Melty, gooey, savory, and rich, cheese is understandably one of the world’s favorite foods. Cuisines from across the globe feature this beloved dairy product, with origins stretching—literally—back at least 7,000 years.
Nowadays, of course, we know that too much of some nutrients in cheese—namely sodium and saturated fat—aren’t so helpful for certain health concerns. High amounts of both can be particularly problematic for people with high blood pressure (also known as hypertension), which raises the risk of heart problems. And since about 45% of Americans have the condition, it’s worth asking whether our collective love of cheese is doing our hearts more harm than good.
So should you limit your favorite pizzas or quesadillas—or is it okay to keep cheese on your plate every day? Here’s what daily cheese-eating might be doing to your blood pressure levels.
When it comes to cheese and high blood pressure, the science doesn’t all point in the same direction.
On the one hand, some studies have shown that saturated fat, which tends to be high in most types of cheese, can increase cholesterol and triglyceride levels, raising the risk of hypertension. The generally high salt content of cheese is also a concern, since sodium is a well-known contributor to hypertension.
According to preventive cardiology nutritionist Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, people with hypertension should monitor their daily intake of both nutrients. “These factors may increase the risk of plaque formation in the arteries over time, especially if consumed in excess,” she told Health. For heart health, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting saturated fats to less than 6% of your daily calories and sodium to no more than 2,300 milligrams per day.
Yet intriguingly, multiple studies have found that, despite cheese’s high levels of saturated fat and sodium, consuming it—even daily—isn’t always linked to high blood pressure or other markers of poor cardiovascular health. In fact, a rather large body of research suggests the opposite.
One such study, published in 2025, revealed that moderate cheese intake was associated with lower, not higher, blood pressure. Meanwhile, research from 2018 found that even a high intake of cheese didn’t change participants’ levels of HDL (“good” cholesterol), LDL (“bad” cholesterol), or total cholesterol—though the study period lasted only two weeks.
One variable to take into consideration when it comes to daily cheese consumption is the overall fat percentage in your cheese of choice, with options ranging from non-fat to full-fat varieties. While low-fat dairy has long been recommended as a heart-healthy choice (and is still recommended by the AHA for heart health), studies now show the story may be more nuanced.
Research from 2024 and 2019, for example, showed that full-fat cheese and other dairy products had no adverse effects on cardiovascular health. Similarly, a 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 studies concluded that high-fat dairy wasn’t associated with a greater risk of hypertension.
Routhenstein said this surprising finding may be explained by something researchers call the “whole food matrix” of dairy. “This is the idea that nutrients work together in whole foods in ways we don’t fully replicate in isolated nutrients,” she said. In other words, even though cheese contains lots of saturated fat and sodium, its whole food status may help counteract some of those potentially negative effects.
That said, Routhenstein stressed that people with hypertension should still consult a dietitian or their healthcare team to understand which fat percentage is best for their individual needs.
Despite the varying research findings on cheese and blood pressure, cardiac dietitian Veronica Rouse, MAN, RD, CDE, said guidance on cheese and hypertension isn’t as confusing as it may seem. “Overall, the consensus is that moderation matters,” she told Health. “Eating large amounts of salty cheeses regularly can contribute to higher blood pressure, but small portions within a healthy diet have neutral effects.”
She pointed to a large meta-analysis that found eating about 40 grams per day (about 1/3 cup of shredded cheese) had neutral-to-beneficial effects on heart health.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, meanwhile, recommend eating three servings of dairy foods per day. If you want to make one of those cheese, Rouse and Routhenstein encourage keeping a few tips in mind for healthy consumption:
- Keep portions controlled. Routhenstein says one ounce (roughly the size of your thumb or four dice) is an optimal serving.
- Watch the sodium. Consider limiting processed cheeses like American slices or cheese spreads. They’re among the highest-sodium choices.
- Try lower-saturated-fat cheeses. Soft, fresh cheeses like cottage cheese, ricotta, and mozzarella tend to be lower in saturated fat.
- Pick healthy pairings. “Try pairing cheese with potassium-rich foods like bananas, oranges, or tomatoes to help offset its sodium content and support healthy blood pressure,” Routhenstein suggested.
- Consider how cheese fits in a broader healthy diet. Balancing your diet with other healthy foods is key when incorporating cheese every day. “If the rest of your diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and healthy fats, including small amounts of cheese, can still be part of a balanced, heart-healthy lifestyle,” Rouse said.
