Cheese

Advantages

Excellent source of protein and rich in calcium

Useful source of vitamin B12 for vegetarians

May help to fight tooth decay

Disadvantages

Some cheeses are high in saturated fat and calories

May trigger migraines and other allergic reactions

Cheese provides valuable protein, calcium and vitamin B12 . Meat provides vitamin B12 and cheese offers an important source of this vitamin to vegetarians.

Eating or even chewing cheese helps to fight tooth decay caused by sugary foods. It prevents the formation of acids in the mouth which attacks the enamel on teeth.

Cheese should be eaten in moderation as the saturated fat increase blood cholesterol levels. Hard cheeses including Cheddar, Stilton and Parmesan contain about 35 per cent fat. Soft cheeses, such as Camembert and Brie contain on average about 26 per cent fat, while ricotta and cottage cheese contain as

little as 11 and 4 per cent fat, respectively.

Migraines can be triggered as a result of eating cheese because of a chemical called tyramine, which is formed by bacteria from tyrosine, an amino acid in cheese protein. This sets off nerve and blood-vessel changes in the brain, triggering an attack. Cheeses with the highest tyramine content are mature Cheddar and Parmesan and blue-veined cheeses such as Stilton and Gorgonzola.

Cottage cheese and goat's cheese are less likely to trigger migraines.