Goat Cheese: Nutrition, Benefits and Recipe Ideas

Move over cow’s milk cheese, there’s a new sheriff in town- goat cheese. Yes, goat cheese isn’t some exotic or weird delicacy anymore, but is fast becoming a replacement for classic cheese, simply because it’s better on all fronts.

But don’t just take out word for it- ask half the world’s population, who has been relying on goat’s milk and cheese for centuries. Wondering what all the hype is about goat cheese exactly? After reading this to the end you’ll probably be itching to try some yourself.

What Exactly Is Goat Cheese?

There isn’t much explanation needed for goat cheese, right? (We hope not). As self-explanatory as it may be, there are a few characteristic traits of goat cheese. For instance, its consistency resembles that of cottage cheese; loose, clump-like and paler in color. Its actual taste and texture can vary significantly, but one universal trait is its superb nutritional spectrum, especially when compared with cow’s cheese.

Goat Cheese Nutrition (per 100g) % RDI

Calories-364
Total Carbohydrate-2.5g 1%
Total Fat-29.8g 46%
Protein-21.6g 43%
Vitamin A-1464IU 29%
Riboflavin-0.7mg 40%
Calcium-298mg 30%
Iron-1.6mg 9%
Copper-0.6mg 28%

9 Amazing Health Benefits of Goat Cheese

1. Excellent Source Of Prebiotic Nutrition

Probiotics are an important natural part of our intestinal microbiome, being responsible for a multitude of benefits. The typical Western diet as it is now  is relatively low in natural probiotic, which can have an adverse effect on overall health.

Goat cheese possesses a wide spectrum of natural probiotic, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, or Lactobacillus plantarum.

While many varieties of cow’s milk cheese also function as good sources of probiotics, goat’s cheese is said to possess especially high culture numbers of these beneficial bacteria. The fact that goat cheese is considerably easier to digest also lends itself to benefiting digestive health significantly.

2. Goat Cheese Is Lower Sodium Than Cow’s Milk Cheese

While sodium is an essential electrolytes mineral, the fact of the matter is that majority people consume way too much of this mineral. Current daily recommended intake of sodium stands at 1500 mg daily, but it is ideal to consume even less than this.

Considering the fact that the average American consumes 2300 mg daily, you can see why the incidence of high blood pressure and heart disease are on the rise.

Not to mention the fact that excess sodium places an extra burden on the kidneys, which could have severe effects leading to renal failure.

Goat cheese is an excellent choice, having only approximately 118 mg of sodium per ounce, while, for comparison, Parmesan cheese has 500 mg per same serving size.

3. Excellent Source Of Protein

While cheese in general is an excellent source of protein, goat’s cheese is superior to that made from cow’s milk, edging out the prestigious standard cheeses.

If you find it difficult to meet your daily protein requirements, switching things up and opting for goat cheese can be a step in the right direction.

Protein is considered the essential building block of all tissue type, a deficiency of which can have severe repercussions on health.

4. Can Help Reduce Hunger

You might be surprised to know that cheese is actually an excellent diet food, especially thanks to its fat and protein content, which blunts hunger due to its effects on satiety.

In addition to this, foods that are considered savory are said to be more filling than sweet foods, helping to reduce subsequent insulin spikes and the urge to consume more sugars .as you can guess, this makes a perfect diet food when trying to lose weight, with it no longer being advised to restrain from consuming cheeses when trying to reduce your bodyweight.

5. Lower In Fat

While we often emphasize the fact isn’t necessarily bad, consuming too much of it, especially of the trans-fat variety, most definitely is bad. Goat’s cheese finds itself on the nice list because it is a lower fat option when compared to cow’s milk cheese, also having less natural cholesterol. The presence of shorter chain fatty acids is easier to break down and less likely to have a negative impact on blood lipids too.

Controlling cholesterol levels is important for reducing the risk of cardiovascular episodes over your lifetime.

6. Reduces Risk Of Diabetes

This is actually not common knowledge, but there were studies conducted in the past that found a link between children that develop type I diabetes and the consumption of cow’s milk. As it turns out, specific versions of casein – a protein found normally in milk, was responsible for increasing the likelihood of type I diabetes occurring, or causing insulin resistance.

Goat’s cheese possesses different variety of this important protein, which actually has the opposite effect by reducing the risk of diabetes and improving insulin sensitivity.

7. Supports Healthy Metabolism

Goat’s cheese is higher in calcium than cow’s milk – a major selling point for people who may be considering making the switch. Consumption of foods that supply more calcium can actually help to benefit your metabolism as this mineral can stimulate the release of hormones that support fat oxidation.

Of course, this positively benefit your metabolism as both dietary and stored fats are rapidly used up for energy production.

8. Richer Source Of Nutrition Than Cow’s Milk Cheese

Goat’s cheese is actually a richer source of several vitamins and minerals when compared to cow’s milk cheese, for example possessing an average of more than 40% vitamin A, 40-50% more B vitamins, and a little more potassium which has a positive effect on blood pressure.

9. Can Help Improve Eyesight

You might be surprised to know that goat’s cheese is actually a decent source of vitamin A, often found in vegetables. Vitamin A is necessary to risk of macular degeneration occurring, helping to preserve eyesight for many years.

This vitamin also plays an important role in night vision and overall visual activity be sure you’re getting enough of it variety of foods.

Recipe Ideas

So what can you do with the marvelous goat cheese to get more of it in your diet? Apart from eating as-is, its versatility lends to inclusion in several dishes, many favorites the world over. Try the following easy recipes:

Goat Cheese And Ham Omelet

This omelet puts a new and creamy spin on the classic omelet, just requiring the eggs, finely hopped ham, spices and crumbled goat cheese. If you’re too busy to prepare things in the morning, you can even prepare the egg mixture the evening before and store in the fridge for morning use.

Goat Cheese, Blueberry and Basil Pie

A delicious pie that is perfect for your savory and sweet tooth. Simple to make, just requires cornstarch, basil, sugar to make filling, add to a pie-crust, bake for 30 minutes, then subsequently brush egg mixture to glaze.

Finally, top with goat cheese bake 10 more minutes and you have a fast pie ready to go.

Conclusion

Goat cheese brings to the table everything you have come to expect from a classic cheese, but with a slightly different taste profile, and superior nutritional parameters. Given time and an open mind, goat cheese will surpass cow’s milk as the undisputed dairy king.