Health Profile of Parmigianno-Reggiano Cheese
Cheese is often the first thing to go when altering your diet to reduce fat and calories. However, Parmigiano-Reggiano can have a place on your table because of its nutritional attributes and its lactose-free status. Each pound of cheese contains the concentrated nutrients of two gallons of milk, including a variety of minerals, protein, calcium, phosphorus and vitamins A, D, E, K and the B vitamins, especially B12, which is is sometimes lacking in vegetarian diets. Also, because of Parmigiano-Reggiano's long aging process, the milk protein breaks down into free amino acids, which give the cheese crunch and easy digestibility. Compared to other animal proteins, which take four hours to digest, Parmigiano-Reggiano takes only 45 minutes to assimilate.
A 1-ounce serving contains:
Calories 105 Total fat 7.1 grams Saturated fat 6 grams Cholesterol 25 mg Sodium 180 mg (compared to domestic Parm at 448 mg) Protein 9 grams (20% of daily requirement) Calcium 30% of daily requirement B12 20% of daily requirement Phosphorus 20% of daily requirement
