What Nutrients Does Cheese Provide?

If you're anything like me you may think cheese should be its own food group and not just part of the dairy. It can be enjoyed at any meal or with every meal. It's a great vessel for veggies and a quick way to jazz up rice, eggs, meat and sometimes fruit. You may worry about the calories and fat, but do you know what else lays hidden in those golden bricks?

Protein

Protein is just one of the many nutrients this scrumptious food carries. Soft types can have between 20 and 30% of an adult's daily needs. And the harder types can hold up to 50% per a 100 gram serving. Some of the 'ripened' cheeses are even better with for protein because the process lends aide in digestion of this super nutrient.

Calcium

Calcium is something we need during all stages of our life. It's vital to grow healthy bones, to maintain them and to keep them from dilapidation in old age. A 100 gram serving of soft cheese can give you up to 40% of your Calcium need and same size serving of hard cheese can be up to 100%. Both types can give you a decent serving of phosphorus, too.

Vitamins

Vitamins are also found in our favorite food group. You’re sure to get some vitamin A, B, B12 and B 6 in some varieties. It also contains Zinc while having comparatively low cholesterol content depending on the amount of fat.

Overall when you choose to snack on cheese, you're helping your body by providing a rich, healthy snack that can strengthen your bones. If you're concerned about the sodium, fat or calorie levels take a few moments to read through labels before settling on which type of cheese is for you. In general, the harder the block the better off you will be. Occasionally the sodium level rises with the sharpness. Choose Amish types or imports and other Artisan made varieties to get the most nutrient packed snack. If you're overly concerned about the calories and fat then go with low-fat kinds or Cottage.

Just remember it's healthy, nutritious, easy to carry and delicious to snack on. Cut small cubes up and put them in single serving zip locks to have when you get hungry. The protein will help carry you through to your next meal. And the next time you think about passing this food up because it may be fatty, take the time to choose a low-fat version and still get all the important nutrients of the richer kinds!