Is Gorgonzola Cheese Healthy? (5 Tips For Weight Loss) 

Gorgonzola Cheese is one of many popular Italian foods. If you love eating Gorgonzola Cheese, this article is right for you. Find out what goes into making this delicious Italian cheese, the health benefits of Gorgonzola Cheese, and how to lose weight and stay in shape by eating this popular cheese.

Gorgonzola Cheese is a traditional cheese made in Italy and was first made in the town Gorgonzola, located in the Metropolitan City of Milan in Lombardy, in the 10th century. It is known for its greenish-blue marbling and distinguished taste with a certain “bite” to it. 

Although Gorgonzola Cheese is quite tasty, is it actually healthy?

Yes, Gorgonzola Cheese is a healthy food, as it is low in calories and carbs, and offers a moderate amount of protein and fat per ounce. It is also rich in vitamins. 

Here are five steps that explain what Gorgonzola Cheese is, the calorie amount in one cup of Gorgonzola Cheese, as well as how to stay fit and healthy while eating this classic Italian cheese. 

1. What Goes Into Making Gorgonzola Cheese?

2. How Many Calories Are in One Ounce of Gorgonzola Cheese?

3. Is Gorgonzola Cheese Healthy and Why?

4. How to Stay in Shape by Eating Gorgonzola Cheese

5. How To Increase Your Activity Level When Eating Gorgonzola Cheese

Now that we know our five steps, let’s get into the details that will help you stay in shape while enjoying some delicious Gorgonzola Cheese.

Tip 1. What Goes Into Making Gorgonzola Cheese?

Gorgonzola is made from whole-fat cow’s milk, with added starter bacteria with spores of the mold Penicillium glaucum. The next step is removing the protein called whey during curdling, and the cheese is then aged at low temperatures. The aging process typically takes between three to fourth months and during that process, metal rods are quickly going in and out of the cheese, creating little air pockets which allow the mold spores to grow into branches, causing the characteristic veining of Gorgonzola Cheese. The longer the aging process, the firmer the cheese. 

You can find two types of Gorgonzola Cheese, which differ in the length of aging. There is Gorgonzola Dolce or Sweet Gorgonzola, which is aged less and Gorgonzola Piccante which is aged longer. It is also called; Mountain Gorgonzola, Gorgonzola Naturale, and Gorgonzola Montagna.

Gorgonzola Cheese is a good option for simple dishes such as Spaghetti Gorgonzola, or gnocchi. However, a creamy Gorgonzola sauce also goes well with sauteed veggies or steak. Making cream sauces with Gorgonzola Cheese is a good way to use it up if it has been sitting in the fridge for too long and has developed a strong taste. 

It is important to store Gorgonzola Cheese with care so it can preserve its freshness, taste, and aroma, and is therefore recommended to always store it in the fridge. 

Now that we know what Gorgonzola Cheese is, and how it’s made. Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts of one ounce of Gorgonzola Cheese. 

Tip 2. How Many Calories Are in One Cup of Gorgonzola Cheese?

Regardless of your lifestyle, it’s important to understand how many calories you need to consume daily, especially if you’d like to lose weight. As weight loss is really the concept of calories in vs. calories out.

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts. As you can see, one ounce of Gorgonzola Cheese has 100 calories with a macronutrient ratio of 0 grams of carbs, 6 grams of protein, and 8 grams of fat. 

One ounce of Gorgonzola Cheese is low in calories and carbs but has a moderate amount of protein and fat. 

If you burn more calories than you consume, then you will find yourself in a “caloric deficit” which is the only way fat loss can occur. 

Staying healthy and fit is all about calorie or energy balance, which means that you can still eat your fats and carbs, and stay in shape. The calories are actually not too bad in this dish and can be easily incorporated into your daily calorie intake, as long as you are not over-eating and are working out. 

A good rule of thumb for dieting is keeping a nice balance of macronutrients. A great ratio is sticking to 30% carbs, 40% protein, and 30% fats. 

As you can see, one ounce of Gorgonzola Cheese is low in carbs and high in protein, which is important to build muscle. It is also rich in nutrients.

The key aspect is to understand how many calories you need to eat in a day and to make sure not to overeat on your total calories for the day. 

In the next section of this article, we will explain to you the health benefits of Gorgonzola Cheese and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  

Tip 3. Is Gorgonzola Cheese Healthy and Why?

Yes, Gorgonzola Cheese is relatively healthy as it contains the same fat amount as other cheeses, maybe less. It is also easy to digest because of the bacillus “Penicillium” and is high in vitamins B2, B6, and B12. And in addition, it contains less cholesterol than other cheeses or even meats. Due to the triple fermentation process, Gorgonzola is also lactose and gluten-free. 

To achieve high-quality Gorgonzola Cheese, the production process is crucial. If those requirements are not being complied with, the key factors of Gorgonzola - which is forming mold and lactic acid bacteria - would not follow through. 

Now that we know why Gorgonzola Cheese is healthy, let’s take a look at how you can stay in shape by eating Gorgonzola Cheese. 

Tip 4. How to Stay in Shape by Eating Gorgonzola Cheese

As we have mentioned in section two of this article, it’s important to understand how many calories you need to eat to lose weight and stay in shape. 

You can easily over-eat unhealthy, processed foods that are high in fats and carbs, especially when something is as delicious as Gorgonzola Cheese. Overeating is usually the quickest way to get out of shape. 

To stay healthy and in shape, we need to first go over your daily caloric needs and figure out how many calories you need in a day, as well as figure out how much of each macronutrient you should be consuming.

Eating one ounce of Gorgonzola Cheese, in addition to vegetables, is a great way if you are looking to stay in shape. 

There are a few factors that determine your daily calorie intake. Such as weight management, weight loss, or weight gain. Other factors that play a big role, are your gender and your height. 

So, how do you know how many calories you should be eating in a day?

The answer is through trial and error and finding a calorie range that allows you to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. 

However, a good place to start is to multiply your body weight by 12 or to use an online TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) calculator.

Within your TDEE lies a subsection, which is called TEPA (Thermic Effect of Physical Activity) which accounts for 15-30% of your entire day’s worth of calories.

This means, you are in control of 15-30% of how much you can eat, which is a huge portion of calories.

If you’re someone who loves to eat a lot while staying fit, then the activity is the key to a balanced lifestyle that allows you to eat whatever you like, such as Gorgonzola Cheese, and stay in shape. 

Once you know your calorie intake based on your weight and height, you can then decide how much you want to decrease it. If you want to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week, we suggest you start with 100 calories less than what you are currently consuming and see if you notice a difference within a week. 

However, it is suggested to not decrease the calorie intake below 1,200 per day for women, or below 1,500 calories per day for men.

If you don’t see any changes in your weight, decrease your calorie intake by another 100 calories and see how that works. 

Most likely, you don't have to drop your calorie intake too low, as you’ll get a pretty low number to start with this dish.

So, how do you stay in shape or even lose weight eating Gorgonzola Cheese?

As mentioned before in section two, one ounce of Gorgonzola Cheese has only 100 calories with macros of 0 grams of carbs, 6 grams of protein, and 8 grams of fat. You can just add this into your day and subtract this from your total daily calorie intake.

The key here is to find foods that keep you full longer and still deliver a balanced amount of macronutrients. 

You don’t want all of your calories simply coming from carbs or fats, you want there to be a balance coming from carbs, protein, and fats as mentioned in section two of this article.

So, just calculate whatever calorie range you find, and split up your calories by following those macro guidelines. 

Now that we know how many calories to consume daily, let’s take a look at how you can lose weight and stay in shape.

Tip 5. How To Increase Your Activity Level When Eating Gorgonzola Cheese

After you’ve figured out how many calories you need to consume daily, you need to make sure that you increase your activity level, by exercising regularly and building muscle throughout every week. 

This can be really hard if you’re someone living in LA who has to go to work or commutes with a car majority of the time. 

The best way to incorporate some activity in your daily life is to get a gym membership and do some cardio or to go outside for a walk or run throughout your week. 

Activity throughout your day matters as you can increase your daily calorie expenditure and build muscle.

Since building muscle allows you to burn calories at rest, which means you can eat more and still lose fat.

This is really the goal of working out and is what keeps you healthy as your metabolism increases.

So if you love eating Gorgonzola Cheese, you have to make sure your activity level is higher than usual, especially if you want to lose weight. 

We talked about the importance of understanding how many calories you need to eat in a day but now it’s time to shift the focus on why calories and building muscle go hand in hand. 

Keep in mind that weight loss is really the concept of calories in vs. calories out.

If you live a sedentary lifestyle, then it’ll be much more difficult to lose weight and you’ll start to see that the number of calories you need to eat daily to shed fat is very low.

That’s why it’s important to increase your activity level at least 3 - 4 times a week if your goal is to get lean. 

The other factor that you can control is how much muscle you currently carry.

Muscle allows us to burn calories at rest which means we can burn more calories by just living life.

The fastest and most efficient way to build muscle is to learn how to do some resistance training.

You need to use weights and build muscle by doing a variety of workouts that isolate each muscle group specifically. 

Although it can be intimidating to get in shape, as it will be hard to learn and might be discouraging at the beginning, it’s definitely worth it in the long run for both your health and fitness. 

All you need are a set of dumbbells, such as these adjustable dumbbells, and a reliable treadmill such as the Bluefin Fitness Treadmill that tracks your calories and you’re on your way to controlling the number of calories you burn. 

Regarding working out with dumbbells, it’s important not to add too much weight too soon because that could result in injury if you are unfamiliar with the correct body positions. It is better to start small and then increase the weight level. 

Here is a workout plan we’ve created for women and men, where you can get started if you are someone who hasn’t ever done a resistance training regimen.

WOMEN

Day One (Full Upper):

• Weighted Crunches: 3x35 

• Lateral Raises: 4x15

• Lat Pulldowns: 4x12

• Knee Push-Ups: 4x20

• Seated Shoulder Press: 4x20 

• Dumbbell Row: 3x10

• Dumbbell Fly: 3x10

Day Two (Back/Hamstrings/Biceps):

• Hammer Curls: 3x10

• Bicep Curls: 3x10

• Hamstring Curl: 4x15

• Stiff Leg Deadlift: 4x15

• Cable Row: 4x15

• Lat Pulldowns: 4x12

• Assisted Pull-Ups: 3x10

Day Three (Legs/Butt/Abs): 

• Leg Lifts: 3x35

• Weighted Crunches: 3x35 

• Jump Squats: 4x20

• Glute Kickbacks: 4x20 each leg

• Glute Bridge: 4x20

• Goblet Squats: 4x20

• Squats: 5x5

MEN:

Day One: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Abs (Push Day) : 

• Cable Crunches: 4 sets 15 reps 

• Triceps Rope Push Down: 3 sets 15 reps

• Lateral Raises: 3 sets 15 reps

• Shoulder Press: 3 sets 10 reps

• Dumbbell Press: 4 sets 12 reps

• Bench Press: 3 sets 10 reps

Day Two (Legs & Abs):

• Weighted Toe Touches: 4 sets 25 reps

• Weighted Sit-Ups: 4 sets 25 reps

• Jumping Squats With Resistance Bands: 5 sets 20 reps

• Glute Bridges With Weight: 4 sets 20 reps

• Stiff Leg Deadlift (Romanian Deadlift): 4 sets 15 reps

• Weighted Walking Lunges: 2 sets 20 steps

• Goblet Squats: 4 sets 20 reps

Day Three: Back & Biceps (Pull Day):

• Hammer Curls: 3 sets 10 reps

• Bicep Curls: 3 sets 10 reps

• Seated Cable Rows: 4 sets 15 reps

Dumbbell Rows: 4 sets 10 reps (Each Side)

• Lat Pulldowns: 4 sets 12 reps

• Assisted Pull-Ups: 3 sets 10 reps

We recommend working out at least three times per week in the beginning, since the resting days in between are important to build muscle. 

Although working out and building muscle takes priority, having a consistent cardio schedule can help with expediting the fat loss process as it raises the energy expended throughout your week.

There are two types of cardio that you can do in your week that will speed up the fat loss results. Those two types come from LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State) cardio and HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) cardio. 

What you want to aim for is to burning around 1,000 calories of cardio every week through means of either LISS or HIIT. 

LISS is cardio that comes from walking or a brisk walk, you should be able to have a conversation while still building up a sweat.

HIIT cardio is intervals of a very high-intensity movement such as sprints, battle ropes, or kickboxing movements that aim to raise the heart rate quickly.

The benefit of HIIT is allowing yourself to burn calories in a shorter amount of time. 

We recommend having 80% of cardio coming from LISS while 20% comes from HIIT for optimal fat loss throughout the week.

The reason for this is because HIIT is very hard to consistently track as many of the calorie tracking devices are inaccurate. 

LISS is a much more reliable source of consistent movement and does not require rest as it does not shock the Central Nervous System the way HIIT can.

You can also do a combination of resistance training and LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State) cardio or HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) cardio, to improve your heart health and maximize fat burn. 

Building muscle will happen relatively fast If you are new to working out, so this is great news for anyone looking to get in shape.

Working out allows you to be more flexible in your diet and lifestyle, which is so important if you want to sustain a lean body and stay healthy. 

The best way to do this is by moving more throughout your day. To break it down a little more, let’s take a look at how to distribute energy. 

60-75% of energy expenditure comes from your basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is how much your body burns if it did nothing all day. (NASM)

10% of energy expenditure comes from the thermic effect of feeding (TEF) which is the calories you burn from digesting different foods. (NASM)

15-30% of energy expenditure comes from the Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA) which is movement such as working out and aerobics. Source (NASM) 

To sum it up, up to 30% of our energy expenditure can come from movement and activity so this is a huge portion of our weight loss journey that you can actively control.

The importance of diet and workout is crucial, so you can enjoy foods like Gorgonzola Cheese.

The more movement the better and, to utilize and burn those calories, you should be moving all you can

That’s why it’s important to increase your activity level at least 3 - 4 times a week if your goal is to get lean. 

So if you love eating more than one ounce of Gorgonzola Cheese, you have to make sure your activity level is higher than usual, especially if you want to lose weight. 

If you put calorie tracking, muscle building, and actively moving more altogether, things such as Gorgonzola Cheese won’t get you off track because the formula provides so much leniency for you to shed some fat.

Make sure to stick with it for a long time and understand that fitness is a lifelong journey that takes time to cultivate.

It’s all a process of dedication and holding on for many years. 

THERE IT IS!

If you like to lose weight by eating Gorgonzola, you have to do portion control, watch your caloric intake for the day, and have a consistent workout routine, for a long period.

The key to healthy eating is balance and moderation. Our five tips will help you stay fit while eating Gorgonzola Cheese. 

As long as you understand how many calories you need to consume in a day and fill your body with whole foods that will keep you satiated and satisfied, then you will see results if you put in the time and consistency. 

RECENT POSTS