A Cheesy Love Affair
by Christina Meyer-Jax, Tastemaker in Residence MS, RDN, LDN is a health and nutrition expert focused on fueling fun lives!
In the dark cold winter, there is an event that sets my heart on fire. On January 20th we get to celebrate National Cheese Lover’s Day! From my perspective, a day without cheese is a day I’m not living up to full enjoyment potential. This cheesy love affair has been a solid passion for as long as I can remember. Growing up in the Midwest, it’s in the fabric of our food culture. In fact, “cheese” was my daughter’s first word and a staple of her diet ever since.
What makes this love so addictive? Cheese is one smooth operator. It moves in with the creamy mouthful of fat molecules. Then pulls you in with delightful and unique flavors created during fermentation. Finally, cheese unveils its best feature, the dairy protein casein, which releases casomorphins. These opiate-like compounds trigger dopamine production in your brain. The fragments attach to the same brain receptors that heroin and other narcotics do, albeit at a much milder level. Regardless there’s the neurotransmitter hook that keeps you coming back for more.
In all matters of love, there are ups and downs to consider. With cheese, what makes it delicious can also have negative impacts on health. Cheese is inherently high in fat and sodium. It’s produced by reducing the moisture component of milk, thus decreasing the carbohydrate content and concentrating the protein and fat ratio. Sodium is added to stop bacteria from growing, control moisture, and improve texture. This is helpful from a food safety and taste perspective but can also contribute to higher overall dietary sodium intake and blood pressure risks associated with it.
However, included in dietary balance cheese provides a good source of protein and calcium. With moderate use, cheese enhances a dish or meal sensory satisfaction. That enjoyment of food should not be undervalued, and research has indicated this can lead to healthier overall diet choices. Cheese is also lower in lactose than other dairy foods, so it can often be tolerated in small amounts for those who have lactose sensitivities.
With that good news, let’s put the party hats on, snuggle in with some guilty pleasure books or Netflix romance movies, and enjoy the “Cheesy Love Affair” with a couple of my healthified recipes below.
Cheesy Chipotle Roasted Sweet Potatoes ++ Goat Cheese, Greens, and Mushroom Frittata