Cheese is no longer unfamiliar to Vietnamese consumers. Cheese contains many nutrients that are beneficial to the health of both adults and children. Let’s explore with AVAKids what cheese is and its wonderful uses!

1Understanding Cheese

1.1. What is Cheese?

Cheese is a food product made and compressed from the solid part separated after curdling and fermenting milk products. These can be cow’s milk, goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, or other mammals’ milk.

Depending on the ingredients, processing method, and production method, each type of cheese will have its own unique flavor and color. 

What is Cheese

1.2. Nutritional Composition

Cheese is a rich source of nutrients, providing excellent calcium, fat, and protein. It also contains a large amount of vitamin A and vitamin B12, along with zinc, phosphorus, and riboflavin. Cheese made from the milk of 100% grass-fed animals will have the highest nutrient content and also contains omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K2. 

Nutritional Composition of Cheese

2Popular Types of Cheese

2.1. Mozzarella Cheese

Mozzarella originates from Italy and is made from water buffalo milk or cow’s milk. Mozzarella is white to slightly yellow in color and is used immediately after production. Nowadays, it is often stored in vacuum-sealed bags with a shelf life of up to several months. It can be used in pizzas, served with pasta, salads, etc.

Mozzarella Cheese

2.2. Cheddar

Cheddar cheese originates from England and is made from milk. It has the characteristic that the longer it is aged, the harder it becomes and the deeper its yellow color. To obtain high-quality Cheddar cheese, the aging process must last 9-24 months so that the cheese has a distinct yellow color, reaches “ripeness,” and delivers the perfect flavor. It is used sliced directly with burgers, sandwiches, or added to pizzas, baked pasta, etc.

Cheddar

2.3. Cream Cheese 

Cream cheese originates from Denmark and is made from cow’s or goat’s milk. It is white or light yellow, soft, slightly sour and salty, and not too rich, making it popular. Chefs use it to make desserts like cheese souffle, cheesecake, or eat it with bread, or as a topping for drinks and pastries.

Cream Cheese 

2.4. Parmesan Cheese

Parmesan is the most characteristic cheese in pasta and Italian noodles. Made from fresh cow’s milk with a very long aging period of 2-3 years to reach maturity, a minimum of 1 year is required. Parmesan is widely used by Italians in dishes like pasta and spaghetti.

Parmesan Cheese

2.5. Emmental Cheese

Emmental cheese originates from Switzerland, and the minimum aging time for good cheese is 4 months. After aging, the cheese will have a light yellow color, a very palatable taste, and a slight sourness similar to the taste of fruit. In Vietnam, Emmental cheese is often added to hamburgers and sandwiches. 

Emmental Cheese

2.6. Ricotta 

Ricotta cheese originates from Italy. Ricotta is not as fatty as other cheeses because it is made from unsweetened fresh milk, whipping cream, salt, and lemon and can be eaten after being left overnight.

Ricotta 

2.7. Blue Cheese

Originating from France, Blue Cheese, unlike other cheeses, has blue, sometimes gray or blue-gray spots. Blue cheese is suitable to eat with fruit, crackers, or wine.

Blue Cheese

2.8. Edam Cheese

Edam Cheese is a Dutch cheese originating from the Edam region. It has a distinctive shape: spherical or round cylindrical, with a light yellow interior and a red outer rind. Edam cheese melts and slices easily, so it is used as a topping for sandwiches and burgers.

Edam Cheese

2.9. Mascarpone Cheese

Mascarpone cheese originates from Italy and is made by separating cream from milk and combining it with acidic additives such as vinegar, lemon juice, or acetic acid. Mascarpone cheese is white and smooth, so it’s often added to cakes.

Mascarpone Cheese

2.10. Fontina Cheese

Fontina is also from Italy and is made from cow’s milk. Although produced continuously throughout the year, summer is when this cheese is at its best because, at that time, the cows are only fed grass, so the milk creates a characteristic aroma.

Fontina Cheese

3Benefits of Cheese

3.1. Supports Weight Management 

Eating cheese helps supplement protein and fat, which is an effective way to gain weight. Conversely, if you want to lose weight, you should choose low-fat or non-fat cheese because it is low in salt but high in vitamins and minerals, helping you lose weight quickly and effectively.

Supports Weight Management 

3.2. Bone and Muscle Development

The high mineral content in cheese includes calcium, magnesium, and zinc. These are very good for bone and joint development in young children as well as adolescents.

Cheese can help bones develop well

3.3. Prevents Tooth Decay

Due to its high calcium content, which is the most important component for keeping teeth strong, eating a portion of cheese after a meal has been proven to prevent tooth decay.

The Laughing Cow Cheese Traditional Flavor 8 slices 112g (from 1 year old)

3.4. Prevents Heart Disease

Cheese contains minerals and vitamins that help regulate blood pressure, and it also contains many bacteria that are beneficial to the digestive tract and help balance cholesterol levels in the blood.

3.5. Reduces Stress

Cheese contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid that supports the production of serotonin, which can have a calming effect by regulating your mood and anxiety levels.

Zott Toast Gourmet Cheese 200g 12 slices/pack

3.6. Nourishes Healthy Skin

Cheese has a rich protein and vitamin B content, which helps promote skin regeneration, keeping skin healthy, smooth, and preventing skin-related diseases.

Cheese helps nourish healthy, smooth skin

3.7. Reduces the Risk of Thyroid Disease

Cheese helps supplement the body with essential selenium, reducing the risk of thyroid disease. A 100g serving of Cheddar cheese can provide up to 50% of the daily selenium requirement, helping you boost your immune system and stimulate thyroid hormone production.

The Laughing Cow BelCube Strawberry Flavor 78g 4 pieces/pack

4Should Cheese Be Consumed Regularly?

Despite the many benefits of eating cheese, you shouldn’t eat it too often. Overconsumption of cheese can lead to several negative consequences such as:

• Increased levels of bad cholesterol, affecting cardiovascular health.
• Causing digestive problems.
• Causing bloating, indigestion, and possibly diabetes.
• Easily causing hard stools, difficulty defecating, and possibly pain in children. 

We should only eat about 4 slices of cheese, equivalent to 30g, per day. For normally developing children, mothers should give them 1-2 cheese sticks per day. Limit cheese consumption for overweight children to avoid obesity.

The Laughing Cow Le Cube Milk Flavor 78g 15 pieces/pack

5Notes When Using Cheese for Young Children

5.1. Be Aware of Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy

Cheese is a nutritious food suitable for the development of young children, but it is not suitable for children with animal protein allergies. Parents can add cheese to their baby’s weaning meals from 6 months of age.

5.2. Cheese Intake

To supplement energy and nutrients for children’s bodies, parents can give children over 1 year old about 60g of cheese per day. For children of this age, cheese should be used as a supplemental food in their diet, but should not replace formula or breast milk.

Eating too much cheese often makes children feel bloated and full. Therefore, parents should limit giving cheese to children before bedtime to avoid affecting their sleep.

5.3. How to Use Cheese

Cheese can be processed with other foods or eaten directly. If you are making weaning food, porridge, and cheese for children, you should choose ingredients that are compatible with the flavor of cheese, such as potatoes, carrots, beef, chicken, shrimp, etc. Avoid cooking with crab, eel, spinach, amaranth, etc.

If parents cook cheese with baby food or porridge, after the food/porridge is cooked, turn off the heat, let it cool to about 80°C, then add the cheese, mash, and stir well. This is the best way to prevent the cheese from denaturing and to preserve its nutrients.

Cheese can cause bloating and fullness

Hopefully, the information above will give you a better understanding of the types of cheese and the nutritional components in cheese! If you have any questions, please contact the hotline 1900.866.874 (8:00 – 21:30) or visit the website avakids.com for free support, guidance, and consultation!