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| Cheese is low in carbohydrates, so it has surprisingly little effect on blood sugar, and the right amount alongside the right foods can even keep things steady. What matters is which cheeses you choose and what you put them next to. |
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Let’s look into it,
Tim Snaith
Newsletter Editor, Healthline
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Written by Tim Snaith
June 25, 2026 • 2 min read |
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| Can people with diabetes eat cheese? |
| Yes. Cheese can sit comfortably in a balanced diet in sensible amounts. |
| This is because cheese is mostly fat and protein, with very little carbohydrate, and carbohydrates are what raise blood sugar levels. A slice on its own barely registers, and the protein helps you feel full, which can take the edge off snacking later. |
| The things to be wary of are salt and saturated fat. Both can add up, and they matter a little more when diabetes already raises the risk of heart trouble. The simplest fix is choosing your cheese carefully, and favoring naturally lower-salt cheeses like mozzarella, Emmental, low-sodium cottage cheese, and cream cheese make easy everyday picks, while saltier ones like feta, halloumi, blue cheese, and processed slices and spreads are better kept occasional. |
| A serving about the size of 3 to 4 dice is plenty. Cheese works best as a flavor rather than the main ingredient in a meal. Eaten with high fiber foods, a little avocado (we covered this last week), whole or whole grain crackers, and a small serving of fruit, it steadies blood sugar far better than a cheese topping on white crackers. |
| A couple of recent studies linked moderate cheese eating with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, though researchers stress that more evidence is needed before calling it actively protective. |
| The bottom line: Cheese is not your enemy! Choose the right types, keep portions modest, and check with your care team about what fits your plan. |
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