After a long week, just go for it — pair that cheese with your wine tonight. As it turns out, cheese is not so bad for your health after all, and wine is just as good.
A recent study reported in The Guardian noted that cheese doesn’t increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The study, conducted by the European Journal of Epidemiology, suggests that consumption of the creamy comestibles had a “neutral” effect on our health.
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For years, there has been much talk from researchers about how saturated fats increase the risk of cardiovascular disease but as nutrition professor, Ian Givens at Reading University reveals to The Guardian, it’s a great misconception.
MORE: How to Pair Wine and Cheese Like a Pro
As Givens and his research team explain, there are no associations found for total (high-fat/low-fat) dairy and milk with the health outcomes of mortality, CHD (coronary heart disease) or CVD (cardiovascular disease). In fact, adding fermented dairy products to your diet may actually lower the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
To add to the good news of cheese for all your cheese-eating nights a la Liz Lemon, recent studies show that drinking red wine in moderation can help your heart and brain — like we ever doubted wine, right?
Research published in the journal, Frontiers in Nutrition found that moderate wine consumption has shown the potential in the beneficial delaying of onset cognitive impairments in aging and neurodegenerative disease.
When studying wine, researchers looked at wine residue that passed through the gut and found metabolites help thwart cells from dying because of stress conditions that normally affect neurodegenerative disorders. Additionally, research shows different foods have various benefits along the digestive path. In this case, wine stops dying cells, and therefore interrupts potential neurodegenerative diseases.
While both are now good for you on a scientific spectrum, they should never be over-consumed because not all wines and cheeses are created equal. In fact, as much as you might hate to hear it, treat this pairing as an accessory to a meal rather than a main course.
With the weather cooling down, make the most of the season with refreshing sips year-round and check out our Womanista Approved wines for spring and summer.
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