Cheese – Part Of Health

Sliced fresh emmental cheese on white background, cow cheese

Cheese is an excellent non-meat source of protein

In a time when many of us are looking to reduce our consumption of meat, cheese is a valuable source of protein. Cheese is a complete protein, and contains the right proportions of essential amino acids to allow our bodies to absorb all that goodness.

Cheese is crammed with calcium and other minerals

Cheese is packed to the brim with calcium. It’s also bursting with Vitamin D, which helps our bodies to absorb that calcium,along with folic acid, zinc, phosphorus, and Vitamins A, B2, B12, and K2. Fun fact: When consumed together with calcium, vitamins K2 and D3 are especially good at protecting your bones, brain and heart. Cheese (wonderful, wonderful cheese) contains all three. When you munch through that slice of dairy goodness, you’re also consuming conjugated linoleic acid, a proven anti-cancer agent and metabolism booster.

Cheese has less salt than many modern foods

These days, we’re all aware of how addictive salt is, and that we should only include a small amount in our diets. This is true. However, when you consider the amount of salt in processed food or restaurant meals, good cheese really, REALLY isn’t so bad by comparison. If you’re particularly worried about your sodium intake, try sticking to soft cheeses as these typically contain less salt than their harder, older counterparts.

The natural fat in cheese is a good thing

I think the thing that scares people most about cheese is its fat content, and the fact that it’s rather high in calories. The answer to this is old-fashioned and clichéd, but true nonetheless: everything in moderation. Our bodies need fat – not too much, but we do need it. Gram for gram, fat is the most potent and efficient form of energy in our diets, and is important for things like healthy hair and skin, protecting our organs against shock, promoting healthy cell function, and maintaining body temperatures; it is also a very effective way for your body to store energy for later. The fats found in cheese are high-quality natural fats, along with those omega-3 fatty acids that the science types are always banging on about. And before anyone jumps on a bandstand shouting that saturated fats are the devil, there’s actually been quite a bit of research in recent years to suggest otherwise.

Cheese is good for your teeth

We all know that the calcium found in dairy foods like cheese is just as important for your teeth as it is for your bones. In fact, the combination of casein (a protein found in cheese), phosphorus and calcium in cheese may actually help replace lost minerals in your teeth. The dental benefits of cheese don’t end there, though: having a small amount of cheese after a meal can help to neutralise the build-up of acid left in your mouth after eating, as well as stimulating the production of saliva, which can help to reduce dental issues.