Particularly interesting among seniors.
“Pleasure” foods but not only that. Cheeses are among the foods best supplied with calcium, a mineral essential for bone health. They also have a good content of vitamin D, zinc and potassium, trace elements important for bone strength. With age, our bones demineralize, become less dense and more fragile, which increases the risk of osteoporosis and fracture.
The cheeses richest in calcium are hard and pressed cheeses because they are very concentrated in milk. This is the case for Comté, Gruyère, Old Mimolette and Emmental. Morbier, Tomme, Reblochon, Saint-Nectaire and Bleu d’Auvergne are also well stocked. But the one with the best calcium content is a cousin of Parmesan, native to the northern regions of Italy.
A Italian study conducted by researchers from the University of Milan and published in the journal Food Research International confirmed “the ability of this cheese to improve intestinal absorption of calcium and the formation of bone matrix (tissue that surrounds bone cells)“. To make it, the milk is heated and coagulated, then broken into small grains. These grains are immersed in large vats of salt then the mixture is heated to create the “grainy” appearance typical of this cheese.
With its nutty notes and fruity flavor, it is often grated over pasta or risotto. This cheese called “grana padano” contains 1,170 mg of calcium per 100g (i.e. 0.4 g per 30 g portion, or a third of the daily needs of seniors), according to the Ciqua paintingl of Anses. That’s almost as much as half a can of sardines in oil.
To benefit from all its benefits, researchers recommend choosing it with a maturation time of at least 13 months. Cheeses remain fatty and very salty foods, so you should not overdo them. We limit ourselves to a portion of 30 g of cheese per day, with another dairy product such as yogurt, cottage cheese or a glass of milk, nutritionists agree.