Kamil Perry
Cheddar cheese, which originates from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England, is a popular staple in many diets. It is often used as a topping for pasta, pizza, or crackers. However, due to its high fat content, it is also very high in syns. The number of syns in cheddar cheese varies depending on the brand, type, and amount consumed. For example, a 30g serving of mature cheddar cheese can range from 4 to 6.5 syns. It's important to track the syns in cheese to stay within the 15-syn daily allowance and maintain a balanced diet.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Syns in 10g of cheddar cheese | 2 |
| Syns in 30g of mature cheddar cheese | 6.5 |
| Syns in 30g of reduced-fat cheddar cheese | 3 |
| Syns in 30g of lighter mature cheddar cheese | 4.5-5 |
| Syns in 30g of vegan alternative to mature cheddar cheese | 4 |
| Syns in 100g of cottage cheese | 5 |
| Syns in 100g of fat-free cottage cheese | 0 |
| Daily syn allowance | 15 |
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What You'll Learn
Mature cheddar syn values
Cheddar cheese is a staple for many, but it is also high in fat and calories, making it generally high in syns. The syn value of cheddar cheese depends on the type of cheddar and the amount consumed. Regular cheddar has up to 10g of fat for a 30g serving, which amounts to 2 syns for 10g or 30g as your healthy extra A dairy allowance.
Mature cheddar, a sharp and pungent variety of cheddar, has a similar syn value to regular cheddar, with approximately 6.5 syns for a 30g serving. Different brands of mature cheddar cheese offer similar syn values. For instance, Cathedral City's original mature cheese has 6.5 syns for 30g, while its lighter version has 4.5 syns for the same serving size. Sainsbury's Grated Mature British Cheddar (30g) also has 6.5 syns, while Aldi's Emporium British Lighter Grated Mature Cheese (30g) has 5 syns.
Some lighter mature cheddar options are available with fewer syns. For example, Aldi's Emporium Half-Fat Mature Cheddar Cheese (30g) has 4 syns. Similarly, the Violife Epic Mature Cheddar Flavour Block, a vegan alternative to cheese, has 4 syns for a 30g serving.
To save syns, one could switch to reduced-fat cheddar, which averages 1.5 syns for 10g, allowing for a more generous serving size while staying within the daily syn allowance.
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Syn-free cheeses
Cheese is a staple food for many, but it is also high in fat and calories, making it a food with a high syn value. On Slimming World, members are allotted 15 syns per day to spend on non-free foods while still losing weight. While some cheeses, such as Stilton or Camembert, have to be Synned, there are a few that qualify as Syn-free Healthy Extra A choices.
Fat-free cottage cheese is considered syn-free on the Slimming World plan. Some options for Syn-free cottage cheese include:
- Tesco Value cottage cheese
- Morrisons Value Cottage Cheese
- Lidl Linessa Natural Cottage Cheese
- Tesco Healthy Living Bio cottage cheese
- Tesco Organic cottage cheese
- Sainsbury's BGTY cottage cheese with onion & chive or natural
- Waitrose Perfectly Balanced cottage cheese, low fat or with onion & chives
Another Syn-free option is to make a cheese sauce using three extra light laughing cow cheese triangles and 21g of light cathedral city cheese.
If you're looking for a more indulgent option, you can create a Syn-free cheeseboard by saving your Healthy Extra As and Healthy Extra B for crackers. Some Syn-free cheese options for your cheeseboard include:
- Manchego
- Gouda
- Hard goat's cheese
- Fat-free cottage cheese
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Syn-saving tips
Cheddar cheese is a staple for many, but it is also high in fat and calories, making it a food with high syn values. A 30g serving of mature cheddar cheese has around 6.5 syns. However, there are some ways to enjoy mature cheddar cheese while saving on syns:
- Lighter options: Opt for lighter mature cheddar options with fewer syns. For example, Cathedral City offers a lighter mature cheddar with 4.5 syns per 30g serving, while their regular mature cheddar has 6.5 syns per 30g. Similarly, Aldi's Emporium Half-Fat Mature Cheddar Cheese has 4 syns for a 30g serving.
- Reduced-fat cheddar: Switch to reduced-fat cheddar, which has nearly half the amount of syns. Reduced-fat cheddar has around 1.5 syns for 10g, allowing you to consume up to 100g before reaching your daily syn allowance.
- Vegan alternatives: Explore vegan alternative cheeses, such as the Violife Epic Mature Cheddar Flavour Block. This vegan option has 4 syns for a 30g serving, which is lower than regular mature cheddar.
- Portion control: Keep in mind that 30g of cheddar cheese can be used as your healthy extra A dairy allowance. Weighing out your portions accurately can help you stay within your syn limit.
- Low-syn alternatives: If you find the syn values of mature cheddar too high, consider other low-syn cheeses. For example, Parmesan has 1 syn per tablespoon, Red Leicester has 2 syns per tablespoon, and feta has 2 syns for a 1-inch cube.
- Syn-free options: Explore syn-free alternatives like fat-free cottage cheese, which is considered syn-free on the Slimming World plan.
- Macaroni cheese: If you're craving a cheesy dish, consider macaroni cheese. While it is known for being junk food, it can be eaten on the Slimming World plan if you track your syns. A 100g portion typically has around 8.5 syns.
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Cheddar cheese history
Cheddar cheese is said to have originated in the village of Cheddar in Somerset, southwest England, dating back to the 12th century. The village's Cheddar Gorge contains several caves, which provided the ideal humidity and steady temperature for maturing the cheese. According to legend, a milkmaid left a bucket of milk in one of these caves and returned to find it transformed into cheese—the perfect golden goodness of cheddar.
Soon, English monarchs developed a taste for cheddar. Records show that King Henry II purchased over 10,000 pounds of cheddar in 1107 or 1170, declaring it the best cheese in England or Britain. The tradition of serving cheddar at royal banquets was continued by his son, King John, and later King Charles I and Queen Victoria.
In the 19th century, Joseph Harding, often called the "father of cheddar," played a pivotal role in modernising and standardising cheddar cheese production. Harding introduced new equipment and techniques, such as the revolving breaker for curd cutting, improving the cheese mill, and applying scientific principles to the process. He also promoted dairy hygiene and shared modern cheesemaking techniques. Harding and his wife introduced cheddar to Scotland and North America, while his sons brought cheddar production to Australia and New Zealand.
During World War II and the following decade, most milk in Britain was used to make a single type of cheese called "government cheddar" due to war rationing, causing a decline in other cheese production in the country. Cheddar continued to spread worldwide, becoming the first mass-produced cheese. Today, it is the most popular cheese in the UK and the second most popular in the US and the world, known for its versatility and beloved for its sharp, pungent flavour.
As for the Syn values of mature cheddar cheese, the values vary depending on the brand and the amount consumed. On average, mature cheddar has around 6.5 Syns for a 30g serving. For example, Cathedral City's original mature cheese has 6.5 Syns for 30g, while their lighter version has 4.5 Syns. Sainsbury's Grated Mature British Cheddar has a similar Syn value of 6.5 Syns for 30g. Aldi's Emporium British Lighter Grated Mature Cheese offers a slightly lower value of 5 Syns for 30g. Violife's Epic Mature Cheddar Flavour Block, a vegan alternative, has 4 Syns for a 30g serving.
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Types of cheddar
Cheddar cheese is one of the most popular cheeses in the world. It is characterised by its bright orange colour, sharp but complex flavour, and versatility in cooking. It is a natural cheese made exclusively from cow's milk, either whole or high-fat, at 3.3%. Cheddar is typically differentiated from other subtypes of cheese by how long it's been aged.
Cheddar cheese is generally divided into four distinct types:
- Mild Cheddar Cheese: Also referred to as Young Cheddar Cheese, it has a soft, smooth, and creamy texture. It is typically aged between 1 to 3 months and has a high moisture content, making it perfect for melting. It has a very mild, creamy flavour without any notable complexity.
- Semi-Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Aged between 3 and 6 months, semi-sharp cheddar has a smoother texture that gradually becomes semi-hard. It starts to develop the characteristic tang of cheddar, but it still has a buttery and moist texture with a hint of sweetness.
- Matured Cheddar Cheese: More commonly known as Sharp Cheddar Cheese, this type is typically aged between 6 and 12 months. It is the most popular type of cheddar, known for its classic, relatively hard, and slightly crumbly texture. The flavour profile is robust, tangy, nutty, and slightly earthy, with a hint of sweetness that fades over time.
- Vintage Cheddar Cheese: Also called Aged Cheddar Cheese, this type of cheddar has been aged for over 12 months, with 12 to 24 months being the most common period. However, it's not uncommon to find cheese aged over 36 and up to 60 months. Vintage cheddar has a complex and robust flavour that is very sharp and savoury.
Additionally, some sources mention Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, which is aged between 3 and 10 years and is often used in casseroles or on cheese boards.
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Frequently asked questions
There are 6.5 syns in a 30g serving of mature cheddar cheese. This is the same for most brands, including Cathedral City, Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Arla Lactofree.
Lighter mature cheddars tend to have fewer syns, with options ranging from 4 to 5 syns for a 30g serving.
Mature cheddar has the same syn value as regular cheddar, which is around 6.5 syns for 30g.
The syn value of cheese varies depending on the type and brand. For example, Violife Epic Mature Cheddar Flavour Block (a vegan alternative) has 4 syns for 30g, while reduced-fat cheddar has around 1.5 syns for 10g.
Cheese is high in syns due to its fat content, which can lead to weight gain if consumed in excess. By counting the syns in cheese, you can stay within your 15-syn daily allowance and support your weight loss goals.
