Cheese has been a staple food for thousands of years. The history of cheese making can be traced back to the Roman Empire, the Middle East, Tibet, Mongolia, the Ming dynasty and Europe.
The good news is that despite the many myths out there about cholesterol/saturated fat, heart disease and obesity, cheese is actually an excellent source of nutrition, to be included in your daily diet.
Even if you are lactose intolerant, generally cheeses will not be a problem for you, as most of the lactose is removed during the cheese making process.
Ideally the cheese should be made from the milk of grass-fed animals, raised on pasture, rather than grain fed or soy fed animals confined to feedlots. The higher the quality of the milk, the better the quality of the cheese.
Cheese contains a wealth of healthy nutrition – a rich blend of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids, including the magic trio of vitamin D3, vitamin K2 and calcium – very powerful in protecting bones, brain and heart.
Avoid processed cheeses formed in a pasteurized process, with the addition of many additives, and thus do not require refrigeration. Real cheese requires refrigeration.
Another general health concern is that cheese contains high levels of salt. Salt is a crucial ingredient for flavor, ripening and preservation of cheese. However, the salt levels in cheese are much lower when compared to the levels found in fast foods, processed foods and most restaurant foods. It is estimated that about 90% of the salt in the standard American diet (SAD) comes from packaged foods and restaurant foods.
Excellent cheese choices due to their high vitamin K2 content are Edam, Gouda and Brie, but Cheddar, hard goat cheese, Swiss and Gruyere have less, but also significant levels of this valuable vitamin.
Cheese.com is a great source of information on cheeses, including a database searchable by name, country of origin, type of milk and texture.