In ordinary grocery stores, only two types of smoked cheeses are most often found - "Sausage" and "Pigtail". In reality, there are much more of them. There are different types of smoked cheeses - cheddar, gouda, mozzarella, processed cheese, etc. They are extremely tasty and aromatic. To talk about whether smoked cheese is healthy is only possible from the standpoint of quality. And for this you need to know how the product was produced.
How smoked cheese is made
Cheese makers produce smoked cheeses in two ways - hot and cold. Cold smoking can take from one week to one month, the duration of the process depends on the variety. Cheese is smoked at temperatures from +21 to + 32oC. It is characteristic that this method does not require total control, therefore, at most enterprises, smoked cheeses are produced in a cold way without direct human intervention.
The hot method of smoking is more complicated, the technological process takes place at temperatures from +38 to + 88 ° C and is under constant human control. True, this production takes less time than the cold process. With both methods, useful substances do not lose their qualities, because the surface of cheeses is mainly exposed to direct smoke treatment. The yellowish-brown crust formed during smoking contributes to the preservation of the beneficial components contained under it.
There is another way to produce smoked cheeses, but the word "smoked" in this case should be enclosed in quotation marks and not to mention the excellent taste and divine aroma of the product. Because these cheeses were not smoked in smokehouses, but “bathed” in liquid smoke. And even if this “smoke” is of high quality, and “natural products of decay of various types of wood” are used in its production, the cheeses that have been in it cannot be called smoked by definition. But - they are called. And yet cheeses differ between cheeses. Those that came out of liquid smoke are easy to recognize by the price (it is several times lower), and then, of course, by the taste and other properties.
The benefits of smoked cheese
Since cheese processed with liquid smoke is not a truly smoked product, there is no need to seriously talk about its benefits. In addition, manufacturers use not very high-quality raw materials for this technology. But real smoked cheeses are of great benefit to the body.
Firstly, they include the ingredients provided for by technologies and GOST, therefore, like any high-quality dairy products, they are rich in calcium and phosphorus - elements that guarantee the health of bone tissues, as well as nails and hair.
Secondly, the fats in the composition of smoked cheeses have an increased level of nutritional value, while they act as a source of beneficial fatty acids that the human body needs for the normal functioning of all its systems.
Thirdly, smoked cheeses contain a large amount of vitamins A, E and D, which ensure the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, protect against infections, cleanliness and elasticity of surface tissues. In addition, vitamin A helps maintain visual acuity, and vitamin D, with its powerful antioxidant properties, promotes organ and tissue rejuvenation.
The benefits of smoked cheeses also lie in their high content of high-quality and quickly digestible protein. It contains a whole set of amino acids necessary for human health, thanks to which this protein serves as an irreplaceable cellular building material in the body.
