Let’s talk about cheese. Specifically a very common cheese with lots of benefits and is probably in your fridge or shelf right this moment. Parmesan. I could say Parmigiano Reggiano, but I am not fancy so this distinction is not necessary for this. First, the benefits:
Protein
Your body uses protein to repair and maintain itself. It is a major part of nearly every tissue in your body. Protein in your blood is one of the things that keeps you hemodynamically stable. And at times, when you are having fluid imbalances, the solution is to add protein you in the form of IV protein. A 2-ounce serving of Parmesan cheese contains roughly 20 grams of protein, which can be as high as 41 percent of the daily value, set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Now, 2 ounces of parmesan is roughly 4 tablespoons, keep that in mind when you look at recipes.
Calcium
An article published in the journal, “Clinical Cases in Mineral and Bone Metabolism” in September 2011 notes that numerous studies have established that dietary calcium, along with protein and vitamin D, are essential for achieving peak bone mass and maintaining bone health. Parmesan cheese is easily digested and an excellent source of calcium with a 2-ounce portion containing 671 milligrams, which is more than 67 percent of the DV for this mineral. This cheese also contains small amounts of vitamin D.1
Vitamin A
Vitamin A aids in good vision, particularly in lowered light during the low light periods near sundown. Sufficient vitamin A also contributes to healthy skin, teeth and body tissue. A 2-ounce serving of Parmesan cheese provides 443IU of vitamin A, which is about 9 percent of the DV
Miscellaneous
Consider this – Parmesan Cheese contains all the goodness of the milk it came from but in a concentrated form. Approximately 3 gallons of milk are required to make 1 pound of parmesan cheese. Due to its long ageing, much of the protein in Parmesan has been broken down into peptones, peptides and free amino acids, in effect the protein has been ‘pre-digested’; the protein is readily available and as such it puts very little strain on the metabolism. Parmesan contains 33% protein compared to 20% in lean beef and that animal protein takes 4 hours to digest while the protein in Parmesan takes just 45 minutes. Other benefits to the digestion include Parmesan’s ability to promote the development of Bacillus Bifidus, which is useful for the maintenance of a healthy gut, and also the fact that there is no lactose present – good news for the lactose intolerant or those with gastrointestinal inflammation.
Nothing is perfect, here are the downsides:
Sodium
A 2-ounce serving of Parmesan cheese contains 780 milligrams of sodium, which is 32.5 percent of the DV. If you are age 51 or older, African-American, or have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease, you should limit your sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams per day.
Fat
The fat content of cheese often causes alarm to the health conscious but it is important to note that fat is a fundamental part of nutrition. Muscular activity is dependent on fatty acids and, again, because of the changes that occur during the ageing of Parmesan, much of the fat is in the form of short-chain fatty acids, these compounds are absorbed more easily and supply energy very quickly to the body; in fact, they are treated by the body in much the same way as glucosides (sugar). The cholesterol content of Parmesan is only 80 – 85mg/100g, much lower than other full fat cheeses. Exponents of preventative medicine take an unfavorable view of this cholesterol but a daily intake of 300mg is beneficial according to health guidelines so cholesterol should not be seen as a limiting factor in the consumption of Parmesan.
This combination of nutritional benefits explains why in Italy doctors recommend Parmesan to infants and the elderly as well as to athletes.
- Pampaloni, B., Bartolini, E., & Brandi, M. (2011). Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and bone health.Clinical Cases in Mineral and Bone Metabolism, VIII(3), 33-36.
The Healthy Us 