In praise of... cheese
Four health reasons to eat cheese, as if you needed any
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It is hard to define what is so terrific about cheese, with its many unctuous variations. It must be something to do with its fattiness: humans have always loved fat, but in recent times have been conditioned to feel bad about eating it. What a sorry state of affairs.
My aim here is to restore justice. Cheese, like most natural foods that have served us well for thousands of years, offers health benefits in spades. Below I outline some of those benefits. But first, some background.
Origins of cheese
Cheesemaking is a worldwide tradition, and is believed to predate history, originating around 5,000-10,000 years ago. Where it began is not known for sure, though Greece and the Middle East are thought likely.
The Romans were big cheese lovers, experimenting with creating different varieties. In Europe, monasteries in the Middle Ages became centres of cheesemaking expertise. Immigrants arriving from Europe brought their cheesemaking skills to the US in the seventeenth century.
You can play around with the cheesemaking process and come up with any number of variations on the same theme. There are hundreds if not thousands of diferent types, produced from the milk of cows, buffalo, sheep and goats, though any largish and obliging mammal would do.
It’s easy enough to list the nutrients found in cheese, and they are legion: protein, fat, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B12, phosphorous, riboflavin, vitamin D…. but such reductionist nutritionism is too simplistic and does not do justice to the whole, which is much greater than the sum of its parts.
So let me give you four, lesser celebrated reasons to enjoy this wonder food.
1. Cheese contains a lot of conjugated linoleic acid
Dairy foods (and red meat) from ruminants are virtually the only dietary source of a fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
CLA is an omega-6 polyunsaturated fat with some extraordinary health properties. It is known to slow down and even prevent tumour development and is the only fatty acid acknowledged by the National Academy of Sciences in the US to exhibit consistent anti-tumour properties, even at very low levels.
Feeding a mixture of different forms of CLA has been shown to inhibit the growth of numerous types of tumours in several animals – tumours of the mammary, skin, colon and stomach.
‘CLA… has a number of health-promoting properties, including anti-carcinogenic, antiatherosclerotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects’
It was originally believed that the health-giving properties of CLA were limited to its anti-carcinogenic effect, but it has now been shown to also be anti-atherosclerotic. In atherosclerosis, the arteries become narrowed, restricting blood flow and increasing risk of heart attack and stroke.
Any proven, natural anti-atherosclerotic agent is to be welcomed into the diet. Be aware, however, of the considerable difference between the milk from pasture-raised animals and their grain-fed counterparts. The CLA content of the former has been found to be 1.5 to 3 times higher than the latter.
‘Unsurprisingly, consuming pasture-raised animal products elevates serum CLA concentrations in humans compared to grain-fed’
2. Cheese is a rich source of butyrate
Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid. It is a type of saturated fat, and currently very popular as a supplement to restore gut health. We are encouraged to eat lots of fibre, because the bacteria in our guts ferment fibre to produce butyrate and other fatty acids. But dairy gives you a direct shot.
Butyrate provides energy for the activity of the colon and liver. It reduces inflammation in the gut and repairs damage to the gut lining, the layer of cells that acts as a barrier between gut and blood. If damaged, this barrier allows the passage of toxins and pathogenic bacteria into the blood.
Butyrate helps prevent the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria including E. coli and it inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells in the colon.
3. Cheese helps prevent dental decay
Studies show that eating cheese just after a sugary snack ‘virtually abolishes’ the usual fall in pH levels – the acidity – associated with the consumption of sugars and development of tooth decay.
This change in pH is thought due to the effect of lactose, calcium, phosphorus and the protein casein. A controlled clinical trial in children found that eating a 5 g piece of hard cheese straight after breakfast resulted in significantly fewer caries over a period of 2 years.
4. Cheese gives you spermidine
Present in every cell of the body, spermidine is a compound involved in cell growth and proliferation, tissue regeneration, DNA function and enzyme modulation. But its true superpower lies in its ability to prevent memory loss, by triggering the process of autophagy.
Autophagy, meaning ‘self-eating’ in Greek, is a process that takes place in all mammalian cells and tissues. It is a form of clutter clearing, whereby each cell destroys its own worn out or damaged components.
Brain cells are highly dependent on this quality control process. When functioning efficiently, autophagy protects neurons and slows the advance of these neurodegenerative disorders. Conversely, when autophagy fails to function, or is abnormal, disease may arise.
Cheese, especially cheddar cheese, is one of the richest known sources of spermidine.
Making cheese
Before the Industrial Revolution, making cheese at home was the norm. Happily, it is a skill that is currently enjoying a revival: cheesemaking courses are widely available, and DIY instructions are easy enough to find online.
Basically, cheesemaking requires the addition of lactic acid bacteria to milk to make it sour. Lactic acid bacteria (and rennet) are used to acidify and curdle the milk to create solid curd and liquid whey. It is this curd which is then cut and drained to create cheese. Salt is added for flavour but also to preserve the cheese from spoiling. Adding salt also draws more water out of the curd, making the cheese harder. The more salt you add the harder it becomes.
I don’t know which is worse - reducing the fat content of cheese to make it a low-fat product, or attempting to make synthetic, ‘plant-based’ imitations. Both are crimes against human health. Just this morning (12th Feb) I read that scientists have cracked the code to making creamy plant based ‘cheese’ that doesn’t melt and taste like plastic.
What a waste of time. Creating a synthetic alternative to something that is already perfect is an arduous and utterly pointless pursuit. Keep it real.
What a good reminder this is to look into making cheese. As always, thanks for all the good information.