HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHEESE
Do you love cheese? This delicious food is filled with many nutrients that will do your body good. In this article, we will talk about protein, calcium, zinc, and all the good fats in cheese. We'll also discuss the stress-reducing factors of cheese. Keep reading to learn more about the delicious food you already love...CHEESE!
Protein
First and foremost, let's talk about protein. Cheese is what we call a complete protein. Complete proteins are those proteins that contain all the amino acids. High quality, complete proteins are great for building muscle among other things. In fact, Kirby (2001) states that a 1 oz cube of most cheeses will provide 6 to 8 grams of high quality protein. So now that you know cheese will build strong muscles, you won't feel so guilty about having a few cubes/slices.
Do you know how much protein you need? Click the image below to read more about your protein requirements. Or if you prefer, you can watch the video above to estimate your fats, carbs, and protein.
Calcium
Furthermore, when people say CHEESE, they are usually thinking of two things: selfies and a great source of calcium! In fact, Tufts University concluded that the harder the cheese, the more calcium it tends to have. Some of the harder cheeses with extra calcium include Swiss, cheddar, and Muenster. But don't worry, even the softer cheeses like Parmesan can add great flavor and a little bit of calcium to your bones. So keep adding cheese to your meals. Your bones and teeth will thank you for it!
Fat
Ahh the dreaded F word. You could have probably guessed that delicious cheese has some fat in it. Most great tasting foods have fat in them. But, cheese contains good fat, which is very important for cell function, hormone productivity, and for brain function! Can't think clearly? Eat a slice of cheese! More on that below.
Should you eat reduced fat cheese? There are some people, and even some countries, that recommend eating reduced fat cheese over regular cheese to promote better cholesterol. But does eating reduced fat cheese help your lipid profiles? A study by Raziani et al. (2016) showed that diets with reduced fat cheese did NOT show any improvements over diets with regular fat cheese. So choose your favorite cheese regardless of it's fat content. Besides, we all need a little fat in our diet.
Want to learn more about fat, protein, and exercise? Click on the image below to get more info on all of our classes.
Queso
What the heck is queso? Well, queso is Spanish for cheese. I think most people believe queso means a bowl of melted cheese with tortilla chips like the image below but that's OK, as long as you're eating cheese! And you can make your bowl of queso even more nutritious by adding tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Now that you know all the health benefits of queso, you can feel less guilty the next time you order yourself a bowl. But I must admit, with queso as with any high fat food, portion control is the key. Enjoy your queso in moderation.
Sodium
Yikes...sodium is another bad guy in the kitchen. Salt gives flavor to all your favorite cheeses, but, too much salt can cause high blood pressure. But fear not, if you have high blood pressure, you can still enjoy small chunks of low sodium cheese. There have been some good studies on low sodium cheeses including one from Bansal et al. (2012) who concluded that low sodium cheeses may be as safe, and may taste just as good, as regular cheeses. Find yourself a good low sodium cheese so you can add flavor, protein, and calcium to your already healthy meal.
Stress
In addition to being a healthy food, cheese is currently being studied for its stress reduction qualities. The stress reduction may be coming from the protein tryptophan, which we know will relax your state of mind. The cheese protein tyrosine may also be a stress reducing friend of your body. Maybe it's the taste...maybe it's the magnesium...we're not sure what it is, but cheese has been observed to reduce panic and anxiety attacks. If you like cheese, then you're also going to love the stress-reducing properties in cheese. Bonus: cheese also goes great with wine. Click the image below to read more about the health benefits of wine.
Zinc
And finally, some varieties of cheese are rich in zinc. Zinc plays an important role in keeping your muscles strong, AND zinc also keeps your immune system strong. Click this link to read more about keeping your immune system strong.
Cheese is great but you also need to exercise. If you need help with an exercise plan and/or a nutrition plan, click the image below to contact a PFTA certified personal trainer.
Summary
Cheese, cheese, and more cheese. Hopefully this article has shed some new light on the healthy attributes of cheese. Cheese can help build strong muscles and bones. Cheese can also help you reduce stress, especially if you pair it with a good wine. Cheese also adds flavor to many healthy, delicious dishes. So whatever your reasons for choosing cheese, your body will be glad you did! So next time, don't just say cheese for your selfie, say cheese to a snack!
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