Jas Cruzada
Good news for all cheese lovers out there! While people think eating cheese should be done only on cheat days because of the high fat content, research says it might actually help prevent weight gain.
According to Metro, researchers wanted to find out how the French manage to keep a slim figure despite indulging in all kinds of cheese, a phenomenon which they called “the French paradox puzzle.”
In a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry conducted by Danish researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University, they compared the diets of 15 healthy male participants classified into three groups which are (1) high in milk, (2) high in cheese, and (3) on a controlled diet. Then they analyzed their urine and fecal samples.
Researchers found out that people with a high consumption of cheese had different compositions of gut bacteria with higher levels of the anti-inflammatory fatty acid called butyrate. This fatty acid can prevent insulin resistance, speed up metabolism, and help hold off obesity.
But while the research yielded positive results, the sample size was small and so further tests are required. Until then, eat cheese in moderation and have a proper diet.
