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Introduction: Dairy fat is rich in saturated fatty acids known to increase serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration, an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, intake of fermented dairy products has been associated with reduced CVD risk in observational studies. How intakes of different fermented dairy products are associated with blood lipid concentrations may provide a possible explanation for the suggested reduced CVD risk.Aim: To examine the associations between different types of fermented dairy products, with various fat contents and dairy matrix structures, and blood lipid concentrations in a general population.Methods: In 11,377 women and men aged between 40-99 participating in the population-based Tromsø Study 2015-2016, multivariable linear regression was used to examine associations between total intake of fermented dairy products, intake of yogurt (including regular-fat, low-fat, and semi-solid yogurt), cheese (including regular-fat and low-fat), and liquid fermented dairy, and serum concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides. Dietary data was collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Analyses were adjusted for potential confounding factors, and cheese intake analyses were stratified by self-reported use of cholesterol-lowering drugs.Results: Cheese intake was positively associated with HDL-C [regression coefficient 0.02 mmol/l (95 % CI 0.01, 0.03)], and inversely associated with LDL-C [regression coefficient−0.03 mmol/l (95 % CI−0.04,−0.01)] and triglycerides [relative change −1.34 % (95 % CI: −2.29 %, −0.37 %)] per 25 g/day among non-users of cholesterol-lowering drugs, while no associations were found among users. Total intake of fermented dairy was inversely associated with triglycerides [relative change −1.11 % (95 % CI: −1.96 %, −0.24 %)] per 250 g/day, while no associations were found for yogurt intake. Intake of low-fat cheese was more favorably associated with blood lipids compared to regular-fat cheese, and semi-solid yogurt was inversely associated with LDL-C and triglycerides, while intake of liquid fermented dairy was not associated with any of the blood lipids.Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of investigating specific types of dairy products separately, based on fat content and dairy matrix, when examining effects on blood lipid concentrations, and stratifying statistical models by use of cholesterol-lowering drugs when relevant.

Background: Fluid intelligence (FI) involves abstract problem-solving without prior knowledge. Greater age-related FI decline increases Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk, and recent studies suggest that certain dietary regimens may influence rates of decline. However, it is uncertain how long-term food consumption affects FI among adults with or without familial history of AD (FH) or APOE4 (ɛ4). Objective: Observe how the total diet is associated with long-term cognition among mid- to late-life populations at-risk and not-at-risk for AD. Methods: Among 1,787 mid-to-late-aged adult UK Biobank participants, 10-year FI trajectories were modeled and regressed onto the total diet based on self-reported intake of 49 whole foods from a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Results: Daily cheese intake strongly predicted better FIT scores over time (FH-: β= 0.207, p

Food and energy intake can be effectively lowered by changing food properties, but little is known whether modifying food shape is sufficient to influence intake. This study investigated the influence of cracker shape and cheese viscosity onad libitumintake of cracker–cheese combinations. Forty-four participants (thirteen males, 23 (sd3) years, BMI 21 (sd2) kg/m2) participated in four late afternoon snack sessions (2 × 2 randomised crossover design). Iso-energetic crackers were baked into flat squares and finger-shape cylindrical sticks and combined with a cheese dip varying in viscosity. Approximately eighty crackers and 500 g cheese dip were served in separate large bowls. Participants consumed crackers with cheese dipad libitumwhile watching a movie of 30 min. Dipping behaviour and oral processing behaviour were measured simultaneously by hidden balances under the cheese bowls and video recordings. Cracker intake (28 (sem1) crackers) of cracker–cheese combinations was not influenced by cracker shape. Cheese intake of cracker–cheese combinations was 15 % higher for flat-squared than finger-shape crackers (131 kJ,P= 0·016), as a larger amount of cheese was scooped with flat-squared crackers (2·9 (sem0·2)v. 2·3 (sem0·1) g cheese per dip,P< 0·001) and showed higher eating rate and energy intake rate (P< 0·001). Eating rate over snacking time decreased by reducing bite frequency (P< 0·001) while cheese dip size remained fairly constant (P= 0·12). Larger energy intake from condiments was facilitated by increased cracker surface, and this did not trigger earlier satiation. Changing food carrier surface may be a promising approach to moderate energy intake of often high energy dense condiments, sauces and toppings.

Background: Cheese is a major source of long-chained vitamin K2 variants. How intake of vitamin K2 rich cheese affects vitamin K and osteocalcin has not been studied. The aim was to establish a maximum efficacy dose (MED) after daily intake of vitamin K2-rich cheese (Jarlsberg®) based on increase in ratio between carboxylated and undercarboxylated osteocalcin during a five-week diet.Methods: 20 healthy healthy volunteers (HV) were recruited. The daily intake of Jarlsberg® cheese in the study varied from 20 to 152 g. Clinical investigation was performed initially and after three, four and five weeks with measurement of vital signs, hematological and biochemical variables, carboxylated and undercarboxylated osteocalcin and vitamin K. The ratio OR= carboxylated/undercarboxylated osteocalcin was the main variable.Results: The MED decreased with treatment duration and was estimated to 57 g/day (95% CI: 47-67) after five weeks diet, resulting in a mean OR increase of 30% (95% CI: 23.8-36.8). Both OR and serum osteocalcin followed a quadratic dose response curve. For osteocalcin, a maximal increase of 46% was estimated at 59 g/day for five weeks. The serum content of long-chained vitamin K2 increased significantly with increasing cheese dose. The increase were mainly obtained the first three weeks and kept unchanged the following two weeks. The cheese doses close to the MED caused nearly significant reductions in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, the LDL/HDL ratio and significant reduction in the blood pressures after five weeks diet (p≤0.05).Conclusions: MED of Jarlsberg® cheese was estimated to 57 g/day. Daily intake of Jarlsberg® cheese increased the osteocalcin level, vitamin K2 and positively affected the lipid patterns and blood pressure.

Eating palatable foods reduces behavioral and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis responses to stress – an idea referred to by the colloquial term “comfort” food. To study the underlying stress-relieving mechanisms of palatable foods, we previously developed a paradigm of limited sucrose feeding in which male rats are given twice-daily access to a small amount of sucrose drink and subsequently have reduced stress responses. Prior research in humans and rodents implicates high dietary sugars/carbohydrates with reduced stress responsivity. However, it is not clear whether the stress-relieving effects of the limited sucrose paradigm depend upon its macronutrient content. To test this idea, the current work measures stress responses in male rats following the limited intermittent intake of cheese – a highly palatable food that is low in sugar and other carbohydrates. The data show that a history of limited cheese intake (LCI) reduced HPA axis responses to acute psychological (restraint) and physiological (hypoxia) stressors. LCI also reduced behavioral struggling during restraint, increased sociability during a social interaction test, and increased open arm activity in the elevated plus-maze test. Z-score analyses evaluated the extent to which these behavioral effects extended within and across assays, and indicated that there was an overall reduction in stress-related behaviors following LCI. Finally, LCI increased immunolabeling for FosB/deltaFosB (a protein associated with repeated or chronic neuronal activation) in the nucleus accumbens. These results indicate that palatable foods can provide stress blunting regardless of their sugar/carbohydrate composition, and support the idea that food reward per se contributes to stress relief.

Background: The relationship between changes in dairy product consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has not been evaluated. Objective: We evaluated the association of 4-year changes in dairy product consumption with subsequent 4-year risk of T2D among U.S. men and women. Methods: We followed-up 35,148 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-2012), 78,357 women in the Nurses’ Health Study (1986-2012), and 82,937 women in the Nurses’ Health Study II (1991-2013). Diet was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires every 4 years. Cox proportional regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for T2D associated with 4-year changes in dairy product consumption, with adjustment for initial dairy intake and multiple T2D risk factors including BMI and diet quality. Results of the 3 cohorts were pooled using an inverse variance-weighted, fixed-effect meta-analysis. Results: During 2,849,389 person-years of follow-up, we documented 12,007 incident T2D cases. Changes in milk consumption during a 4-year period were not associated with T2D risk in the following 4 years. Increasing yogurt consumption by >0.5 serving/day was associated with a 13% (95% CI: 6%, 19%) lower risk of T2D compared with maintaining a stable consumption. Increasing cheese consumption by >0.5 serving/day was associated with an 8% (95% CI: 2%, 16%) higher risk of T2D. Substituting reduced-fat milk for whole milk or low-fat cheese for high-fat cheese was not associated with subsequent T2D risk. However, increasing intake of yogurt or reduced-fat milk by 1 serving/day and concomitantly decreasing cheese intake by 1 serving/day was associated with a 16% (95% CI: 10%, 22%) and 11% (95% CI: 7%, 15%) lower risk of T2D, respectively. Conclusion: Increasing yogurt consumption was associated with a moderately lower risk of T2D, while increasing cheese consumption was associated with a moderately higher risk. Substituting yogurt or reduced-fat milk for cheese was associated with lower risk of T2D. Disclosure J. Drouin-Chartier: Other Relationship; Self; Dairy Farmers of Canada. Y. Li: None. A.V. Ardisson Korat: None. M. Ding: None. B. Lamarche: Advisory Panel; Self; Dairy Farmers of Canada. J.E. Manson: None. E. Rimm: Advisory Panel; Self; Take C/O, US Highbush Blueberry Council/USDA. W.C. Willett: None. F. Hu: None. Funding National Institutes of Health (UM1CA186107, UM1CA176726, UM1CA167552, DK112940, HL60712, HL118264); Canadian Institutes of Health Research (BPF-156628)

Inverse associations between dairy consumption and CVD have been reported in several epidemiological studies. Our objective was to conduct a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies of dairy intake and CVD. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify studies that reported risk estimates for total dairy intake, individual dairy products, low/full-fat dairy intake, Ca from dairy sources and CVD, CHD and stroke. Random-effects meta-analyses were used to generate summary relative risk estimates (SRRE) for high v. low intake and stratified intake dose–response analyses. Additional dose–response analyses were performed. Heterogeneity was examined in sub-group and sensitivity analyses. In total, thirty-one unique cohort studies were identified and included in the meta-analysis. Several statistically significant SRRE below 1.0 were observed, namely for total dairy intake and stroke (SRRE=0·91; 95 % CI 0·83, 0·99), cheese intake and CHD (SRRE=0·82; 95 % CI 0·72, 0·93) and stroke (SRRE=0·87; 95 % CI 0·77, 0·99), and Ca from dairy sources and stroke (SRRE=0·69; 95 % CI 0·60, 0·81). However, there was little evidence for inverse dose–response relationships between the dairy variables and CHD and stroke after adjusting for within-study covariance. The results of this meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies have shown that dairy consumption may be associated with reduced risks of CVD, although additional data are needed to more comprehensively examine potential dose–response patterns.

n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFA) directly and indirectly regulate lipid metabolism, energy balance and the inflammatory response. We investigated changes to the n-3 HUFA score of healthy adults, induced by different types and amounts of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-enriched (ENCH) cheeses consumed for different periods of time, compared to dietary fish oil (FO) pills (500 mg, each containing 100 mg of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids&mdash, EPA+DHA) or &alpha, linolenic acid (ALA)-rich linseed oil (4 g, containing 2 g of ALA). A significant increase in the n-3 HUFA score was observed, in a dose-dependent manner, after administration of the FO supplement. In terms of the impact on the n-3 HUFA score, the intake of ENCH cheese (90 g/day) for two or four weeks was equivalent to the administration of one or two FO pills, respectively. Conversely, the linseed oil intake did not significantly impact the n-3 HUFA score. Feeding ENCH cheeses from different sources (bovine, ovine and caprine) for two months improved the n-3 HUFA score by increasing plasma DHA, and the effect was proportional to the CLA content in the cheese. We suggest that the improved n-3 HUFA score resulting from ENCH cheese intake may be attributed to increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-&alpha, ) activity. This study demonstrates that natural ENCH cheese is an alternative nutritional source of n-3 HUFA in humans.

This study investigated the association between total and various types of dairy products and hypertension (HTN) among Tehranian adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 5616 adults within the framework of the Tehran lipid and glucose study. Multiple logistic regression models were conducted to assess association between HTN and dairy intakes. Consumption of high-fat dairy and non-fermented dairy in the highest quartile was inversely associated with HTN (OR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63–0.92 and OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.65–0.94, respectively). Among dairy products, milk intake (OR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.66–0.96) was inversely and yoghurt intake (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.06–1.55) and cheese intake (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.01–1.46) were positively associated with HTN, findings indicating that higher intakes of high-fat dairy, non-fermented dairy and milk are associated with lower risk of HTN, whereas higher consumption of yoghurt and cheese associated with higher risk of HTN. However, further randomised clinical trials are recommended.

Cheese is a nutrient-rich food, consumed worldwide, that has received significant research attention due to its contribution to nutrition and health. This chapter discusses the different nutrients present in cheese including protein, fat, minerals, vitamins, and the bioactive compounds and reviews both their health benefits and health concerns. Numerous studies have indicated that cheese consumption has beneficial health effects such as improving bone health and reducing dental caries. However, there is a reasonable amount of literature indicating an association between cheese intake and the incidence of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, mainly owing to the high-fat content, especially of saturated fat in cheese. Various dietary guidelines have recommended limiting the daily consumption of cheese; however, it is difficult to draw firm conclusion on the benefits of such recommendations as the extent of cheese consumption and cheese type, as well as factors such as the consumers' age, sex, and obesity levels varied significantly across the studies.

Background and aims The relationship between dairy food consumption and dietary calcium intake, and vascular risk factors during adolescence remains unclear. We aimed to prospectively assess whether dairy food consumption (milk, cheese, yoghurt) is associated with blood pressure (BP) and retinal microvascular signs among adolescents. Methods and results As many as 2353 and 1216 participants aged 12 and 17, respectively, were examined. Longitudinal analyses involved 888 subjects with complete baseline and follow-up data. Dairy consumption was assessed from validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires. BP information was collected and retinal vessel caliber was quantified from digital photographs using computer software. In girls, after multivariable adjustment, each serve/day increase in total dairy intake was concurrently associated with 1.04 ( p = 0.03) and 1.10 mm Hg ( p = 0.02) decreases in mean diastolic and arterial BP, respectively. Also in girls, each serve/day increase in cheese intake over 5 years was concurrently related to 7.18 ( p = 0.001), 5.28 ( p = 0.002) and 5.79 mm Hg ( p = 0.001) decrease in mean systolic, diastolic and arterial BP, respectively. Among girls, each 100 mg/day increase in dietary calcium intake was associated with a concurrent 0.5 ( p = 0.01) and 0.3 mm Hg ( p = 0.02) decrease in mean systolic and arterial BP, respectively. Cross-sectionally, adolescents in the highest versus lowest tertile of yoghurt intake had ∼1.3 μm wider retinal arterioles ( p = 0.05) and ∼2.0 μm narrower venules ( p = 0.04). Conclusions Consumption of dairy products, particularly cheese, could have a beneficial effect on BP, particularly among girls.

Dairy foods have been linked to Parkinson's disease (PD), and a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies on dairy foods intake and PD risk was conducted. Eligible studies were identified in a literature search of EMBASE and PubMed up to April 2014. Seven results from prospective studies were included, including 1,083 PD cases among 304,193 subjects. The combined risk of PD for highest vs. lowest level of dairy foods intake was 1.40 (1.20-1.63) overall, 1.66 (1.29-2.14) for men and 1.15 (0.85-1.56) for women. For highest vs. lowest level, the PD risk was 1.45 (1.23-1.73) for milk, 1.26 (0.99-1.60) for cheese, 0.95 (0.76-1.20) for yogurt and 0.76 (0.51-1.13) for butter. The linear dose-response relationship showed that PD risk increased by 17% [1.17 (1.06-1.30)] for every 200 g/day increment in milk intake (Pfor non-linearity = 0.22), and 13% [1.13 (0.91-1.40)] for every 10 g/day increment in cheese intake (Pfor non-linearity = 0.39). The absolute risk differences were estimated to be 2-4 PD cases per 100,000 person-years for every 200 g/day increment in milk intake, and 1-3 PD cases per 100,000 person-years for every 10 g/day increment in cheese intake. Dairy foods (milk, cheese) might be positively associated with increased risk of PD, especially for men.

Cheese intake has been shown to decrease total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol concentrations when compared to butter of equal fat content. An untargeted metabolite profiling may reveal exposure markers of cheese but may also contribute with markers which can help explain how the intake of cheese affects cholesterol concentrations. Twenty-three subjects collected 2 × 24 h urine samples after 6 weeks of cheese and 6 weeks of butter intake with equal amounts of fat in a cross-over intervention study. The samples were analyzed by UPLC-QTOF/MS. A two-step univariate data analysis approach using linear mixed model was applied separately for positive and negative ionization mode: In the first step a total of 44 features related to treatment were identified and in the second step 36 of these features were related to total cholesterol concentrations. Cheese intake resulted in increased urinary indoxyl sulfate, xanthurenic acid, tyramine sulfate, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, isovalerylglutamic acid and several acylglycines including isovalerylglycine, tiglylglycine and isobutyrylglycine when compared to butter intake of equal fat content. The biological mechanisms of action linking the metabolites to cholesterol concentrations need to be further explored.

Background Dairy products are nutrient-rich foods that may contribute to adequate nutrient intakes. However, dairy intake might also be associated with other food sources that influence nutrient intakes. Therefore, we studied the association of dairy, milk and cheese intake with intake of foods and nutrients from (non)dairy sources. Methods Dietary intake was assessed from 2007 to 2010 through two non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls in 1007 children (7–13 years) and 706 adolescents (14–18 years). Participants were divided into non-consumers of a particular dairy product and tertiles according to their dairy intake (lowest, medium and highest intake). P for trend was calculated by linear regression over the median intakes of non-consumers and the tertiles for dairy, milk and cheese. Results In children, higher dairy consumption was associated with higher intakes of fruits (54.8 g ± 22.3; p

Currently, the effect of dairy products on cardiovascular risk is a topic much debated and with conflicting results. The purpose of this review is to give an overview of the existing literature regarding the effect of cheese intake and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Studies included reporting the intake of cheese and risk of CVD or risk markers of CVD represent four human intervention studies, nine prospective studies, one prospective case-cohort study, one prospective nested case-control study, five case-control studies, five cross-sectional studies and three correlation studies. The possible mechanisms that may be of importance include calcium, protein, fermentation and the fatty acid composition of cheese. Results from four prospective studies reported no association between cheese intake and CVD risk, whereas one reported an increased risk, two reported a decreased risk and one reported no association in men but a decreased risk in women. In addition, results from four intervention studies indicated no harmful effect on cholesterol concentrations when comparing fat intake from cheese with fat from butter. The underlying mechanisms for these findings still need to be elucidated.

The effects of increased intake of hard cheese on faecal microbial enzyme activities in twelve 70–87-year-old nursing home residents were studied. Four consecutive treatment periods were included: (i) a 1-week basal period; (ii) a 3-week cheese period (extra cheese with bread and meals); (iii) a 3-week cheese exclusion period (all cheese replaced with cured meats and cold cuts); and (iv) a 3-week follow-up period with normal diet. The intakes of cheese, fibre-containing foods and fluids, as well as faecal frequency and faecal consistency, were recorded by using a pre-filled questionnaire. A 10-fold increase in the intake of cheese caused no changes in faecal wet weight or consistency. No effects on faecal β-glucuronidase, β-glucosidase and glycocholic acid hydrolase activities were observed. Faecal urease activity increased significantly during the cheese exclusion period. The results indicate that hard cheese does not influence the activities of faecal microbial enzymes.

Objectives A high soft drink intake may promote, whereas intake of cheese may reduce risk of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), but will cheese intake blunt the soft drink versus MetS association? Design Cross-sectional study. Setting The Oslo Health Study. Participants Among the 18 770 participants of the Oslo Health Study there were 5344 men and 6150 women having data on cheese and soft drink intake and on risk factors for MetS, except for fasting glucose. The MetSRisk index=the weighted sum of triglycerides (TG), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) divided by high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were used as a combined risk estimate to examine the cheese/soft drink versus MetS interaction, and the SumRisk index was used to assess whether increasing intake of soft drinks/cheese would include an increasing number of MetS factors being above the cut-off values. We analysed the data using non-parametric correlation and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results In all three groups of soft drink intake (seldom/rarely, 1–6 glasses/week, ≥1 glass/day), there was a negative cheese versus MetSRisk correlation (p≤0.003), but in the highest intake group the influence of cheese seemed to level off, suggesting interaction. However, there was no interaction between cheese and soft drinks within the fully adjusted models. Conversely, at all four levels of cheese intake, MetSRisk increased with an increasing intake of soft drinks (p≤0.001 at all cheese levels). Similar associations were found with the SumRisk index. When controlling for a large number of covariates (eg, sex, age group, smoking, education, physical activity, intake of fruits/berries and vegetables), the above associations prevailed. Conclusions Cheese intake blunted the association between soft drink intake and MetS, an influence possibly related to fatty acid desaturation, or to undetected covariates.

Previously, cheese intake was shown to be inversely related to serum triglycerides, raising the possibility that cheese might inhibit triglyceride synthesis, which is governed by fatty acid desaturases. Therefore, analyses were done to study whether cheese intake was associated with indexes that reflect fatty acid desaturation in 121 healthy ethnic Norwegians aged 40–45 years, a subsample from the Oslo Health Study (N = 18 777). Experiments with human hepatoma cells (HepG2) were done to clarify whether cheese might have a causal effect on desaturases. Fatty acid distribution in lipids of human sera and HepG2 cells was determined by gas chromatography. Δ9-Desaturase was estimated by the (16:1,n-7)/(16:0) and (18:1,n-9)/(18:0) ratios, abbreviated ds9_1 and ds9_2, and Δ5-desaturase (ds5) by the (20:4,n-6)/(18:2,n-6) ratio. Correlation, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression models were used to study associations. Oslo Health Study: Subjects with cheese intake >4–6 times per week had 33% lower ds9_1 and 16% lower ds5 than subjects with intake ≤ 4–6 times per week. The cheese intake vs. ds5 association prevailed when adjusting for sex, time since last meal, fatty fish, vegetables, fruit–berries, fruit juice, cod liver oil, coffee, alcohol, body mass index, physical activity, length of education, and smoking. HepG2 cells: An ethanol extract of Jarlsberg cheese lowered the desaturase indexes. Inhibition of ds9_1 increased with increasing amount cheese extract added. Thus, cheese may contain inhibitors of desaturases, thereby providing an explanation for the previously reported negative association between cheese intake and triglycerides.

Background A sufficient alimentation of vitamin D and calcium is essential in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Patients with ankylosing spondylitis have osteoporosis to a various degree. Objectives The aim of our study was to look at the influence of nutrition on bone mineral density in our patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Methods We examined 180 patients with ankylosing spondylitis fulfilled the modified New York criteria. The bone mineral density was measured with DEXA (QDR 4500) at the lumbar spine (LS) and right hip. Factors of nutrition were examined by a standardised questionnaire. Results Positive correlations with bone mineral density were only found with wine consumption. However, this correlation was week but was confirmed for both hip and LS bone mineral density measurements. Conclusion No significant correlations between milk and cheese intake with bone mineral density were found in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Dietetic factors do not seem to influence much bone mineral density in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Only wine consumption was found to have a influence on bone mineral density as is correlated with bone mineral density in our patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Cheese constitutes an important source of essential nutrients and health-promoting compounds in human diet, including proteins, amino acids, bioactive peptides, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, and polyphenolic compounds. Cheese nutritional value depends on the milk characteristics and the cheesemaking conditions, determining unique and distinct nutritional properties for each cheese type. Although cheese shows some nutritional properties that are regarded as being negative to human health, such as an increase in the cardiovascular disease risk, cheese intake seems to not exert detrimental effect on cardiovascular health. Cheese has been associated with several beneficial health properties – antihypertensive, anticarcinogenic, anticariogenic, and antiosteoporotic effects.