Whether you add it to salads or sandwiches, blue cheese provides a unique pungent taste like no other cheese out there. Blue cheese lends a strong punch of flavor to many hot dishes as well. Crumble it over chicken or a broccoli casserole, or incorporated into meatballs to bring them up a notch.
Blue Cheese is white in color with blue veins of edible mold running through it due to the presence of bacteria formed during the aging process. It is typically made of dairy milk or goat’s milk, to which a type of mold called Penicillium is then added. This mold is totally safe to consume… In fact, it is even associated with some pretty amazing health benefits mentioned later in this article.
If you’re following a low carb diet or a calorie-reduction meal plan, you might be wondering about the carb and calorie counts in a serving of blue cheese. Discover different ways to incorporate blue cheese into your meal plan and learn what foods pair well with this cheese. Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about this curious, colourful cheese will be answered in this article, so keep reading.
Is Blue Cheese Keto Friendly?
Sharp cheeses that give off a strong aroma will add a lot of flavor and complexity to meals, so you can get away with using a very small amount in your dishes. Strong cheeses, like blue cheese, are quite low in carbs. One ounce of blue cheese contains less than a gram of carbs but this amount will add a ton of flavor to your salads, sandwiches and hot dishes.
How Many Carbs are in Blue Cheese?
A 1-ounce serving (28.4 grams) of Blue Cheese contains only 0.7 grams of carbs. If you’re following a low carb diet, a serving blue cheese can add a lot of flavor to your salads and dishes, without adding many carbs. Pair blue cheese with your favorite low carb veggies in a salad, along with a serving of protein and pour on some blue cheese salad dressing for a serving of healthy fat.
How Many Calories are in Blue Cheese?
A 1-ounce serving (28.4 grams) of Blue Cheese contains 100 calories. Like most cheeses, blue cheese is an energy-dense food, meaning it is fairly high in calories. To quickly eyeball a serving size of cheese without measuring, break off a piece that is about the same size as your thumb.
Nutrition Facts
| Amount: 1 ounce (28.4 grams) of Blue Cheese | |
| Calories 100 | |
| Total Fat 8 grams | 12% |
| Saturated fat 5 grams | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated fat 0.2 grams | |
| Monounsaturated fat 2.2 grams | |
| Cholesterol 21.3 milligrams | 7% |
| Sodium 395.5 milligrams | 16% |
| Potassium 72.6 milligrams | 2% |
| Total Carbohydrate 0.7 grams | 0% |
| Dietary fiber 0 grams | 0% |
| Sugar 0.1 grams | |
| Protein 6 grams | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 4% | Vitamin C | 0% |
| Calcium | 14% | Iron | 0% |
| Vitamin D | 1% | Vitamin B-6 | 0% |
| Cobalamin | 5% | Magnesium | 1% |
Health Benefits
Rich in Nutrients
A serving of blue cheese provides the following nutrients:
- Vitamin A 15% of the Daily Recommended Intake (RDI)
- Vitamin B12 20% of the RDI
- calcium 53% of the RDI
- sodium 58% of the RDI
- phosphorous 39% of the RDI
- potassium 7% of the RDI
- selenium 21% of the RDI
Strong Bones and Teeth
Blue cheese is high in calcium, it can help strengthen and maintain optimal bone density and dental health. Adding blue cheese or other dairy products to your diet may help prevent bone-related health issues.
Osteoporosis is a common age-related condition, especially among women. It causes bones to become thinner and weaker, which may even lead to easier fractures and breaks. One ounce of blue cheese contains around 150 milligrams of calcium and can help keep your bones healthy and strong to help prevent the onset of osteoporosis.
The calcium in blue cheese is also excellent for your dental health. Eating blue cheese regularly can help prevent plaque and tooth decay.
Promotes Heart Health
Including blue cheese in your diet could help lower your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Studies show that individuals who consume blue cheese regularly have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease than those who don’t eat blue cheese. Blue cheese also helps in lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of blood clotting and inflammation in the veins and arteries.
Fights Arthritis and Inflammation
The anti-inflammatory properties of blue cheese help the body fight various inflammatory problems in our body. With aging, most people experience health issues like arthritis. Blue cheese possesses anti-inflammatory properties that reduce joint inflammation and relieve arthritis pain. Adding blue cheese to your meal plan lowers the risk of arthritis and helps to combat this condition.
Improves Cognitive Function
Nutrients found in blue cheese can assist in cognitive function by enhancing memory and helping to prevent memory-related disorders. Studies show that consuming blue cheese can improve the function of brain cells.
Strengthens the Immune System
Research shows that blue cheese consumption gives the immune system a boost. Blue cheese provides a number of essential nutrients, such as vitamin A, vitamin D, potassium, sodium, and zinc. All of these vitamins and minerals play a key role in disease prevention.
Side Effects
Blue cheese is safe in normal food amounts, however, if eaten in excess, it may increase your cholesterol levels, as it provides 5 grams of saturated fat per ounce.
A one-ounce serving of blue cheese provides 391 milligrams of sodium. Diets high in sodium can lead to higher blood pressure. So if you suffer from hypertension, avoid overconsuming this cheese.
Types of Blue Cheese
There are various types of blue cheese, such as:
- Roquefort
- Danablu
- Gorgonzola
- Blue Stilton
Related Questions:
Does Blue Cheese Cause Weight Gain?
Blue cheese could cause weight gain if eaten in excess because it has a high energy density, meaning it’s quite calorific. Low-fat or fat-free cheeses can help with slimming down.
There are about 100 calories in a single ounce of blue cheese, however, the flavor of the cheese is very strong and pungent so you don’t need to use much of it. You might want to pair blue cheese with fresh veggies and a serving of lean protein as part of a balanced meal to help keep you satisfied.
With that being said, one upside of eating blue cheese is that it helps prevent cellulite. Blue cheese has anti-cellulite properties that actually prevent the body from accumulating cellulite. Cellulite, as many of us know, is a form of fat that has a rough texture and causes the thighs, belly and behind to dimple. Individuals who have visible cellulite may wish to try adding more blue cheese to their diet as it could help them reduce the cellulite fat deposits on their bodies.
What Does Blue Cheese Taste Like?
Blue Cheese tends to be quite salty and strong or sharp. The pungent smell of this cheese is due to the presence of bacteria and mold. The blue cheeses that are more crumbly and creamy are typically the strongest, such as the Roquefort variety.
Which Foods Pair Well with Blue Cheese?
If you are wondering how to eat blue cheese, there are a number of pairings to try. Have a crumble of blue cheese with pears, crackers, fruit, or bread. You can use blue cheese to top salads as well or use it to make Blue Cheese Salad Dressing.
You can also incorporate blue cheese into many hot dishes, such as chicken bakes, casseroles, meatballs, and pasta. But the options don’t end there… It also tastes great crumbled over tacos, quesadillas, pizza, nachos and chilli. Whatever foods you normally top with cheese, you can substitute a crumble of blue cheese instead.
Is Blue Cheese Safe to Eat During Pregnancy?
Blue cheese that is pasteurized is safe during pregnancy, however unpasteurized blue cheese could contain bacteria known as listeria. This harmful bacteria is cooked off during the pasteurizing process. Pregnant women are 20 times more likely to be infected by unpasteurized blue cheese than non-pregnant women.
Why is it Safe to Eat Mold on Cheese?
Blue cheese is considered a safe moldy food and has been popularly consumed for over 9,000 years. The mold of the surface is created by edible mold (Penicillium) culture is not dangerous. Penicillium Roqueforti and Penicillium Glaucum – the blue molds used in the aging process – do not produce toxins in cheese.
Not only is blue cheese safe, but it can also be healthy. Penicillium Roqueforti and Penicillium Glaucum have natural antibacterial properties that have the strength to fight off pathogens in the body.
Can Blue Cheese Go Bad?
If other bacteria develop in the cheese from improper handling or storing, it could go bad. Use your nose to determine if your blue cheese is fresh or spoiled. While fresh blue cheese has a strong scent, it begins to give off an ammonia-like odor when it has gone bad.
