Cheese. Mankind's first and best fast food which has come, over time, to be called the Food of the Gods.

Delicious,nutritious, a great source of calcium, and hard to get enough of. With its many tasty benefits, cheese plays a healthy role in your diet and lifestyle. Even if you're lactose intolerant, you can incorporate cheese into your meals and still feel great. So, do something good for yourself - have some cheese - and read more about why cheese is a basic building block for good nutrition.

It's a myth that if you are trying to eat right, cheese is not on the menu. In fact, you can be depriving yourself of some important nutritional benefits. Did you know the calcium cheese provides not only helps prevent osteoporosis - it may help reduce the risk of hypertension and colon cancer? That cheese supplies essential nutrients like riboflavin, phosphorus, zinc and Vitamins A and Vitamin B12? That a one-ounce slice of cheese provides the same amount of protein as two tablespoons of peanut butter - with fewer calories?

Biblical

Jesse the Bethlehemite, father of David, told David on that fateful day he was to kill Goliath (which David didn't know): "Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers; also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand" (1 Samuel, 17:17).

Then we have Job. With his oxen as asses slain; his sheep, his camels, and his servants; his 7 sons and his 3 daughters all dead; himself afflicted with sores "from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head"--Job at last complained. As Job apostrophized to God, "Didst thou not pour me out like milk and curdle me like cheese?" (Job 10:10).

You get the point. Cheese can be a healthy part of your diet when balanced with exercise and overall good nutrition.

Cheese is a great ingredient for any meal. Not only does it taste great but it's jam packed with nutrients, such as calcium -- essential for building strong bones.

Sprinkle cheese on a salad or add a slice to your favorite sandwich -- it's easy with cheese!

The National Osteoporosis Foundation warns that 28 million Americans don't get enough calcium and are at risk for osteoporosis. Recent studies show that adequate calcium intake helps regulate blood pressure, reduces the risks of colon cancer, and even lessens symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

So, what is the connection between calcium, good health, and cheese? You do the math – a one-ounce slice of cheese can provide 20-25 percent of your daily recommended amount of calcium.

Certain cheeses may help to reduce the risk of dental decay (caries). Cheeses such as Cheddar, Swiss, blue, Monterey Jack, Brie, Gouda, mozzarella, and Roquefort, as well as process American cheese, exhibit a potential protective effect against tooth decay. The chemical or physical characteristics of cheese responsible for its protective action against tooth decay are not completely understood.

However, cheese has a number of properties that may help reduce risk of tooth decay Cheese's beneficial effect may be explained in part by its texture, which increases saliva flow. This in turn reduces the increase in cavity-causing acids by plaque bacteria and increases the clearance of sugars from the oral cavity. Components of cheese such as protein, calcium, and phosphorus may prevent acid demineralization and enhance remineralization of tooth enamel. The protective effect of cheese against dental caries may also be explained by an antibacterial effect of components in cheese (e.g., fatty acids).

Eating cheese immediately after meals, or as a between-meal snack in place of snacks that promote dental caries, may be a practical way to reduce tooth decay.

With a little imagination, cheese can turn ordinary dishes into great tasting meals, and, at the same time, provide a significant portion of the calcium you need each day.

Whether it's a hunk, chunk, cube or slice... melted, crumbled, shredded or spread... versatile cheese is the perfect ingredient to slip into almost any meal. Try these easy, creative ideas to incorporate cheese into some of America's most popular foods:

• Team chunks of cheese with your favorite fruits and serve on short skewers for a crowd-pleasing appetizer kabob
• Liven up ordinary breakfast foods like omelets and frittatas by melting shredded cheese over the top
• Spoon shredded cheese over baked potatoes and top it off with other favorite ingredients, such as salsa or broccoli
• Add pizzazz to "ho-hum" side dishes, such as steamed vegetables or rice, by drizzling melted cheese over them
• Melt a slice of cheese over a toasted bagel or English muffin for a quick, portable breakfast
• Roll up a slice of cheese with your favorite luncheon meats in a tortilla for a delicious twist on the all-American sandwich
• Use shredded cheese to top off your favorite casserole, soup or salad
• Add extra taste to your favorite Italian dishes with a sprinkle of shredded cheese

Trimming Tidbit: Replacing mild cheddar cheese with sharp boosts the flavor enough so that you can cut the amount of full fat cheese called fro in the recipe ... without cutting out the flavor.

• Gorgonzola and Honey. Gorgonzola cheese is even better with a drizzle of honey. The sweetness plays up the flavor of gorgonzola, which contains only 100 calories per ounce. And healthful honey eases coughs and soothes tummies.
• Feta and Figs. Dried or sweet figs are wonderful paired with feta cheese. This classic Greek cheese can be made from sheep's, goat's or cow's milk.
• Manchego and Membrillo. Membrillo is paste made from the quince fruit. It's amazing layered over Manchego, a Spanish cheese made from sheep's milk.
• Stilton and Port. Dessert wines are nearly fool-proof with cheese. Nutty Stilton (a firm blue cheese) and port are made for each other.
• Cheddar and Mango Chutney. Put out a block of Cheddar and serve it with mango chutney, a traditional British combination.
• Camembert and Grapes. Fall fruit makes a juice and low calorie counterpoint to pungent, soft-ripened Camembert.
• Goat Cheese and Dark Chocolate. Yes, really. Earthy goat cheese brings out the fruitiness in dark chocolate.

Turning vegetarian often means giving up traditional cheeses, which are made with animal rennet. Wisconsin's BelGioioso Cheese, Inc. came up with a vegetarian version of Parmesan, which could make the tofu lasagna a little zestier without offending the vegetarian's dietary morals. The company says BelGGioioso Vegetarian Parmesan tastes like its Italian cousin, but is made without animal rennet. Vegetarian Parmesan is available in grocery stores in random cuts and 24-pound wheels.

History Lore

According to British author T. A. Layton (1957), cheese was invented by accident:

There was a merchant from Arabia, so the story goes, way back in the mists of history, who put his day's supply of milk into a pouch made of a sheep's stomach. He hoisted himself upon his camel and clip-clopped over the desert. The beast's ambling movement, the residual rennet of the sheep-stomach pouch, and the hot sun did the rest. That evening, the first drink of whey quenched the nomad's thirst--and his hunger was satisfied by the curd. Cheese was born.

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