holiday eating

What’s the stink about cheese? Some Gouda news about cheese

cheese shoppe

As we head into the holiday season, it seems that cheese becomes its own food group. From the potatoes to the charcuterie boards, cheese is a holiday staple, at least for my family. Before foregoing the cheese tray or passing on an additional helping of your favorite cheesy casserole, there is research showing moderate cheese consumption can have a positive impact on your health.

In a 2019 study, the USDA found that cheese accounted for most of the dairy available on the market and consumed in the United States, over throwing milk as dairy king. America is no stranger to this new dairy dynasty. As a nation, each person on average consumes up to 40 pounds of cheese a year. That means here in the U.S. we consume just over 1.5 ounces of cheese each day and I can only imagine how much of that involves our fall and winter intake!

Though filling your plate with cheeses in various forms is not recommended by health professionals, studies have shown that consistent intake of cheese in moderation benefits your overall health. As we learned throughout grade school, dairy as a food group benefits our bones and teeth. However, more recent research has found that a healthy moderate consumption of cheese may be linked to heart health, diabetes prevention, and cholesterol management. Let’s explore how cheese specifically has been shown to aid in gut health and a longer life expectancy.

“Cheddar” Digestive Health

lots of cheese rounds

Cheese is a great source of healthy bacteria. From stinky blues to the finely aged cheddars, the aromas, flavors, and look of many cheeses is associated with the healthy bacteria in the delicious cheese. Some of the healthy bacteria in cheese include probiotics or healthy bacteria that lives in your digestive tract. Probiotic packed cheese typically are aged but not heated after keeping those live bacteria in the solid cheese. One gut healthy cheese on many of our plates and our pasta is Parmigiano-Reggiano. Parmigiano has what’s called lactobacillus bacteria which supports regularity and gut health.  Parmigiano is not the only cheese to provide probiotics. For more probiotics try just a few of the cheeses from the list below.

  • Swiss
  • Gouda
  • Provolone
  • Cheddar
  • Edam
  • Gruyere
  • Cottage Cheese

Live a “Gouda” Long Life with Cheese

Cheese is not just delicious but in moderation may also lead you to a longer life. In a study from the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition looking at the effect of different food groups on longevity, researchers found that men who consumed 1.4 ounces or 1/3 a cup of cheese daily in conjunction with a healthy diet saw a reduced risk of death over 15 years. Cheese provides protein enriched calorie dense nutrition to people around the world, which has a global impact on health. When in moderation, cheese was found to be one of the components of a healthier and potentially longer life. When it comes to cheese we might learn from the French who consume more cheese than any other country in the world!

An important factor to each of these health benefits, no matter how big or small, is cheese in moderation and in conjunction with a balanced and healthy diet. Though cheese may hit our plates heavy this holiday seasons, remember to add some healthy leafy greens or your favorite veggies, a whole grain roll, and a nice serving of turkey or ham!

Written by:  Ryan Kline, 4-H/Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Ross County.

Reviewed by: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Perry County.

Sources:

Bongard, V, et al. “Food Groups Associated with a Reduced Risk of 15-Year All-Cause Death.” Nature News, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2 Mar. 2016, www.nature.com/articles/ejcn201619.

“Cheese Accounts for Largest Share of per Capita U.S. Dairy Product Consumption.” USDA ERS – Chart Detail, United States Department of Agriculture, www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=103984. Accessed 23 Oct. 2023.

Clark, Stephanie. “Good News about Cheese – It’s Much Healthier than You Thought.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 4 Jan. 2023, www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/01/02/cheese-nutrition-good-for-you/.

Gorman, Rachael Moeller. “5 Reasons Cheese is Actually Good for Your Health.” EatingWell, 22 Nov.2023,https://www.eatingwell.com/article/289455/5-reasons-cheese-is-actually-good-for-your-health/

“Is cheese a healthy source of probiotics?” Harvard Health, Harvard Health, 18 July 2023,https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/is-cheese-a-healthy-source-of-probiotics#:~:text=Typically%2C%20probiotics%20are%20in%20cheeses,%2C%20Gruy%C3%A8re%2C%20and%20cottage%20cheese.

“Parmesan Cheese: Nutrition Info and Health Benefits.” Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, 6 Jan. 2023, health.clevelandclinic.org/parmesan-cheese-benefits/.

How sweet is your holiday season?

People of various ages baking

The holiday season is referred to as “the most wonderful time of the year” in a popular holiday song. While it can be a time of joy, gathering, cheer, and giving, it is also a time when many of us eat more, especially sweets. These treats may partially explain why we enjoy this time of year so much. We not only enjoy eating them, but making tasty treats with friends or family likely brings happiness and fond memories. While having sweet treats every now and then can be part of an overall balanced diet, eating too many sweets or eating them too often can derail a healthy eating plan and lifestyle.

A couple months ago I had my yearly health screening for our insurance. For the past few years my hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) has been climbing. This year it was 5.9 which puts me in the prediabetes category. Now, you might wonder, how can someone whose job it is to help others lead a healthy lifestyle have numbers that are high? Well, many factors can lead to elevated glucose (blood sugar) levels which cause HbA1C to be elevated. Some of these include:

  • Family history
  • Lifestyle factors including obesity/overweight and lack of physical activity
  • Insulin resistance
  • Gene mutations
  • Hormonal diseases
  • Damage to or removal of the pancreas
  • Certain medicines

My father has and most of my uncles had type II diabetes, as well as a few other family members. Additionally, I have not been nearly as active the past couple years as I have been previously, especially when it comes to resistance exercises. Nor am I getting any younger. In addition, while it’s not necessarily a risk factor, stress can impact the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, and I have definitely had more stress the past year or so. With my youngest child graduating and heading off to college and now my husband and I building a new house, my stress level has been higher than usual. My daughter has adjusted well and is doing fantastic, despite a hard course load, so that has helped me to adjust better to the empty house. I have also been trying to exercise more, though I still need to get back to doing resistance exercises.

Dog licking his snout with dog bisquits on table in front of him

In addition to striving to be more active again, I have been watching the amount of carbohydrates, especially added sugar, in my diet. As I have reduced the amount of carbs, especially processed ones, I notice I don’t crave them as often and smaller servings satisfy. I do not have any symptoms of diabetes or prediabetes, and I am encouraged and motivated to be more proactive to keep it that way.

As we celebrate the holiday season, focusing on gratitude now and all throughout the year may help reduce how much we eat. I do intend to have some of the tasty treats that help make this time of year special, and I will plan my eating based on how I can indulge in treats while still keeping my ultimate goal of a healthy lifestyle a priority.

Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September 30). All about your A1C. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved December 12, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/managing-blood-sugar/a1c.html

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Diabetes Diet, eating, & physical activity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Retrieved December 12, 2022, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/diet-eating-physical-activity

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Insulin Resistance & Prediabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/what-is-diabetes/prediabetes-insulin-resistance

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Symptoms & causes of diabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Retrieved December 12, 2022, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/symptoms-causes

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Your game plan to prevent type 2 diabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Retrieved December 13, 2022, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-type-2-diabetes/game-plan

Written by Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension Perry County

Reviewed by Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, OSU Extension, Franklin County