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More than 300 different cheeses in the U.S. and 2,000 in the world can be classified into eight categories.

What you may not know about cheese.

Because there are so many different types of cheese, it’s a nutritious choice that easily fits into most eating plans — the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) general population recommendations and many of its meal plans; the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, diabetic, Mediterranean, plant-based, vegetarian, gluten-free and low-lactose, among others.

The nutrients in cheese offer health benefits.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends three servings of low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products each day and states: “Moderate evidence shows that intake of milk and milk products is linked to improved bone health, especially in children and adolescents and is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes and with lower blood pressure in adults.”

Cheese is a complex food made from a few simple ingredients. Cheese makers have developed thousands of varieties of cheese around the world, each with a unique taste, texture and nutritional profile. No cheese is the same — there are many standards of identity for cheese, because there are a number of ways to adjust the basic recipe to get a distinct product.

Did you know? If you are looking to lower the sodium in your diet, one tip is to choose a cheese based on firmness and age. In general, softer, less-aged cheeses require less salt than harder, aged varieties. Lower-sodium and lower-fat cheeses also are available.