Sheep milk cheese: top 4 types and names, benefits and harms to the body

The ancient Romans learned how to make sheep cheese, since then a valuable product has become an indispensable part of the Mediterranean diet. It is considered a delicacy, suitable for independent consumption and cooking. The production of cheese from sheep's milk is widespread in the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean countries, in Asia Minor and the Middle East, where sheep breeding is developed.

Composition and calorie content

Cheese is made from sheep's milk, to which enzymes and lactic acid bacteria are added to cause the clotting process. In some industries, milk is melted by adding s alt. Nutritional value per 100g:

• 15g protein;
• 8g carbs;
• 28 g fat.

Calorie content - 350 kcal per 100 g. Despite the large number of calories, the sheep product is considered dietary, suitable for those who practice a he althy diet and a raw food menu.

Lamb fat is not a source of "bad" cholesterol that accumulates on the walls of blood vessels, but a supplier of useful amino acids that prevent the occurrence of atherosclerosis and malignant tumors.

Sheep cheese contains a lot of useful substances that support the tone of the body, helping to maintain youth, he alth and good emotional state:

• vitamins - ascorbic acid (vitamin C), retinol (A), calciferol (D), tocopherol (E), riboflavin (B₂), folic acid (B 9_{), cobalamin (B}12_);
• mineral elements - potassium, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, iron, sulfur;
• linoleic acid, supporting metabolic reactions.

In sheep's milk, the concentration of ascorbic acid is 3 times, and iron is 2 times higher than in cow's milk. The content of potassium, calcium and phosphorus is also increased. The fats and proteins that make up the basis of a dairy product are easily digested in the body.

Types and names of sheep cheese

Sheep milk is used to prepare hard and soft varieties of rennet cheese with different fat content and the addition of flavoring ingredients, as well as whey and brine products.

Hard cheeses

Most often, sheep's milk is used to create a classic Mediterranean product - hard cheese. Its main suppliers are Spain and Italy. The most common Italian sheep cheese is pecorino (from the Italian "pecora" - "sheep"). It was made by the ancient Romans.A feature of the species is the granularity of the structure, which increases as the product ripens. Pecorino varieties are produced in different regions of Italy:

1. Romano is the most common variety outside of Italy, exported to various countries since the 19th century. For production, milk from Sardinian and Tuscan sheep is used. The color is light straw, the consistency is dense, with small holes and a sharp-s alty taste. Ripens in 10-12 months.
2. Sardo is a Sardinian variety with more richness and piquancy of taste, but less s altiness. It happens soft, ripening in 30-60 days, and hard, ripening longer.
3. Toscano is a Tuscan variety characterized by soft taste and intense aroma, covered with a red or black rind. It can be soft, ripening in 20 days, and semi-hard, requiring 5-6 months to be ready.
4. Siciliano is a Sicilian cheese that matures for at least 4 months according to the old method in wicker boxes, so it has an uneven rind. The taste is spicy, with fruity notes.

Also popular in Italy is fiore sardo (Italian for “Sardinian flower”), made exclusively from the milk of Sardinian sheep that eat natural food without additives. The cheese mass is immersed in brine for several hours, smoked for 2 weeks, and finally treated with a mixture of s alt, olive oil and vinegar. Another Italian cheese is medoro, which has a rich taste with a slight pungency.

Spain has many mountainous areas where sheep breeding and the production of high-quality cheese are developed. Most popular varieties:

1. Samorano is a Castilian cheese aged in olive oil. It matures in 6 months, has a relief crust and a s alty-sour taste.
2. Manchego is a light yellow Castilian product. It can be semi-hard, tender, ripening in 3-4 months, and firm, up to a year old, characterized by rich taste.
3. Roncal is a variety from Navarre with a brown rind and a slight piquancy on the palate. Matures 4 months.
4. Idiazabal is a product from the Basque region. The taste is light, with a pleasant piquancy. There are smoked varieties.

Soft cheeses

Soft sheep cheese comes in the following varieties:

1. Cachotta - Italian capitate product, divided into several varieties according to the speed of maturation: from 5 days to 3 months. The structure is dense, there are no holes. Tastes vary from mild creamy to savory. The composition often includes flavoring additives.
2. Serra da Estrela is a limited edition Portuguese cheese. It reaches maturity in a month, acquires a soft and thick structure.
3. Roquefort is the most famous French semi-soft variety. For cooking, only the milk of Lacon sheep is used.Spores of the noble blue penicillin mold are added to the ripening cheese mass with a syringe. The product ripens in the limestone grottoes of the southern province of Rouergue on oak shelves. It has a soft crumbly structure, a smooth and moist rind, rich taste with pleasant spice and nutty notes.

Brines

Sheep pickled cheese ripens in brine, has no rind. Fat content - 40-45%. The product is in demand in Mediterranean countries and Eastern Europe.

Popular varieties:

1. Feta is a Greek cheese made from goat's and sheep's milk. The consistency is thick and creamy. Easily cut into square pieces for serving. The taste is spicy, s alty.
2. Motal is an Armenian and Azerbaijani product with the inclusion of thyme. The consistency is soft, aging takes place in leather skins.
3. Haloumi is a Cypriot goat and sheep milk product. It melts hard, so it can be fried. The taste is s alty, mint is often used as a flavor additive.
4. Cheese is the most common sheep product in Eastern European countries. Similar to feta, but thicker, sour, less greasy.

Whey

After making hard and soft cheese, whey containing albumin protein remains. It is used to make whey products.

The following whey varieties exist:

1. Ricotta from uns alted whey of several types of milk. Cheesy consistency, high protein concentration.
2. Brocchio is a creamy Corsican product with a spicy-sweet taste and intense creamy aroma. When cooking, milk is added (up to 25% by volume). Maturity occurs after 2 days, but many months of ripening is possible.
3. Vurda - Balkan and Carpathian cheese. Milk is added to whey (up to 20% by volume).

Useful properties of the product

Sheep cheese has a positive effect on the functioning of the human body, with regular inclusion in the diet:

• normalizes digestion;
• maintains normal blood sugar levels;
• stimulates metabolism;
• helps you lose weight faster;
• supports the work of the organs of vision;
• tones the body, fills with energy;
• prevents the formation of malignant tumors;
• reduces the risk of atherosclerosis.

For women

Sheep cheese with regular use prolongs youth, strengthens hair follicles and nails. It is recommended to use dairy products for pregnant women to compensate for the deficiency of calcium taken from the mother's body by the embryo. This will prevent hair loss and tooth loss. Folic acid in the composition of the product is necessary for the full development of the fetal nervous system.

For men

A nutritious dairy product recommended for men doing heavy physical work. Its benefits lie in strengthening the muscles and skeleton, eliminating joint pain, filling the body with energy to overcome stress.

It is useful for men to use cheese to prolong sexual intimacy, and Roquefort to prevent impotence and pathologies of the genitourinary system.

For kids

Sheep cheese can be given to children who have reached the age of 3, as a rich source of calcium and other minerals necessary for the full development of the children's skeleton, preventing rickets. The daily portion at this age is 15-20 g. Before the indicated age, the child should not eat cheese, since the product saturated with proteins and minerals overloads children's kidneys too much. Products with mold and spicy flavors, as well as those that have been smoked, do not give to children under 7 years old. You should not treat your child with s alty and fatty dairy products.

Possible harm and contraindications

Sheep cheese should not be included in the diet when:

• peptic ulcer, gastritis, colitis, other acute pathologies of the digestive tract;
• kidney failure;
• hypertension, disruption of the heart and vascular system;
• puffiness caused by heart and kidney problems.

Excessive consumption of cheese disrupts the functioning of the stomach and heart, exacerbates chronic diseases of the digestive system, and extra pounds appear.

Sheep cheese is rich in minerals, s alts, fats. These substances, when ingested excessively, cause serious functional impairment.

If you have pathologies of the heart, blood vessels, urinary and digestive systems, you should consult with a nutritionist and your doctor before including dairy products in your diet.

What is eaten with and how to store it?

Sheep cheese is widely used in cooking. It is used as an ingredient in cold appetizers and hot dishes of Eastern European, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines: vegetable salads, sandwiches, rolls, soups, pasta, pizza.It is added to sauces, pastries, confectionery. Sheep's milk cheese is an excellent independent snack for dry wines, especially if it is supplemented with fruits, nuts, dried fruits, natural honey.

Sheep cheese is stored on the shelf of the refrigerator for no more than 3 months. For storage, it is wrapped in parchment to prevent drying. The brine product is kept in a plastic container, filled with brine. It is permissible to store wrapped in foil, but not longer than 5 days. There are many varieties of sheep cheese, everyone can choose according to their taste preferences. When used in moderation, the product benefits both adults and children.

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