Cheese benefits

Cheeses are better be eaten in breakfast as 120g, and it is stricly prohibited at any other time of the day, it turns to fat then.

Protein

Cheese is an excellent source of protein.

One thick slice of cheddar cheese (28 g) contains about 6.7 g of protein, which is similar to what you get from a glass of milk.

The majority of proteins in cheese belong to a family of milk proteins called casein.

Milk proteins are of excellent quality, rich in essential amino acids, and highly digestible.

Casein is the largest family of proteins in milk, the most abundant of which is alpha-casein.

It has some unique health effects and may promote lower blood pressure and increased absorption of minerals from the digestive tract.

Vitamins and Minerals

Cheese is a concentrated source of vitamins and minerals.

This is not surprising, given that an entire cup of milk is used to produce 1 slice of cheese.

Calcium: Cheese is among the richest dietary sources of calcium, which plays an essential role in bone health.
Vitamin B12: Also called cobalamin, vitamin B12 is important for the function of the nervous system.
Sodium: Added to cheese to increase shelf life and taste. Small amounts are naturally present in milk.
Phosphorus: An essential mineral widely available in foods, especially processed foods, and its intake is high in the Western diet.
Selenium: Cheese is a good source of selenium, a dietary mineral with several important functions in the body.
Zinc: An essential trace element that serves a diversity of functions.
Riboflavin: Also called vitamin B2. Cheese and other dairy products are the main dietary source of riboflavin in the Western diet.
Vitamin A: One of the most abundant vitamins in milk fat.
Vitamin K2: Cheese is often an excellent source of vitamin K2, also called menaquinone. Adequate intake of K2 is important in maintaining bone and heart health.

Bone Health and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease, characterized by reduced bone density and increased risk of fractures.

Consumption of dairy products, such as cheese, has long been recognized as an effective strategy against osteoporosis, especially among elderly women.

Heart Health

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in modern society.

Regular consumption of milk products appears to be beneficial for heart health, and may reduce the risk of hypertension, which is one of the leading causes of heart disease.

Multiple nutritional factors are believed to be responsible for this effect.

This includes the unique combination of calcium, potassium and magnesium found in milk products.

In addition, peptides formed by the digestion of casein, the main family of proteins in cheese, are believed to be partly responsible.

In short, moderate consumption of cheese, as a part of a balanced diet, may protect against heart disease.

How Cheese is Made

Cheese making is both art and science.

All cheese making starts with the coagulation of milk, forming so-called milk curds.

This is the process that separates milk into curds (solid components) and whey (liquid components).

Milk curds are mainly composed of casein protein and milk fat, with small amounts of water.

Milk coagulates when it comes into contact with acid, but this process can also be facilitated by adding enzymes.

The curds are then processed, heated, pressed, salted, drained of any remaining whey and cut into the desired shapes.

The last step is curing or ripening, which involves storing the cheese under specific conditions for a specified amount of time until it reaches maturation.

This process involves certain kinds of bacteria and fungi (molds).

Cheese is a delicious and nutritious food that is very versatile. You can add it to other dishes or eat it by itself. It’s convenient and portable. There are more than 300 varieties of cheese—including American, Cheddar, Mozzarella and Colby—many of which are available in various flavors, forms (chunks, slices, cubes, shredded, grated, crumbled, sticks, spreads) and packages to meet consumers' needs.

Although cheese is frequently vilified for its high saturated fat content, new research has revealed that it may not have the negative health impact we have all come to assume.

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has argued that, because no nutrient is consumed in isolation, their impact on the body must always be studied in the context in which it is eaten. Their work has shown that, despite the high proportion of saturated fat, cheese does not have the  negative effect on blood cholesterol that you may expect. 

Nutritionist Arne Astrup from the University of Copenhagen, said  “Research clearly demonstrates important health benefits of cheese for prevention of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancers.”

This isn't the first time a study has suggested consuming cheese could positively affect our health.

From improving your immune system to preventing tooth decay, here six other surprising health benefits of our favourite dairy product...

Could prevent liver cancer

Eating cheese could stop you from developing liver cancer and boost liver health, according to new a study from Texas A&M University. The research even found that aged cheeses such as brie and cheddar have the potential of boosting life expectancy by up to 25 per cent.

This is because these cheeses contain a compound called 'spermidine', though to prevent liver fibrosis and 'hepatocellular carcinoma', the most common type of liver cancer.

Leyuan Liu, an assistant professor at the university, said: "Severely cutting the number of calories consumed, restricting the amount of methionine (a type of amino acid found in meat and other proteins) in the diet and using the drug rapamycin have been shown to truly prolong the lifespans of vertebrates.

"But eating less and not eating meat will not be welcomed by general population, while rapamycin has shown to suppress the human immune system - therefore, spermidine may be a better approach."

Boosts your immune system

A 2010 study found that eating a piece of cheese every day could potentially benefit the immune system of elderly people.

The research, from scientists from the University of Turku in Finland, discovered that  probiotic cheese has the ability to prevent the age-related deterioration of the immune system.

The scientists are volunteers aged between 72 and 103 to eat one slice of either a placebo or probiotic Gouda cheese with their breakfast for four weeks. At the end of the study period they found that those who ate the probiotic cheese showed a clear strengthening of the immune system.

Lead author of the study, Dr Fandi Ibrahim, said: "The intake of probiotic bacteria has been reported to enhance the immune response through other products and now we have discovered that cheese can be a carrier of the same bacteria.

"We have demonstrated that the regular intake of probiotic cheese can help to boost the immune system and that including it in a regular diet may help to improve an elderly person's immune response to external challenges."

Prevents tooth decay

In addition to brushing regularly, it turns out eating cheese could also benefit your teeth.

The 2013 study, from the Academy of General Dentistry in America, found that cheese not only makes the mouth more alkaline (which reduces the need for dental treatment) but also creates a protective film around the teeth.

The researchers split 68 children up into three groups. One groups were asked to eat a daily portion of cheese, another a daily portion of sugar-free yoghurt, and the group were asked to drink a glass of milk.

They measured the pH levels both before and after the test and found that those who ate the cheese showed a "rapid" increase in pH level while those who ate the yoghurt or drank the milk showed no change.

Lead author of the study, Vipul Yadav said: "The higher the pH level is above 5.5, the lower the chance of developing cavities."

Academy of General Dentistry spokesperson Dr. Seung-Hee Rhee added: "It looks like dairy does the mouth good. Not only are dairy products a healthy alternative to carb- or sugar-filled snacks, they also may be considered as a preventive measure against cavities."

Helps with weight loss

In 2009 a group of Australian researchers claimed that a diet full of dairy products such as cheese can help overweight people lose weight.

Researchers from the Curtin University of Technology in Perth asked 40 volunteers to start a calorie-reduced diet and a selection to eat more cheese, yoghurt and low fat milk.

They found that those who consumed between three to five servings of dairy product a day lost the most weight. They also had lower blood pressure, less stomach fat and "significantly improved" their chances of avoiding heart disease and diabetes.

Lead researcher, Dr Wendy Chan She Ping Delfos said: "Many people commonly believe that when trying to lose weight, dairy products are key foods that they have to cut out of their diet as they are high in fat.

"This study has shown that when trying to lose weight people can actually benefit by increasing the amount of dairy they consume, as long as during the weight loss period total energy intake is less than their requirements.

"It will help you reduce your blood pressure and it also causes greater total abdominal fat loss, so you'd lose weight more around the belly."

Makes you smarter

Cheese gets a lot of flack, but some research suggests it could be beneficial for your intelligence.

A 2012 study from American and Australian researchers found those who regularly consume dairy products including cheese, milk and yoghurt, score better on mental ability tests than people who never consume dairy.

The researchers asked 900 men and women to go through a series of cognitive challenges that tested their visual-spatial, verbal and working memory tests.

They found that those who scored the highest across the board also consumed the most dairy products on a regular basis.