Feta cheese is the best known type in Greece. It is a soft, white cheese, in brine, very nutritious and an excellent source of calcium. However, in the rest of the countries it is not so well established and we may doubt if it is a healthy cheese.
As part of Mediterranean cuisine, this cheese is used in all kinds of dishes, from appetizers to desserts. But above all it is consumed in salads or in fresh and healthy recipes.
Feta cheese is originally from Greece. It is a Protected Designation of Origin product, which means that only cheese made in some areas of Greece can be called “feta”. In these regions, it is made from the milk of sheep and goats raised on local grass. This particular environment is what gives the cheese its unique characteristics.
The taste of feta is tangy and strong when made with sheep’s milk, but milder when combined with goat’s milk. But what is really striking is that it is produced in blocks and is firm to the touch. However, it can be crumbly when cut and has a creamy mouthfeel.
How is it done?
The original Greek feta cheese is made from sheep’s milk or a mixture of sheep’s and goat’s milk. However, goat’s milk cannot be more than 30% of the mixture. The milk with which the cheese is made is usually pasteurized, but it can also be raw.
After the milk is pasteurized, lactic acid starter cultures are added to separate the whey from the curds, which are made from the protein casein. Rennet is then added to fix the casein. Once this process is finished, the curd is shaped by draining the whey and placing the curd in molds for 24 hours.
When the curd is firm, it is cut into cubes, salted and placed in wooden barrels or metal containers for three days. The cheese blocks are then placed in a salty solution and refrigerated for two months. Finally, when the cheese is ready to be distributed to consumers, it is packed in this solution (called brine) to preserve freshness.
nutrients
Although it will depend on the type of milk used to make this delicious cheese, its nutritional values are similar and very healthy. For example, in a 28-gram portion it provides:
- Energy: 74 calories
- Fat: 6 grams
- Protein: 4 grams
- Carbohydrates: 1.1 grams
It also has decent amounts of vitamins A and K, folic acid, pantothenic acid, iron, and magnesium. But the most important thing is that it provides riboflavin, calcium, sodium, phosphorus, vitamin B12, selenium, vitamin B6 and zinc. All in significant quantities that serve good recommended daily doses.
Also, feta cheese is lower in fat and calories than other aged cheeses like cheddar or Parmesan. One ounce of cheddar or Parmesan cheese contains more than 110 calories and 7 grams of fat, while the same amount of feta has only 74 calories and 6 grams of fat. It even contains more calcium and B vitamins than other cheeses such as mozzarella, ricotta, cottage cheese or goat cheese.
Feta cheese is very low in carbohydrates , making up less than 1% of your daily value. This is because it has almost no sugar or fiber. Feta is also low in sugar, which can be beneficial for people following certain eating plans. Although the most striking thing is that a cup of feta cheese has 21.3 grams of protein. This represents 43% of daily protein intake, making feta cheese a good source of protein .
Advantages
This type of dairy has numerous health benefits. Therefore, it is advisable to introduce it in the weekly diet.
Improves bone health
Cheese appears to be the main source of calcium in Western diets. Feta cheese is a good source of calcium, phosphorus, and protein, all of which have been shown to promote bone health. Calcium and protein help maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis, while phosphorus is an important component of bone.
Each serving of feta cheese provides almost twice as much calcium as phosphorus, a ratio that has been shown to have positive effects on bone health. In addition, sheep and goat milk contain more calcium and phosphorus than cow’s milk. Therefore, incorporating cheeses such as feta into your diet could help you reach the recommended daily intake of calcium.
Take care of the intestine
Probiotics are live, friendly bacteria that can benefit your health. Feta has been shown to contain Lactobacillus plantarum, which makes up about 48% of its bacteria. These bacteria can help promote the immune system and intestinal health by protecting the intestinal tract from disease-causing bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella.
Additionally, they appear to increase the production of compounds that inhibit the inflammatory response, thus providing anti-inflammatory benefits. Studies have even shown that the bacteria and other strains of yeast found in this cheese can grow at low pH, surviving extreme conditions in the gut, such as bile acid.
Contains fatty acids
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a fatty acid found in animal products. It has been shown to help improve body composition, decreasing fat mass and increasing lean body mass. CLA may also help prevent diabetes and has shown anti-cancer effects.
Cheeses made from sheep’s milk have a higher concentration of CLA than cheeses made from cow’s or goat’s milk. In fact, feta cheese contains up to 1.9% CLA, which accounts for 0.8% of its fat content. Although its CLA content decreases during processing and storage, a study has shown that the use of bacterial cultures in cheese making could help increase CLA concentration.
Interestingly, Greece has the lowest incidence of breast cancer and the highest consumption of cheese in the European Union.
drawbacks
We have seen that this type of cheese is a good source of nutrients. However, due to the way it is made and the types of milk used, it could have some disadvantages.
high amounts of sodium
During the cheese making process, salt is added to the curds. Also, during storage, the block of cheese must be immersed in a brine of up to 7% salt. The finished product is a high-sodium cheese. In fact, feta cheese contains 312 mg of sodium in a 28-gram serving, which can be up to 13% of your daily recommended amount.
If we are sensitive to salt, an easy way to reduce the salt content of this cheese is to rinse it with water before eating it. There are also low-sodium varieties.
Contains lactose
Unripened cheeses tend to have more lactose than aged cheeses. Since feta is an unripened cheese, it has a higher lactose content than other cheeses.
People who are allergic or intolerant to lactose should avoid eating unripened cheeses, including feta. It is not recommended to consume a pill for lactose and take this type of cheese.
Not suitable for pregnant women
Listeria monocytogenes is a type of bacteria found in water and soil that can contaminate crops and animals. Pregnant women are generally advised to avoid consuming raw vegetables and meats, as well as unpasteurized dairy products, because they have the potential to be contaminated with these bacteria.
Cheeses made from unpasteurized milk have a higher risk of carrying the bacteria than cheeses made from pasteurized milk. Similarly, fresh cheeses have a higher risk of carrying it than aged ones, due to the higher moisture content.
How to eat?
This cheese can be a great addition to meals due to its flavor and texture. In fact, the Greeks traditionally keep it on the table for people to freely add to it during meals. In the case of not knowing how to take it, here are some fun ways to add this type of cheese to food:
- On Bread: Top with feta cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- In salads: we will put crumbled cheese in salads.
- Grilled: we will roast it, spray it with olive oil and season with pepper.
- With fruits: we will create dishes such as a salad of watermelon, feta cheese and mint.
- In tacos: we will spread crumbled cheese on the tacos.
- On pizza: we will add crumbled feta cheese and ingredients such as tomatoes, peppers and olives.
- In tortillas: we will combine the eggs with spinach, tomatoes and cheese.
Mercadona feta cheese
In any supermarket we find this type of cheese. However, the most popular is Mercadona. At a price of 1.95 euros for a 200-gram tub, it seems to be a good way to consume dairy products.
The ingredients are totally healthy ” pasteurized sheep and goat milk, salt, lactic ferments and rennet “. As for the nutritional values, for every 100 grams of this cheese we find:
- Energy: 277 calories
- Fat: 23.2 grams
- Carbohydrates: 1 gram
- Protein: 16 grams
- Salt: 2.2 grams
The container has 200 grams, although it comes with the brine included to keep the cheese in perfect condition until it is consumed. The presentation is cubes of matured cheese, in brine, based on goat’s and sheep’s milk. Logically, the brand is Hacendado, which provides security when it goes on the market.
It is a very healthy type of cheese, and Mercadona’s version has good nutritional values and the right ingredients.
