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A little cheese can pack a lot of calories

December 4, 2005 12:50 am

MY HUSBAND AND I are moving to Wisconsin this week, so it seems right to dedicate today's column to cheese, glorious cheese. Not only is Wisconsin a major cheese-producing area here in the states, but also I've been told that my ancestors were cheese makers in 16th-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic.

Americans are fond of cheese, eating 31 pounds per year, mostly mozzarella, Cheddar and cream cheese.

Moderate amounts of cheese can be a nutritious source of calcium and protein, and cheese is easier to digest than milk. It's also tasty on sandwiches, pasta and in casseroles.

But the calories, fat and sodium in many cheeses quickly add up.

Not all cheeses are equal: You may be surprised to learn that ounce-for-ounce, Brie, Neufchatel and even Velveeta are lower in fat than Cheddar; while Parmesan has 19 times as much calcium as cottage cheese.

Because cheese is fermented, it is easier to digest than milk. Many people who are lactose-intolerant and feel bloated or crampy after drinking milk have no symptoms after eating a hard cheese such as Parmesan.

It takes an 8-ounce cup of milk to make 1 ounce of cheese--a 1-inch cube. That cube often packs all the protein and calcium of the entire cup of milk into a small space: about 110 calories, 7 to 9 grams of protein and 200 to 300 milligrams of calcium.

Just how much protein, fat and calcium are in the finished product depends on what type of milk was used and how the cheese was made.

People can make cheese from any kind of milk. Cow's milk is most common, but you can find cheeses made from goat milk, sheep milk and even reindeer and water buffalo milk in other parts of the world. Using whole milk, 2 percent milk or nonfat milk affects the amount of fat in the cheese, as well as the taste and texture.

There are many ways to make cheese. One of the most common is to take milk, add vinegar or friendly bacteria, then add enzymes which curdle it, separating the solid curds of cheese from the liquid whey. (Remember little Miss Muffet, sitting on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey?)

At this stage, the cheese is considered a fresh cheese. Cottage cheese, cream cheese, farmer cheese, and many Hispanic cheeses fall into this category. These fresh cheeses are often lower in fat and calcium, and rich in protein.

Mozzarella, feta and ricotta are also fresh cheeses, but they are processed differently and have more calcium. For comparison, a cup of low-fat cottage cheese has only 160 calories and 140 milligrams of calcium. The same serving of part-skim ricotta has twice the calories and calcium. Both have the same amount of protein--a whopping 28 grams.

If you take a fresh cheese, add salt and age it, it becomes a semi-soft cheese such as Edam, Fontina, Gouda, Jarlsberg, Muenster or Provolone. More steps are needed to make soft-ripened cheeses such as Brie, Camembert and the like.

Firm or hard cheeses are aged from 10 days to several years. Familiar favorites include Cheddar, Colby, Gruyere, Monterey Jack and Swiss cheeses. Longer aging typically makes sharper tasting cheeses.

The hardest cheeses are aged the longest--from months to years--and are used for grating. These cheeses, including Parmesan, Asiago and Romano, tend to have the most calcium. They also tend to have the most salt, so a little goes a long way as far as taste is concerned.

Processed cheese, such as those plastic-encased square, yellow slices of American cheese, has a bit less protein and calcium and more sodium than natural cheeses. But it also tends to melt more easily, making it popular for grilled cheese sandwiches.

Processed cheeses are made by taking natural cheeses and adding emulsifiers and sometimes milk, sweeteners and other ingredients. Processed cheese tends to be blander than natural cheese.

I like aged cheeses such as Cheddar or Edam toasted and melted on open-face sandwiches. One of my favorites is thinly sliced apples with brown mustard and melted Gouda on rye bread--delicious.

The hard, grated cheeses like Parmesan and Romano give zing to pasta or when shaved over soups, such as white bean or kale, and wintry stews.

When it comes to fresh cheeses, ricotta is great in Italian pasta dishes such as lasagna, and spinach and cheese stuffed shells, but also as a dessert. A few tablespoons of ricotta paired with scoops of fresh cantaloupe, a few blueberries and drizzled with honey is lovely Italian treat I learned about from a friend.

If you want to really taste cheese, pair it with mild crackers or fresh bread. Let cheese warm up at room temperature a half-hour before eating for better flavor, especially if it's a soft-ripened cheese such as Brie.

You can make a quick and savory lunch by topping whole-grain bread with one or two slices of cheese, and munching on a generous helping of red or green grapes.

There are many delicious cheeses out there, and specialty shops often hold cheese tastings, similar to wine tastings, but without the need for a designated driver.

I am looking forward to trying some new cheeses in Wisconsin and will keep you updated, as I continue writing from there for The Free Lance-Star.

JENNIFER MOTL, a registered dietitian, welcomes reader questions via her Web site, brighteating.com, or mailed to Nutrition, The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401.