Check out the many health benefits of cheese, and grab yourself a fondue stick!
Cheese is one of those proteins you just can’t help but love. From the sharp taste of Blue cheese to the creaminess of cottage cheese to the solid flavor of Gouda, cheese is a wonderful food that goes well with just about everything. Sure, it may be high in fat and calories, but it’s also packed with nutrition.
Here are a few cheeses and the amazing health benefits they can offer you:
- Cheddar Cheese — This classic American cheese isn’t just great for mac and cheese and sandwiches, but it’s actually one of the best cheeses to help improve your bone health. Loaded with calcium, cheddar cheese provides your body with mineral it needs to strengthen your bones. Plus, it can even help to deal with PMS symptoms and lower blood pressure.
- Cream Cheese — If you want a soft spread cheese, it doesn’t get better than this! It’s rich in saturated fat, but eating a small portion of it will help to fill you up. You may be eating a few more calories than you might like, but it will satiate your appetite effectively due to the fat content.
- Cottage Cheese — This cheese isn’t just loaded with protein, but it’s also one of the lowest-fat cheeses around. It’s loaded with selenium, an antioxidant that will reduce arthritis pain and inflammation. The Vitamin B12 in the cottage cheese will give your metabolism a boost, as well as improve brain health and reduce cardiovascular disease risk.
- Parmesan Cheese — Parmesan cheese is often recommended for dieters, as it has an intense flavor that gives you the delicious taste you want without adding too many calories to your diet. Adding parmesan cheese to a soup or salad will make the dish more filling, but without your going overboard!
- Swiss Cheese — There are a number of different types of Swiss cheeses, but you’ll find that most of them are a great source of calcium. The calcium won’t just help to improve bone health, but the mineral can even help you to keep your blood pressure under control.
- Mozzarella Cheese — Mozzarella cheese may be full fat, but it’s still one of the best to eat if you want to avoid hunger pangs. Full fat cheese can hold your appetite and hunger pangs at bay for hours at a time, ensuring that you avoid snacking on the wrong foods. Full fat cheese actually help you to stay faithful to your diet, as the fat takes longer for your body to digest, thus ensuring that you are full for longer!
- Roncal Cheese — This is a unique type of cheese, with a very nutty flavor and a wonderfully chewy texture. It works nicely as a midday snack, as it’s fairly low in calories but rich in taste!
READ MORE: 12 Healthiest Cheeses to Eat
Here are a few more benefits of eating cheese:
- Reduce acidity in the mouth. By reducing acidity, you stop the spread of harmful bacteria and plaque, thereby reducing damage to your teeth.
- Prevent demineralization by providing your body with phosphorus and calcium.
- Strengthen the enamel of your teeth, and prevent plaque from forming in the spaces between the teeth.
- Increase saliva production, thereby helping to wash your mouth out and restoring a healthy pH balance.
- Provide your body with the protein needed to produce energy for your muscles.
Aside from those unlucky few who are lactose intolerant, cheese is a food that EVERYONE should eat. It’s wonderful for your health, not to mention absolutely delicious. It’s a high fat food you should eat in moderation, but you can still enjoy the wonderful flavor and filling texture of the dairy product.
