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Morgeten
The Swiss alpine cheese that is good for your heart
Alpine cheese is a delight at the breakfast and dinner table and what is more, it is particularly beneficial for the heart and vascular system because it contains more valuable unsaturated fatty acids than ordinary cheese.
The robust health and the low incidence of heart and vascular diseases among the mountain people in general seems to be related inter alia to their consumption of liberal amounts of alpine cheese.
A report found that among 40 different cheeses, the twelve alpine cheeses included were superior in terms of fatty acid condition. It should be noted that the alpine cheese is produced on alps at generally high altitude where the botanical and hence the chemical composition of the food is different from that in the valley or the plains.
Differences are then seen also in the composition of milk and ultimately cheese. The higher up the cows are grazing the more valuable is their milk fat, notably the content of alpha-linolenic acid is elevated.
A study reported that the daily intake of 250 mg of alpha-linolenic acid in the form of cheese reduces the risk of fatal heart attacks by 15 to 20 %. These 250 mg of linolenic acid are present in 50 g of alpine cheese.
Authentic evidence: "High Omega-3 fatty acid content in alpine cheese; the basis for an alpine paradox", American Heart Association, 2004-01-06
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