Goat cheese has a deliciously tangy flavor and is good for you as well. Here are the health benefits of goat cheese.
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1. A trip to a cheese store or even the cheese department of a large grocery store can be overwhelming. The selection of cheeses available is sure to make your head spin and your mouth water. From asiago to Jarisberg, it seems there's a cheese for most everyone. One type of cheese that's recently grown in popularity is goat cheese. Popular for its tantalizingly tangy flavor, it's also a healthier option than cow's milk. What are the health benefits of goat cheese?
2. Calorie and Fat Content
Cheese isn't a food characteristically known for being low in fat and calories. When it comes to fat and calorie content, goat cheese has the advantage over traditional cheese made from cow's milk. While cow's milk cheese generally has around one-hundred calories and ten grams of fat per ounce, goat cheese only has eighty calories and six grams of fat. This makes goat cheese a better choice if you're trying to watch your waistline. Plus, you'll benefit from the five grams of protein in a single ounce of this tasty cheese.
3. It's More Digestible
Around a quarter of the American population suffers from lactose intolerance, a condition which makes it difficult to digest lactose containing foods such as milk and cheese. People who are lactose intolerant are sometimes able to tolerate goat cheese even if they have problems digesting conventional cheese made from cow's milk. Although both forms of cheese have similar levels of lactose, it seems that the fat molecules in goat cheese are shorter making them more digestible. Even for people who don't have a lactose intolerance, goat cheese appears to be more easily digested than conventional dairy products. It can also be a good choice if you have an allergy to traditional dairy products.
4. It's a Good Source of Calcium
Despite the fact that it's lower in calories and fat than most dairy products, goat cheese is a good source of bone preserving calcium. The amount of calcium in goat cheese can vary from around forty grams in soft cheese up to 240 grams in hard goat cheese, slightly higher than cow's milk cheese which has about 200 grams in the hard version. Lower calories, high calcium content - it's a good combination.
5. Goat cheese is versatile too. Add fresh herbs to soft goat cheese or use it as a bread spread in place of butter. It's also delicious in salads and on pizza. Try tossing it into a pasta dish or using it in place of mayonnaise on a sandwich. Spread it on whole grain crackers or use it in lasagna. It also makes a delicious addition to mashed potatoes. You'll love the health benefits of goat cheese as well as its uniquely different taste.
Tags: goat cheese, dairy products, health benefits goat, milk cheese, benefits goat, benefits goat cheese
