Feta Cheese

Feta is a salty, soft white cheese that originated in Greece. It's usually made using the milk of sheep or goats. Sheep's milk feta has a tangy, sharp taste, but goat's milk feta has a milder taste. Because feta is packaged in brine to keep it fresh, it has a high sodium content. However, it does have fewer calories than most other cheeses.

Feta, like other full-fat dairies, contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a medium-chain fatty linked to weight loss and improved body composition. A study of 40 overweight adults found that consuming 3.2 grams of CLA per day for six months reduced body fat and prevented holiday weight gain when compared to a placebo. As a result, foods high in CLA, such as feta, may help improve body composition. In fact, feta and other sheep's milk cheeses have a higher CLA content than other cheeses. To include feta cheese into your diet, sprinkle it over salads or add it to eggs.