Health Benefits of Cheddar Cheese: Can You Get Away With Eating This Delicious, but High Fat Cheese?

Health Benefits of Cheddar Cheese: Can You Get Away With Eating This Delicious, but High Fat Cheese?
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Nutrients

Cheddar cheese contains a high concentration of essential nutrients, making it one of the best diary products available in terms of health benefits.

It contains:

  • protein that aids growth and repair of body cells
  • iron that boosts production of red blood cells
  • zinc that boosts immunity
  • potassium that helps protect the body against strokes and high blood pressure

A 30-gram (1.1 oz) serving of Cheddar cheese contains about 120 calories, 10 grams of fat, no carbs, 7 grams (0.25 oz) of protein, 200 milligrams of calcium, 185 milligrams of sodium, and 30 milligram of potassium. It also contains minerals such as zinc, iron, and magnesium in small quantities.

This Cheddar cheese nutritional information reveals it as the equvialant of concentrated milk without lactose. This makes it a good alternative to milk for those intolerant to lactose.

Image Credit: flickr.com/Garybembridge

The major health benefits of Cheddar cheese stem from its high calcium content. Cheese provides around 25 percent of the calcium in the American food chain, and Cheddar ranks among the top cheese variants that provide the most concentrated source of calcium.

  1. Calcium contributes to stronger teeth. Cheese in general stimulates the flow of saliva that washes away acids and sugar from the teeth. The high concentration of calcium, protein, and phosphorous in Cheddar cheese also neutralizes plaque acids and protects tooth enamel.
  2. Calcium maintains the strength and density of bones, and in combination with phosphorus, gives structure and strength to bones.
  3. Calcium stimulates many physiological activities such as blood clotting, nerve conduction, muscle contraction, regulation of enzyme activity, cell membrane function, and blood pressure regulation.
  4. Calcium protects the colon cells from cancer-causing chemicals, contributes to maintaining balance in the body, and prevents migraine headaches.
  5. Pregnant women, especially those with a loss of appetite, would do well to eat calcium dense foods such as Cheddar cheese, for calcium helps stimulate contractions during delivery, and ensure proper milk production in the body to feed the newborn.
  6. A study in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” reports that girls undergoing puberty benefit more by taking calcium from cheese than through supplements.

Weight Regulation

Cheddar cheese is a low carb food, but the high fat content contributes to weight gain. While weight gain is bad for normal individuals, athletes, and other fragile people who require weight would do to well to include Cheddar cheese in their diet.

Low-fat versions of protein actually contribute to fat-loss by increasing fax-oxidation. The protein in the cheese stimulates fat oxidation in the body.

Other Health Benefits

Consumption of Cheddar cheese provides many other health benefits as well:

  1. Cheddar cheese, like all cheese variants, contains Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) that improves insulin function and blood glucose levels.
  2. Research suggests that the linoleic acid and calcium found in Cheddar cheese may prevent cancer.
  3. The vitamin B found in cheese helps maintain supple, healthy, glowing skin.
  4. Research indicates that consumption of low-fat Cheddar cheese reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome by up to 62 percent.
  5. Research indicates that consumption of Cheddar cheese is a natural cure for gout, a common type of arthritis.

The health benefits of Cheddar cheese notwithstanding, Cheddar cheese contains high levels of salt and fat, which mandates consumption in moderation.

An optimal weekly intake is 4 ounces, or 120 grams. Another option is to try out a low sodium and low fat version of Cheddar cheese. This affects the taste, but eliminates the harmful side effects and allows consumption of bigger potions.

Reference

George Mateljan Foundation. Cheese, low-fat. Reterived from https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=121.

Disclaimer

The information in this article does not constitute medical advise. Please consult a certified dietician or a medical practitioner before acting on the information contained in this article.