, cottage cheese and diet cheddar.

Kids can go crazy with the paneer, mozzarella and blended pizza cheese.