Cheese can be a good source of important nutrients, such as calcium and protein, and due to its high fat content, it's quite satisfying and tasty. However, cheese is high in calories so if you eat too much, it can lead to weight gain. And the saturated fat it contains may also contribute to the buildup of plaques in your arteries.

Check out the cheeses below to see how your favorites can fit into your eating plan. You might be surprised to learn that not every low fat or fat free version is a better bargain.

American: 80 cal, 6 g fat Blue or Roquefort (1 cubic inch): 61 cal, 5 g fat Cheddar: 114 cal; 9 g fat Cheddar, low fat: 49 cal; 2 g fat Cottage cheese 4%(1/2 cup): 120 cal, 5 g fat Cottage cheese 1% (1/2 cup): 90 cal, 1 g fat Cottage cheese, fat free (1/2 cup): 80 cal, 0 g fat Cream Cheese (1 Tbs): 50 cal, 5 g fat Cream Cheese, low fat (1 Tbs): 35 cal, 3 g fat Feta (1 cubic inch): 45 cal, 4 g fat Mozzarella: 80 cal; 6 g fat Mozzarella, part-skim: 79 cal, 5 g fat Muenster: 100 cal, 8.5 g fat Muenster, low fat: 77 cal, 5 g fat Parmesan (1 Tbs): 20 cal, 1.4 g fat Parmesan, fat free topping (1 Tbs): 28 cal, 0 g fat Provolone: 100 cal, 7.5 g fat Provolone, low fat: 80 cal, 5 g fat Ricotta (1/2 cup): 220 cal, 16 g fat Ricotta, part-skim (1/2 cup): 180 cal, 12 g fat Swiss: 107 cal, 8 g fat Swiss, low fat: 50 cal, 1.5 g fat

*All 1 oz portions unless otherwise noted.

And remember, portions count - a little bit of cheese can go a long way!

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