The 20 types of cheese: nutritional properties and characteristics

Cheese is one of the most consumed foods around the world. And it is not for less, the wide variety of cheeses that exists in the market makes it easy to add it to an endless number of recipes and that satisfies any palate. For this reason it is said that there is a type of cheese for each person and occasion.

All types of cheese are derived from milk, although they have different nutritional properties and characteristics. It can be cow, goat, sheep, buffalo or even other animals, and depending on the region there are very traditional cheeses that are even part of the cultural identity of the area.

• It might interest you: "The 12 types of salad (and the ingredients they contain)"

The 20 types of cheese: nutritional properties and characteristics

There are many types of cheeses according to their nutritional properties and other characteristics. The most common difference that is made is between fresh and ripened cheeses, but they are also classified according to the designation of origin or the animal from which the milk comes.

In this way you can choose from the wide variety of cheeses according to the occasion. There are cheeses that are more enjoyed if eaten alone, others are ideal for spreading, some are better accompanied by a wine, and others combine well with certain foods. Below is a list of the main ones.

• Other users have read: "Top 10 Sources of Calcium (That Aren't Dairy Products)"

1. Mozzarella

Mozzarella cheese is the quintessential Italian cheese. It is made with buffalo or cow's milk and is consumed fresh or dry depending on what it is combined with. Mozzarella is used a lot in pizzas, because its texture and low intensity of flavor combines very well with the rest of the ingredients.

2. Gouda

Gouda cheese is a semi-hard cheese of Dutch origin. It is made from cow's milk and is currently a type of cheese well known throughout the world. Its nutritional properties are excellent, and it is common to present it sliced ​​to taste alone or with a glass of wine.

3. Blue cheese

One of the most popular types of cheese found on the market is blue cheese. It is a classification that names all the cheeses in which it is added at the end of a mushroom-based preparation penicillium to develop mold. Among the most common are Cabrales and Gorgonzola, and they can be made from cow, goat, or sheep's milk.

4. Cheddar

Authentic cheddar cheese is of English origin. It is a cheese made from cow's milk, and it has a hard and semi-fat texture. This cheese is also consumed little cured in hamburgers and nachos eaten only once it has been matured (for more than a year).

• You may want to see: "The 12 anticancer foods (that you should include in your diet)"

5. Emmental

Emmental cheese has characteristic very large holes and is yellow in color.. This cheese is of Swiss origin, and is made from unpasteurized cow's milk. It has a mild flavor and its consistency is semi-hard, and it is a type of cheese that is easy to find in the market.

6. Parmesan

Parmesan cheese is one of the most used types of cheese in Italian cuisine. It is hard and grainy in texture, and is usually eaten grated and sprinkled on other foods such as salads and pasta. Parmesan cheese is made from cow's milk.

7. Cream cheese

Cream cheese, as its name implies, is a very creamy type of cheese. Its texture allows it to be an ideal cheese to spread on bread or toast, being very practical for the typical snack dinner. To make it, the milk is mixed with cream, which makes it acquire more fat content.

8. Feta

Of Greek origin, feta cheese is widely consumed all over the world. It is a soft, rindless cheese made from sheep's milk. Although its best known use is as part of salads, it is a type of cheese that can be consumed in many other recipes.

• It might interest you: "The 7 most typical dishes of Spanish cuisine

9. Manchego

In pairings with red wines, Manchego cheese is exceptional. It is a type of cheese of Spanish origin made from La Mancha sheep's milk. Manchego cheese is versatile, as it can be used to prepare a cheese board as well as to put on tapas or salads.

10. Cool

Fresh cheese is one of the types of cheese that requires less time to make. This cheese is soft and does not have a ripening process, and being very moist it should be eaten shortly after it has been made. The common thing is that fresh cheese is made from cow's milk.

11. Provolone

From southern Italy, provolone cheese is semi-hard with a soft rind. It is common to find it in various presentations, as it is sold in the shape of a cone, sausage or elongated pear. The original provolone cheese is made from cow's milk and its flavor is intense.

12. Roquefort

Not just any cheese can be named Roquefort although its preparation is similar. Roquefort cheese is a designation of origin for cheese made from sheep's milk manufactured in France. It has a very strong flavor, and the most common is to eat it spread due to its soft texture.

• We recommend you: "Healthy breakfasts: 8 quick and easy ideas to prepare"

13. Brie

Brie cheese is of French origin is made from raw cow's milk. In the United States and Australia, it is made from pasteurized milk, but the original flavor is provided by the soft coating of penicillium mold. It is consumed as an aperitif or on a cheese board.

14. Camembert

The best Camembert cheese is made from unpasteurized milk. Cheese experts also point out that it must be in an almost liquid state, only covered by a rind. Its flavor is impregnated with a touch of mushrooms and fresh grass, being very aromatic.

15. Halloumi

This type of cheese is the best known of the Cypriot gastronomy. It is made from mixed goat and cow's milk, and a cheese is obtained that does not melt at high temperatures. This allows it to be roasted as if it were meat, being a very unique type of cheese.

16. Mascarpone

The consistency of Mascarpone cheese is very similar to that of cream cheese. It is a fresh cheese that is obtained from the mixture of cow's milk cream, cream and citric acid. Its flavor is sweet and has a high caloric content, being widely used to prepare desserts.

• Related article: "Foods rich in protein and essential amino acids"

17. quesillo

The quesillo is a type of fresh cheese and in the form of a thread. It is originally from South America, and arises as a result of the fusion of cultures. Its texture is firm and elastic, and it is originally made with cow's and goat's milk.

18. Gruyer

Gruyer cheese is one of the most famous Swiss cheeses. It is a type of semi-hard cheese with holes all over its surface. It is made from cow's milk, and as part of its manufacture, it is left to mature at room temperature for about two months.

19. Nipple

Teat cheese is one of the most surprising types of cheese due to its shape. Due to its manufacturing process it acquires a peculiar pointed shape, and in fact from there it derives its name. It is made from Galician cow's milk, and it is a very good semi-hard cheese to consume alone or with wine.

20. Maasdam

Maasdam cheese is said to have emerged as an alternative to Emmental cheese. It has a creamy texture, although it is not a soft cheese at all. This type of cheese is ideal for melting, although it is also eaten in slices or cubes and can be consumed as pica pica, in salads or in pasta.

• You may be interested in: "Local products: 6 good reasons to buy them"

Bibliographic references

• Fox, P.F. (2000). Fundamentals of cheese science. Springer.

• Hui, Y.H., Meunier-Goddik, L., Josephsen, J., Nip, W.K. and Stanfield, P.S. (2004). Handbook of Food and Beverage Fermentation Technology: Food Science and Technology (Marcel Dekker), Vol 134. CRC Press.

• Ridgwell, J. and Ridgway, J. (1986). Food around the World. Oxford University Press.