Sat, May-13-17, 02:06
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Plan: Muscle Centric
Stats: 238/153/160
BF:
Progress: 109%
Location: UK
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Say cheese: 6 reasons why brie and cheddar are good for you
Quote:
From The Times
London, UK
13 May, 2017
Say cheese: 6 reasons why brie and cheddar are good for you
A new study says that full-fat dairy products don’t increase the risk of heart attack or stroke — and that’s not all, say the experts
It’s good news for cheese lovers. The widespread belief that cheese (along with milk and yoghurt) is harmful to our health is a “misconception”, according to an international team of experts. Their new findings, published last month in the Journal of Epidemiology, come from a meta-analysis of 29 previous studies and show that even full-fat dairy products do not increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Indeed, cheese has several surprising health benefits too.
Cheddar and Gruyère can help you to lose belly fat
The protein content in cheese may help weight loss, according to an Australian study. Experts from Curtin University of Technology put 40 volunteers on a calorie-reduced diet, but some were asked to eat more cheese, yoghurt and milk.
Among the volunteers, those who increased their daily servings of dairy products from three to five lost the most weight. They also had less stomach fat and lower blood pressure.
The cheeses with the highest protein content are hard cheeses such as parmesan, Gruyère and Emmental, and semi-hard such as cheddar. Protein can increase satiety, says the consultant epidemiologist Dr David Ashton, the medical director of Healthier Weight clinics. “There is also data which suggests foods high in protein can make you feel fuller for longer.”
Strong cheeses may help to reduce dental decay and whiten teeth
Cheese is “just brilliant” for teeth, says Dr Mervyn Druian, of the London Centre for Cosmetic Dentistry. “As well as being sugar-free, cheese also stimulates salivary flow. The flavour and texture of cheese stimulate the flow — so the stronger the cheese, the greater the amount of saliva produced. Saliva contains substances that neutralise the build-up of acid left in the mouth after eating, restoring pH levels. So the more saliva you have in your mouth, the more it will break down any sugar and so reduce dental decay.”
According to Dr Druian, cheese might also be helpful in reducing tooth-staining because the more saliva the mouth produces, the more it will wash away foods and drink such as wine and coffee, which can stain the teeth. Cheese also contains tooth-strengthening casein and calcium phosphate — the highest levels are found in cottage cheese.
Cheese could help to protect bones and prevent osteoporosis
A calcium-rich diet is vital for building bones and keeping them healthy, helping to reduce the risk of osteoporosis in later life. We gradually start losing bone density from around the age of 35. Cheese is a great source of calcium, especially hard cheeses such as cheddar and Red Leicester, says Dr Rosalind Miller, a nutritional scientist with the British Nutrition Foundation. “A 30g portion of English cheddar (the size of a small matchbox) can provide about 40 per cent of the calcium, 50 per cent of the vitamin B12 and 20 per cent of the phosphorus an average adult needs every day — all of which are needed for bone health.” Parmesan and Gouda also have high calcium contents.
“We need to eat cheese for its calcium content. If we don’t get enough calcium in our diet the body takes it out of our bones instead,” says Professor Peter Selby, an osteoporosis specialist at the Manchester Royal Infirmary. “If it takes too much out the bones become weakened, leading to increased risk of fractures and osteoporosis.”
Cheese can help lower the risk of early menopause
About one in ten women has early menopause. This week, a study of 116,000 women by the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Harvard University found that foods rich in calcium can help to lower the risk of early menopause by 13 per cent.
High-fat cheese may reduce the risk of diabetes
A Swedish study has found that eating high-fat cheese (such as cheddar, brie, Roquefort or parmesan) and yoghurt could lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by a quarter. The researchers, from Lund University, are as yet unsure whether it was the saturated fatty acids or other components of dairy products that contributed to the results.
Furthermore, a Canadian study, published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, found that eating dairy products such as cheese and cream may be associated with lower blood pressure and blood sugar — both linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Researchers found that people with healthier blood-test results had a type of fatty acid — trans-palmitoleic — in their blood that is associated with eating dairy food.
Cheddar and cottage cheese could help you to sleep
The amino acid tryptophan, found in cheeses such as cheddar, cottage cheese (which has the highest levels of all cheeses) and Gruyère may help to induce sleep. Dr Neil Stanley, a sleep expert, said that tryptophan is needed to produce melatonin, the brain chemical that helps us to become drowsy. “A couple of slices of cheese on crackers before going to bed could actually help you to get to sleep,” Dr Stanley said.
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https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/...r-you-vxwfk5360
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