Cheese is high in saturated fat, but there is a “Matrix effect” that facilitates its digestion in the body and makes it a healthier alternative for our heart compared to other foods with high levels of fat.
Cheese, like many other foods, is a double-edged sword — it’s high in protein and calcium, but it’s also high in fat. loaded with saturated fats and salt.
But even though saturated fat is one of the main culprits in the development of cardiovascular diseasesthere is growing evidence that cheese has a “Matrix effect” that protects us from these negative impacts.
According to Science Focus, most cheeses are made with an enzyme called chymosin, which is used to curdle milk. Some fresh cheeses, like cottage cheese, are made using acids. Others, like paneer cheese, resort to a combination of acids and heat. The way cheese is made affects how the body digests it and impact it has on our health.
A Canadian study in 2017 recruited 43 healthy volunteers and showed that the fat in cream cheese was digested and absorbed faster. The authors believe that the smaller fat particles in cream cheese are more accessible to enzymes that digest the fat in our body.
In 2018, another study in Ireland concluded that eating cheese increased cholesterol levels. much less than when its components were consumed separately in the form of butter, protein and calcium.
This “Matrix effect” can thus be our excuse the next time we overindulge in cheese.
ZAP // 
