Five facts about cheese ("not to be missed" system)
Dairy products are a complex business - there are those who are sure that it does them bad for the body, those who avoid them for moral reasons, those who think that it simply does not taste good, and there are also those who cannot go a day without them. No matter what camp you are in, on Shavuot it seems impossible to avoid meals rich in cheese and dairy products, so we decided to check which cheese is best for health, and which is less.
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Disclaimer: In the current ranking, we will deal only with animal cheeses, and not with vegan substitutes. This is because vegan cheeses are composed completely differently, usually from nuts, almonds or soybeans, so their nutritional value is always high, even if fattening. In other words: we're all for it, they're just not comparable to classic cheeses. You can read more about them here.
Outstanding: ricotta, cottage cheese and white cheese of yesteryear
Cheeses have quite a few health benefits, but unfortunately, the most popular cheeses have far too much salt, too little calcium and quite a bit of fat. And these are exactly the sections that look at when looking for healthy cheese. The one that does not fall under these sections, and at the same time also delicious and indulgent is ricotta cheese. Ricotta cheese (5-9 percent fat) can contain up to 620 mg of calcium in a three-tablespoon serving (100 grams), with 1,000 mg of calcium being the recommended daily amount for an adult.
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Not boring with her. Fried ricotta cheese balls (Photo: ShutterStock)
Ricotta cheesehas a low to moderate amount of sodium (salt): 100 to 300 mg sodium, and cholesterol between 3 and 27 mg is also low. Ricotta is also rich in quality whey protein, making it always a good choice. In fact, ricotta (in Italian - recooking) is a cheese that is created from the water left over from the process of making another cheese. But don't let that deter you, it's a delicious cheese, both spread on bread and incorporated into cheesecake and pie recipes.
In second place comes "simple" white cheese, assuming you take a moment to choose the right cheese. The white cheeses of various companies contain between 85 mg and 230 mg of calcium per 100 grams. That is why it is very useful to read the food label of seemingly identical products, and choose the cheese with the higher amount of calcium.
In 100 grams of white cheese, the amount of fat and calories is relatively low (about 0.5% to 9 fat, about 64-100 calories) and the amount of protein is relatively high (about 9-10 grams of protein per 100 grams). The amount of sodium in white cheeses varies from 200 mg to even 40 mg per 100 grams, which is considered low in sodium. The amount of cholesterol is low as well.
Classic. A slice of bread with white cheese and cucumber (Photo: ShutterStock)
And in third place on the list of recommended cheeses comescottage cheese – one of the most popular cheeses in Israel. Cottage cheese contains a relatively low amount of fat per 100 grams - 1 to 9 percent low saturated fat and low cholesterol levels (up to 27 mg cholesterol per 100 grams). The amount of calories is relatively low, about 100 calories per 100 grams. The cheese contains a high amount of protein (about 10.5-11.5 grams of protein per 100 grams). 100 grams of cheese will provide a moderate amount (about 350 mg per 100 grams) of sodium and calcium (about 100 mg).
Which cheeses are better to avoid?
Although we have published quite a few studies on the health benefits of fatty cheeses, it is recommended to minimize their consumption. You don't have to eliminate them completely, certainly not in weeks, but it's important that you know what's in them, and choose the amounts you eat wisely.
Yellow cheeses, for example, such as cheddar, gouda, and other cheeses, do have high amounts of protein and calcium (700 to 900 mg of calcium per 100 grams and about 18-30 grams of protein), but usually have a particularly high percentage of fat (28 to even 60 percent fat per 100 grams), of which a high amount of saturated fat. In addition, yellow cheeses have a high amount of cholesterol and sodium.
Parmesanhas a calorie content (about 330) and a high fat content, about 23% fat per 100 grams, of which about 14 grams are saturated fat and about 70 mg cholesterol. The amount of sodium is also very high (about 800-1,000 mg per 100 grams) and is therefore not recommended for people with high blood pressure.
How tasty, so fattening. Parmesan on pasta (Photo: Giphy)
Salty cheeses – Bulgarian, Feta, Safed and more – range between different fat and calorie percentages, but even if you choose cheese that is not very fat, the amount of sodium in it is relatively high. The highest amount of sodium in salty cheeses is about 1860 mg per 100 grams of product, while the lowest amount is about 560 mg. Even in "refined" salty cheeses the range is large. A refined Safed cheese from one company will contain 600 mg of sodium, while the same cheese from a competing company will contain 800 mg. Therefore, it is important to read the list of ingredients, choose balanced cheese and eat it in moderation.
Another cheese that should be underestimated is the star of cheesecakes – mascarpone. Its fat content is very high: 40 to 50 percent fat per 100 grams of cheese. Out of the total fat, there is about 27 grams of saturated fat that is not recommended for excessive consumption due to the fact that it can cause cardiovascular disease. The amount of calories in this cheese is also high (about 380 calories per 100 grams) but the amount of protein is relatively low (about 3 grams of protein). Due to the high fat content in this cheese, cheese also contains large amounts of cholesterol.
- health
- nutrition and diet
- Preventive nutrition
Tags
- Shavuot
- cheese
- Cheese
- Cottage
- Ricotta
- sodium
- calcium
