Contents
How to recognize the healthiest cheese in the supermarket
Food
Decaying for the mildest cheeses, such as fresh, is better for our health
+ Foods that have as much or more calcium than milk
El cheese it makes up a world of its own. A food that covers a wide spectrum of types, shapes, flavors and textures and that drives many crazy. But, within the breadth of options, sometimes we can have difficulties to distinguish the benefits that this multifaceted food can bring us.
If what we are looking for is the healthiest cheese, as a daily consumption we must dlove fresh cheeses, as explained by Sara Martínez, dietitian-nutritionist at Alimmenta. “These cheeses are the healthiest for frequent consumption because they contain less fat,” explains the professional.
Many times we do not want to limit ourselves to the consumption of lighter cheese. When choosing which one to buy in the supermarket, it is essential to look at certain points to choose the one that contains the most benefits. «On its label, we must look at its fat content, and of course, that ingredients include the milk, rennet, dairy ferments and salt», Explains Sara Martínez. Also, he makes a warning about the nutritional claims of cheeses: “None will have miraculous properties.”
Best cheeses
And by types of cheese … which is the best in each case? The professional removes us from doubts. Among fresh cheeses, which generally have a content low in fat and they have a high satiating power, there are many types that can be good: Burgos, Quark, smoothie, Cottage … “If we want to lose weight it is important to opt for skimmed or 0% versions,” says Martínez.
In the case of cream cheeses, again the professional emphasizes that the best option is skimmed cheeses. With semi-cured and cured cheeses we must be more careful. Although thanks to his less amount of water They are foods with an excellent calcium intake, they have much more fat and salt than the rest, so the nutritionist reminds us that we must limit their consumption.
“The fat in these types of cheeses are saturated, but they have nothing to do with those in foods such as avocado or olive oil,” he says. Although they can incorporate into a healthy diet without problem, the dietician does not consider its essential consumption. “It is a very dense cheese, which gives us calcium and protein, but also an undesirable fat,” he says and continues: “For daily consumption, it is better to use lighter cheeses, such as fresh cheese, and reduce the portions of more cheeses. fatty ».
The best source of calcium
The more cured cheeses, the more concentrated nutrients are, so they have more calcium. Fresh cheeses have more water, so the calcium content is diluted. Even so, we must bear in mind that they are cheeses that lead to greater consumption. This means that, by eating more quantity than a stronger and denser cheese, the calcium contribution is compensated.
And could we replace the calcium contribution of milk by consuming only cheese? Although we must bear in mind that many fats come with it, calcium content is much higher. For example, 100 milliliters of skim milk has 112 mg of calcium, while 100 grams of a generic mature cheese has 848 mg.
What to combine it with
Cheese is a food that offers many possibilities when it comes to complementing recipes and dishes. Combines with both sweet and salty. Sara Martínez leaves us some examples to combine it: «We can, in the case of the sweet, make a toast of bread with semi-cured or fresh cheese with jam or quince; or if you opt for the salty one: a toast of bread with avocado and fresh cheese. And even, creamed milkshake with a teaspoon of nut cream.
Also, given the high calcium content of this food and its high sodium content, we must also have be careful when combining it. The nutritionist explains that foods rich in calcium “compete” with those rich in iron at the time of metabolization. For this reason, he explains that, for example, a person with osteoporosis should avoid eating foods that have a high contribution of both at the same meal. Likewise, it recommends that people with hypertension, fluid retention or kidney failure avoid eating semi-cured and cured cheeses due to their high sodium level.