Brie, maroilles, munster or camembert… No matter the choice, eating cheese is often associated with a guilty pleasure. However, it could be that this little indulgence is good for our mental health, by reducing the risk of developing cognitive disorders. And that’s great in this raclette season!
Every winter, it’s the same ritual: we kick off the season with very invigorating dishes which have the common point of making us melt with their cheese. Raclette, tartiflette, fondue are all opportunities to warm up… and also to feel guilty since we are regularly reminded of the calorie bomb that these mountain specialties represent.
Fewer cognitive disorders among cheese lovers
However, you better not listen to evil tongues if you want to preserve your sanity. Japanese scientists have carried out a study highlighting the benefits of melted pasta. In this case, they were interested in the consequences of cheese consumption among people aged over 65.
Their functional abilities were measured and the researchers were thus able to identify, or not, cognitive disorders. Published in the journal Nutrients, this study also checked whether guinea pigs were consumers of hard cheeses and other cheese specialties. Specifically, a majority ate processed cheese and around 15% ate white mold cheeses, such as Camembert or Brie. Furthermore, 37% devoured it once or twice a week while 34% every day and 29% every two days. Result: those who eat cheese would have less risk of developing cognitive disorders.
A mechanism that remains to be elucidated
It remains to understand the reason for this mechanism. And on this point, Japanese scientists have not yet decided. Several hypotheses are put forward. Nutrients capable of keeping the brain healthy may be present in cheese. Another possibility: it would not be so much the cheese itself that would be beneficial but the fact that eaters stand out for their varied diet.
Still, scientists recalled that previously studies had already demonstrated the link between the consumption of milk and dairy products and a significant reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease… Larger-scale research must be carried out to verify whether there is indeed a link between a lower risk of cognitive disorders and cheese consumption…
Slide: The 10 least calorie cheeses
