Food makes us happy, that's why the health benefits are listed under Happy Thoughts - because this makes us HAPPY.
Why Cheese is Good for you
written and researched by Heather
I have to be honest. I'm particularly partial to cheese. I like it in salad, with pasta, and melted on potatoes. Yet I haven't heard anyone sing its praises. Instead I've heard about how fattening cheese is and how it causes osteoporosis. So if you're curious like me, you'll enjoy what I've uncovered about cheese.
Good for teeth:
Cheese is good for our teeth. One study discovered that eating processed cheese resulted in significant reductions in the size of enamel lesions and reduced the progression of root lesions. (1) Concluding that cheese is hypoacidogenic, anti-acidogenic, prevents demineralisation and enhances remineralisation. However there is more evidence that cheese benefits dental health. Another study revealed that eating cheddar cheese reduces the effect of sugar on teeth. (2) Sugar is well known to cause dental caries. Testing teeth treated with cheese followed by sucrose, against teeth treated with de-ionised water, revealed that the teeth treated with the cheddar cheese had a higher concentration of calcium which reduced dental caries. These benefits include meals containing cooked cheese.(3) In fact calcium ion concentrations increased from 30 mcg to between 200 - 540 mcg after chewing on cheese (4), depending on the type of cheese eaten. This study suggests ending your meal with cheese eaten alone to reduce the incidence of dental caries. After chewing cheese, plaque fluid concentrations of amino acids were significantly higher (5) . Anyone who has what is considered soft teeth, benefits from eating cheese. Eating cheese rehardens tooth enamel. For this study cheddar cheese was used. (6) However another study revealed the same benefits in soft cheeses. (7) This is especially beneficial to those who've undergone radiotherapy, as this can cause dental caries in patients (head and neck radiotherapy). Patients studied had a significant increase in rehardening of tooth enamel by chewing hard cheeses after enamel softening caused by treatment. (8) Patients had reduced saliva flow after radiation therapy, and this caused a loss of minerals in teeth. However eating hard cheeses helped to prevent the loss of minerals in patients and helped to remineralise the initial loss of minerals in patients undergoing radiation. (9)
CLA (Conjugated linoleic acid)
Cheese also contains high levels of CLA. CLA has anticarcinogenic properties, (carcinogens cause cancer). One study provides proof that dose-dependent dietary CLA inhibited mammary tumours and provided protection against the development of breast cancer. (10) We must remember that cheese is made from milk. Milk contains vitamins A and D, beta carotene and other substances which all have anticancer potential. In rat studies the butyric acid in milk also inhibited breast cancer. (11) The peptides and proteins present in milk are even anti-hypertensive, anti-microbial, anti-thrombotic and immunodulatory (boosts the immune system). (12) In fact other studies have also reinforced the fact that fermented dairy products are good for lowering blood pressure and good for the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, endocrine and immune systems. (13) Several of the peptides found in milk proteins inhibit cancer cell growth. (14) The CLA content of cheese increases with maturity. (15) A variety of cheeses are good sources of CLA. In a study using cheddar cheese, nine men were tested after eating cheddar cheese for four weeks, and their protein and fat intakes had increased significantly due to this dietary add on.(16) A study conducted in the Netherlands linked a decrease in breast cancer risk with an increase of Gouda cheese intake. (17) All of which reveal just how important cheese can be in our diet.
Myths about cheese
Let's address this issue of cheese attributing to body weight. A study done in Sweden examined thousands of women eating one serving of cheese and other dairy products a day. Their findings revealed that cheese was inversely associated with weight gain (18). Meaning that cheese does not contribute to making a person fat. Another study revealed that a diet high in dairy products and associated calcium prevents weight gain in both African-Americans and Caucasians of both sexes. It also reduces the prevalence of insulin resistance syndrome. Concluding that a diet rich in dairy products and calcium reduces the risk of obesity.(19) The other misconception is that cheese contributes to the development of osteoporosis. However cheese is high in calcium, and calcium is a well known preventative for osteoporosis. (20) As cheese contains virtually no lactose (this is degraded during the refining of cheese), the association of cheese and lactic acid does not apply. In fact cheese and milk consumption are particularly important to fight against bone friability.(21) In yet another study milk calcium taken with cheese increased bone strength and bone mineral density, resulting in a stronger spine and femur in this study. ( 22). This evidence more than lays to rest the misconception of associating cheese with osteoporosis. However it is interesting to note here that dietary calcium intake reduces a woman's risk of developing kidney stones, but calcium supplementation increases the risk of kidney stone development. Making the eating of calcium rich foods like cheese preferable to taking supplements. (23).
Other Benefits
Alpine cheese was compared against English Cheddar cheese to examine the merits of this cheese for a healthy heart. Alpine cheese contains four times more alpha linoleic acid, three times more CLA and more 3 fatty acids than cheddar cheese. (24) This makes Alpine cheese favourable as a dietary aid for anyone with pulmonary tuberculosis and it contributes to overall cardiovascular health. Alpine cheeses are also richer in Omega-3-fatty acids. (25) Regular consumption of cheese and dairy products also lowers your risk of developing gout. (26) Eating foods rich in calcium. is associated with lowering the risk of age-related increase in blood pressure and pulse pressure. (27) Cheese contains probiotics, because probiotic micro-organisms are used to manufacture fermented milk products. (28) Oral candida is prevalent in the elderly, however probiotics reduce the prevalence of this yeast in the mouth. (29)
Nutrition
One cup (132 grams) of cheddar cheese contains 18 amino acids (most of them in very high quantity), 66% of our daily protein requirement, retinol, beta-carotene, vitamin D, E, K, riboflavin, niacin, B6, folate, B12 and pantothenic acid. It also contains minerals calcium (95% of our daily requirement), iron, magnesium, phosphorus (68% of DV), potassium, sodium, zinc, selenium and flouride. This cup contains 482 mg of omega-3-fatty acids and 762 mg of omega-6-fatty acids. Revealing that cheese is also highly nutritious. (30)
Altogether this amounts to a huge body of evidence that cheese, in all of its forms, is highly beneficial for good health.
References:
1. Effects of processed cheese on human plaque pH and demineralization and remineralization.: Jensen ME, Wefel JS. - Dows Institute for Dental Research, University of Iowa, Iowa City. Am J Dent. 1990 Oct;3(5):217-23
2. Effects of water-soluble components of cheese on experimental caries in humans. Silva MF, Burgess RC, Sandham HJ, Jenkins GN.: J Dent Res. 1987 Jan;66(1):38-41
3. The cariostatic potential of cheese: cooked cheese-containing meals increase plaque calcium concentration.: Moynihan PJ, Ferrier S : Br Dent J. 1999 Dec 25;187(12):664-7
4. Effect of eating cheese on Ca and P concentrations of whole mouth saliva and plaque. Jenkins GN, Hargreaves JA. : Department of Oral Biology, Dental School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.: Caries Res. 1989;23(3):159-64
5. Effects of Parafilm and cheese chewing on human dental plaque pH and metabolism. Higham SM, Edgar WM.: Department of Dental Sciences, School of Dental Surgery, Liverpool, UK.: Caries Res. 1989;23(1):42-8
(6) Effect of hard cheese exposure, with and without fluoride prerinse, on the rehardening of softened human enamel.: Gedalia I, Davidov I, Lewinstein I, Shapira L.: Dental Research Unit, Hebrew University, Hadassah Faculty of Dentistry, Jerusalem, Israel.: Caries Res. 1992;26(4):290-2
(7) Enamel rehardening by soft cheeses.: Lewinstein I, Ofek L, Gedalia I. : Hadassah School of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.: Am J Dent. 1993 Feb;6(1):46-8
8. Association between dairy food consumption and weight change over 9 y in 19,352 perimenopausal women.: Rosell M, Hakansson NN, Wolk A.: The National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.: Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Dec;84(6):1481-8
9) Alpine cheese--healthy for your heart or just a lifestyle product? : Hauswirth CB, Scheeder MR, Beer JH. : Department Innere Medizin, Universitatsspital Zurich.: Ther Umsch. 2005 Sep;62(9):619-24
(10) Conjugated Linoleic Acid Suppresses Mammary Carcinogenesis and Proliferative Activity of the Mammary Gland in the Rat1 : Clement I, Meenakshi Singh, Henry J. Thompson and Joseph A. Scimeca : Department of Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York 14263 [C. I.]; Laboratory of Nutrition Research, AMC Cancer Research Center, Denver, Colorado 80214 [M. S., H. J. T.]; and Nutrition Department, Kraft General Foods, Inc., Glenview, Illinois 60025 [J. A. S.] : Cancer Research 54, 1212-1215, March 1, 1994
(11) Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Other Anticarcinogenic Agents of Bovine Milk Fat P. W. Parodi : Human Nutrition Program, Dairy Research and Development Corporation, Melbourne, Australia : Journal of Dairy Science: February 1, 1998
12) Bioactive peptides derived from milk proteins: Torres-Llanez Mde J, Vallejo-Cordoba B, Gonzalez-Cordova AF.: Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos de Origen Animal ((DTAOA), Centro de Investigacion en Alimentacion y Desarrollo, A.C. Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.: Arch Latinoam Nutr. 2005 Jun;55(2):111-7
13) Technological options for the production of health-promoting proteins and peptides derived from milk and colostrum.: Korhonen H, Pihlanto A.: MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Biotechnology and Food Research, FIN-31600 Jokioinen, Finland. : Curr Pharm Des. 2007;13(8):829-43
14) Multifunctional peptides encrypted in milk proteins.: Meisel H.: Federal Research Centre for Nutrition and Food - Location Kiel, Institute for Dairy Chemistry and Technology, PO Box 6069, D-24121 Kiel, Germany. : Biofactors. 2004;21(1-4):55-61
15. Newly recognized anticarcinogenic fatty acids: identification and quantification in natural and processed cheeses : Ha, Yeong L.; Grimm, Nancy K.; Pariza, Michael W. : Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (1989), 37(1), 75-81
* Dietary sources of conjugated dienoic isomers of linoleic acid, a newly recognized class of anticarcinogens : Chin, S. F.; Liu, W.; Storkson, J. M.; Ha, Y. L.; Pariza, M. W. : Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (1992), 5(3), 185-97
16. Effect of cheddar cheese consumption on plasma conjugated linoleic acid concentrations in men : YI-CHIA HUANG ; LUEDECKE L. O. ; SHULTZ T. D. : Washington State univ., dep. food sci. human nutrition, : Pullman WA 99164-6376, ETATS-UNIS
17) Consumption of fermented milk products and breast cancer: a case-control study in The Netherlands.: van't Veer P, Dekker JM, Lamers JW, Kok FJ, Schouten EG, Brants HA, Sturmans F, Hermus RJ.: Epidemiology Section, TNO-CIVO Toxicology and Nutrition Institute, Zeist, The Netherlands.: Cancer Res. 1989 Jul 15;49(14):4020-3
18) Enamel rehardening with cheese in irradiated patients.: Sela M, Gedalia I, Shah L, Skobe Z, Kashket S, Lewinstein I.: Oral & Maxillofacial Unit, The Hebrew University, Hadassah Faculty of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.: Am J Dent. 1994 Jun;7(3):134-6.
19) Calcium Intake and Reduction in Weight or Fat Mass : Dorothy Teegarden :Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907 : Symposium: Dairy Product Components and Weight Regulation ; The New England Journal of Medicine 2007
20) Dietary calcium and health: H. E. Theobald - British Nutrition Foundation, London, UK Dr Hannah Theobald, British Nutrition Foundation, 52–54 High Holborn, London WC1V 6RQ, UK.: Nutrition Bulletin - Volume 30 Issue 3 Page 237 - September 2005
21) Käse: ein wertvolles Lebensmittel in DER menschlichen Ernährung (Cheese: valuable food in human nutrition has) by SIEBER Robert; Mitteilungen aus Lebensmitteluntersuchung und Hygiene (Mitt. Lebensmitt.unters. Hyg.) ISSN 1424-1307 - 2005, vol. 96, N O2, pp. 141-170 [30 page (S) (article)] - Bundesamt für Gesundheitswesen, Bern, SWITZERLAND (1999) (Re-examined)
22) Milk Calcium Taken with Cheese increases Bone Mineral Density and Bone Strength in Growing rats.: Ken Kato, Yukihiro Takada, Hiroaki Matsuyama, Yoshihiro Kawasaki, Seiichiro Aoe, Hidea Yano, Yasuhiro Toba: Biosci, Biotechnol, Biochem, 66 (11), 2342-2346, 2002
23) Comparison of Dietary Calcium with Supplemental Calcium and Other Nutrients as Factors Affecting the Risk for Kidney Stones in Women: Gary C. Curhan, MD, ScD; Walter C. Willett, MD, DrPH; Frank E. Speizer, MD; Donna Spiegelman, ScD; and Meir J. Stampfer, MD, DrPH : From Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health: 1 April 1997 | Volume 126 Issue 7 | Pages 497-504
24) Fluoride and hard cheese exposure on etched enamel in neck-irradiated patients in situ.: Gedalia I, Braustein E, Lewinstein I, Shapira L, Ever-Hadani P, Sela M.: Department of Oral Biology, Hebrew University-Hadassah, School of Dental Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel.: J Dent. 1996 Sep;24(5):365-8
25) High omega-3 fatty acid content in alpine cheese: the basis for an alpine paradox. Hauswirth CB, Scheeder MR, Beer JH.: Department of Medicine, Kantonsspital Baden and the Federal Institue of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland.: Circulation. 2004 Jan 6;109(1):103-7. Epub 2003 Dec 15
(26) Purine-rich foods, dairy and protein intake, and the risk of gout in men. Choi HK, Atkinson K, Karlson EW, Willett W, Curhan G.: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. : N Engl J Med. 2004 Mar 11;350(11):1093-103
27) Dietary calcium lowers the age-related rise in blood pressure in the United States: the NHANES III survey.: Hajjar IM, Grim CE, Kotchen TA. : Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, Palmetto Health Alliance / University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29206, USA.: J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2003 Mar-Apr;5(2):122-6
28) New Directions for Cultured Dairy Products : Ronald C. Deis, Ph.D: Design Elements march 2000
29) Probiotics reduce the prevalence of oral candida in the elderly--a randomized controlled trial.: Hatakka K, Ahola AJ, Yli-Knuuttila H, Richardson M, Poussa T, Meurman JH, Korpela R.: Valio Ltd, R&D, PO Box 30, FIN-00039 Helsinki, Finland.: J Dent Res. 2007 Feb;86(2):125-30