You may have assumed that you need to give up cheese if you have diabetes. However, cheese can healthfully fit into most diets.

The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommends 3 daily servings of low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products for adults. One serving of cheese equals 11/2 ounces of natural cheese or 2 ounces of processed cheese.

Cheese that comes from cow's milk is both high in protein and high in calcium. In fact, 11/2 ounces of many types of cheeses have around 30% of our daily calcium needs. However, whole milk cheeses have 6 to 10 grams of total fat per ounce and 4 to 6 grams of saturated fat per ounce. Based on the DGA, we should limit our saturated fat to 10 to 20 total grams per day. So, it’s best to choose low-fat (less than 4 grams of saturated fat) and nonfat cheeses that fit into your diet plan.

In addition to fat, sodium is another concern when it comes to cheese. There are, however, certain cheeses that are lower in sodium than others. Ricotta and Swiss cheese have the lowest amounts of sodium, at 35 mg and 54 mg per ounce. Most natural cheeses have 100 to 200 mg of sodium per ounce, and most processed cheeses have 350 to 450 mg per ounce.

Cottage cheese is a cheese curd product that's drained, but not pressed, so some whey remains and the individual curds stay loose. It’s high in protein and works well in sauces, such as in this recipe for Three-Cheese Penne.

Three-Cheese Penne

2 cups (about 6 1/2 ounces) uncooked penne pasta Nonstick cooking spray 2 slices whole wheat bread, cut into cubes 2 cups fat-free cottage cheese 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese 1 cup chopped plum tomatoes, divided 1/3 cup sliced green onions 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup reduced-fat (2%) milk

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting any salt or fat. Drain and rinse well under cold water until pasta is cool; drain well.

2. Coat large skillet with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Place bread cubes in skillet; spray cubes lightly with cooking spray. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until cubes are browned and crisp.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine pasta, cottage cheese, Cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup tomatoes, green onions, Parmesan cheese and milk in medium bowl. Spray 2-quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray. Place pasta mixture in casserole. Top with remaining 1/4 cup tomatoes and cooled bread cubes.

4. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

Makes 6 servings (1 1/3 cups per serving)

Nutritions per Serving:
Calories 345, Total Fat 9g,
Saturated Fat 3g, Protein 30g,
Carbohydrate 36g, Cholesterol 34mg, Dietary Fiber 1g, Sodium 628mg

Dietary Exchanges:
3 Meat, 2 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Vegetable