CHEESE - GOOD FOR DENTAL HEALTH

Cheese is a good health food for the following reasons: it packs a lot of ingredients in a small volume, especially proteins, vitamins, and minerals like calcium.

Derived from milk, it takes ten pounds of milk to make one pound of cheese. The concentration of nutrients is therefore a natural consequence of its mode of production.

Over a third of milk produced in the U.S. is converted to cheese of different kinds, a fact that shows the growing popularity of this product.

The consumption of cheese in the U.S. has increased by over 20 percent in the last decade. This is said to be due to its great taste, good nutritional value, and the variety of food products that it can be added to as an ingredient - sandwiches, pizzas, and so on.

Eating cheese in moderation is good for health, for its calcium, and the rich proteins.

WHAT CHEESE CONTAINS

- proteins
- calcium
- phosphorus
- zinc
- vitamin A
- riboflavin
- vitamin B-12

Cheese accounts for 25 percent of the calcium in the U.S. food consumption.

A point to keep in mind is the saturated fat content of cheese. Many varieties of low-fat cheeses are available. Hence moderation becomes a key issue on cheese consumption.

TYPES OF CHEESE

Cheese is made by curdling milk, followed by segregation and concentration of solid matter. It may be un-ripened such as cottage and cream cheese, or ripened/aged like cheddar, Colby, etc.

Processed cheese is made from one of the above by adding cream, milk fat, emulsifiers, colors, salt, and preservatives.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS

In moderate quantities, the health benefits of cheese consumption are numerous. Some of these are listed below.

• Helps promote dental health. The high calcium content has been shown to help prevent and fight dental caries. Advisable for children.
• Helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
• Helps reduce the risk of hypertension.
• Good alternative source of milk nutrients for lactose intolerant people.