Say Cheese!

Say yes to cheese and indulge in its smoothness and taste. Rich in flavor, nutritious and healthy, cheese is one of the widely used ingredients in dishes. Cheese is a concentrated source of many nutrients found in the milk from which it’s made. 

Cheese and its benefits

• High-quality food: Cheese contains a high concentration of essential nutrients, in particular high quality protein and calcium as well as others such as phosphorous, zinc, vitamin A, riboflavin, and vitamin B12.
• Cavity fighter: Consuming certain varieties of cheese - aged Cheddar, Swiss, Blue, Monterey Jack, Brie, Gouda and processed American cheese immediately after meals or as a between-a-meal snack has proven to help prevent tooth decay. Calcium, phosphorous and other components in cheese may contribute to this beneficial effect. Milk proteins also help as it neutralizes plaque acids with their buffering capacity.
• Weight control: Include cheese in a fat-reduced diet by replacing high-fat cheese with low-fat alternatives.
• Solution for lactose intolerance: Many varieties of cheese, in particular aged cheese like Cheddar and Swiss, contain little or no lactose. For this reason, cheese is an important source of calcium and other nutrients that are found in milk for lactose intolerant people.
• Osteoporosis prevention: With emphasis placed on calcium and its role in the prevention of osteoporosis, eating cheese is an excellent way to boost the calcium content of prepared foods.

Is cheese a good source of Calcium?

The high nutritional value of Cheese makes it an important dairy food to include as part of a healthy diet. Rich in Calcium, it helps meet the recommended 3 servings of milk and dairy products a day and plays a major role in helping build strong and healthy bones.
Bear in mind that cheese is a high calorie food because of its high fat content. So try to opt for low-fat and calorie choices.

Here’s a Comparison Table of a variety of Cheese and their Calcium and Calorie content

*Daily recommendation of Calcium=1000mg (19-50 years)

Good to Remember

Go for white cheese more than yellow as it’s lower in fat and therefore lower in calories as well.