The #1 Best Cheese for Preventing Osteoporosis, New Study Suggests
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with osteoporosis, then you're far from being alone. Around 54 million people in the United States have osteoporosis while about 200 million people around the world are thought to be dealing with the disease which can weaken bones and lead to nasty breaks or painful fractures, according to the Cleveland Clinic. That's not to mention the number of people who are at risk of developing osteoporosis.
Fortunately, there are specific things that you can do and certain foods that you can eat to help prevent osteoporosis. That includes making a particular kind of cheese a part of your regular diet.
In a new study that was recently published in the BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health journal, 66 women were separated into two groups and asked to consume either two ounces (57 grams, or six slices) of Jarlsberg cheese or around 1.75 ounces (50 grams) of Camembert cheese during a randomized clinical trial. They were to eat their assigned cheese for six weeks, and, after that time, spend another six weeks eating the other cheese. Following blood tests and after considering certain variables, those behind the study found that eating Jarlsberg cheese helped to prevent bones from becoming thinner.
If you're unfamiliar with Jarlsberg cheese, Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, a nutritionist in private practice, the author of Finally Full, Finally Slim, and a member of the Eat This, Not That! medical expert board says it, "is a mild cheese made from cow's milk, classified in the Swiss cheese category."
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Beyond that, while both Jarlsberg and Camembert are similar when it comes to fat and protein content, Dr. Young points out that Jarlsberg "is high in vitamin K2, which may improve bone health in addition to calcium and vitamin D." Because of this, Jarlsberg cheese may help to prevent osteoporosis.
As for adding Jarlsberg cheese to your day-to-day diet, Dr. Young has a delicious-sounding suggestion, saying, "Instead of eating a slice of toast with butter, choose a slice of Jarlsberg. Top with tomato and melt it in the toaster." Yum!
