- Статьи
- Science and technology
- With mold in life: medicinal cheese will reduce the risks of diabetes and heart disease
With mold in life: medicinal cheese will reduce the risks of diabetes and heart disease
Russian chemists have created a special cheese with a high content of useful substances, which, according to the developers, prevents the processes of cellular aging and can potentially serve as a means of preventing dementia, diabetes, cardiovascular and other diseases. Experts note that the components included in the product do have useful properties. However, their effectiveness largely depends on the individual characteristics of the body. In addition, experts remind: cheese remains a high-fat product, so even functional nutrition should not be consumed without measure.
Cheese with useful substances
Chemists at Ural Federal University have created semi-hard cheeses (cheddar) and cheeses with white mold, enriched with substances that protect the body from aging and inflammatory processes, as well as reduce potential risks of diseases. The work has been carried out for more than four years, and during this time it has been possible to invent technologies for obtaining useful substances in a bioavailable and stable form, adding additives to cheeses, and creating products with a proven antioxidant effect. The formulation and techniques have been patented.
— We have developed cheeses with the addition of astaxanthin, resveratrol and puerarin. Fortification with these substances increased the antioxidant properties of the product by three to five times. In addition, their introduction during maturation led to an improvement in the amino acid composition. The result is a more balanced amino acid profile — more of some amino acids and less of others — closer to the ideal protein compared to what it was before fortification," said Elena Kovaleva, head of the UrFU Laboratory of Biotransformation Technologies and Food Chemistry.
According to her, 20-40 grams of this cheese per day is enough to get a daily allowance of calcium and antioxidants.
In preventive medicine, it is recommended to add antioxidants to the diet to reduce chronic oxidative stress, which often causes atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's), accelerated tissue aging and a number of oncological processes, the specialist explained.
The head of the study, Elena Kovaleva, Head of the UrFU Laboratory of Biotransformation Technologies and Food Chemistry
— Every second, thousands of reactions involving oxygen take place in mitochondria, the tiny "power plants" of cells. As a result of this process, free radicals are formed, which trigger an oxidation reaction. Cell membranes, DNA molecules, proteins and lipids are damaged, and inflammatory processes occur. Normally, the body copes with this with the help of its own antioxidant system. But when the load exceeds the protection capabilities — due to chronic stress, polluted air, ultraviolet radiation, malnutrition, intense physical exertion, or just age - oxidative stress occurs," said Elena Kovaleva.
University scientists obtain antioxidant extracts from plants using "green" methods — without the use of aggressive chemicals.
— It is important that puerarin is a compound with a serious evidence base, which in many ways surpasses the data on many modern supplements. It is known that it protects endothelial cells from damage during hyperglycemia. Simply put, it creates a molecular barrier between high blood sugar levels and the inner wall of blood vessels, which is especially important for the prevention of diabetic vascular complications," she noted.
Puerarin is also associated with improved cognitive function in patients with diabetes-related disorders. Therefore, it can be useful for people over the age of 40 with cardiovascular risks, hypertension, diabetic complications, as well as those who pay attention to stroke prevention and maintaining cognitive health, the developer added. Due to their properties, puerarin and other components of cheese are already widely used in the world as food additives. However, as part of a complete food product, these substances are absorbed better and can potentially bring more benefits to the body.
Nutrition for health
The modern human diet, as a rule, lacks fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, full-fledged animal proteins, vitamins, trace elements and dietary fiber. At the same time, food is becoming more and more monotonous: it is dominated by fast food, processed and canned. In addition, the products themselves today often contain fewer nutrients than before. However, as explained by Marina Chumakova, a family doctor and a leading expert on the Healthnet NTI market, many of these deficiencies can be corrected with nutrition, including functional foods. According to her, there is a real increase in interest in them now, as they are becoming a response to modern challenges related to lifestyle and nutrition quality.
— The products are enriched with vitamins, minerals, protein, and antioxidants. It is believed that the composition should contain at least 15% and not more than 50% of biologically active substances from the daily norm of physiological needs. But in the case of cheese, it's worth bearing in mind that it has a high fat content. Even if fat is "good", its excess in the diet leads to negative consequences, so you should not lean on it, but a couple of slices will complement the diet well," said the doctor.
According to nutritionist Nuria Dianova, the nutrients in the new cheese can indeed have a positive effect on the body, but it should not be abused because of the high fat content.
— Resveratrol is especially useful for women during perimenopause and a decrease in estrogenic activity, as it helps to reduce the symptoms of hot flashes during menopause. Puerarin has a cardioprotective effect. And astaxanthin is one of the types of carotenoids that can be called "enhanced carrots." However, cheese contains natural trans fats, which, if consumed excessively, can harm the body. Therefore, a dose of 20-40 g per day will be optimal," the specialist noted.
According to preliminary calculations, the cost of producing such cheeses will be about 700 rubles per kilogram, explained Timofey Kolosov, scientific consultant at the industrial partner. He clarified: the calculations were carried out both for the full production cycle within a single company, and for a model in which functional additives are produced separately and then delivered to the customer's conveyor.
Mikhail Bolkov, a researcher at the Institute for the Study of Aging at the Russian National Research Medical Center of the Russian National Research Medical University, believes that the new cheese is not able to directly prolong human life, but it can help prevent certain cellular disorders. In this case, the effect will be individual and depends on the state of health, lifestyle and nutritional characteristics of a particular person. According to the expert, the potential benefits of such cheese can be compared with the effect of regular consumption of other healthy foods, such as cottage cheese or apples.
The research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
