Cheese has an undeserved reputation.
Cheese has long been demonized in the health world as something you “shouldn’t have too often.” In reality, emerging science paints cheese in a much more nutrient-dense light.
Quality cheese — and fresh artisan cheese in particular, like garlic cheese curds — can absolutely be part of a well-rounded diet. In fact, when you buy premium cheese curds online from a trusted artisan creamery, you’re not just getting a tasty treat. You’re adding protein, calcium, healthy fats, and probiotics to your diet all in one fell swoop.
What’s on the menu:
- What Makes Artisan Cheese Unique?
- The Nutritional Benefits of Garlic Cheese Curds
- How Artisan Cheese Contributes to Bone & Muscle Health
- Gut Health: Cheese as a Source of Probiotics
- Brain Health & Artisan Cheese: Is There a Link?
- How To Only Eat High Quality Cheese From Now On
What Makes Artisan Cheese Unique?
In many ways, it comes down to the milk.
Commercial cheese is designed for maximum volume and velocity. Artisan cheese is produced in small batches using traditional methods that help preserve key nutrients from the milk.
Professional artisans often use milk from grass-fed cows, which has been shown to contain higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). These healthy fats are associated with supporting heart health, reducing inflammation, and boosting metabolic rate. One study found grass-fed cheddar contains twice the CLA of traditionally produced cheddar.
The takeaway? Higher quality milk and higher quality cheesemaking processes lead to a higher quality product. Artisan cheese is simply better cheese.
The Nutritional Benefits of Garlic Cheese Curds
Garlic cheese curds are tasty, but did you know they’re also nutritional ninjas?
Garlic cheese curds are a fresh, unaged cheese created during the beginning of the cheesemaking process. Think of cheese curds as cheese in its purest form. The cheesemilk is separated into curds and whey, and the curds are lightly processed before being sold.
As they don’t go through an aging process, cheese curds pack a major nutritional punch. Mix that with garlic, a natural antimicrobial with its own proven health benefits, and you have a wellness wonder hiding in plain sight.
Let’s dig into the nutritional profile of garlic cheese curds.
Garlic cheese curds contain:
- Complete protein which aids in muscle recovery and promotes satiety
- Calcium for bone strength and dental health
- Phosphorus which helps convert food into energy
- Vitamin B12 for nerve function and the production of red blood cells
- Healthy fats, including CLA and omega-3 fatty acids (in grass-fed milk)
The National Dairy Council notes that cheese contains 8 nutrients essential to human wellness: calcium, protein, phosphorus, selenium, iodine, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin B12. That’s a short list of nutrients covered by one single food!
How Artisan Cheese Contributes to Bone & Muscle Health
Did you know cheese could be good for your bones?
One of cheese’s primary nutritional benefits is its richness in calcium. Bodies use calcium to build and maintain strong bones, but it also aids in other areas like dental strength. Artisan cheese often contains vitamins A, D, and K as well as zinc which further supports bone health.
But it doesn’t stop there…
Cheese is packed with whey protein. Regular intake of protein can help support muscle repair and growth. On top of that, the fats in dairy cheese contain CLA, a healthy fat that’s been tied to reducing inflammation in the body. Inflammation can cause joint pain and hinder muscle recovery.
Gut Health: Cheese as a Source of Probiotics
Here’s a nutrition fact worth knowing.
Many cheeses are fermented with live, active cultures. These probiotics help promote a healthy gut biome which can aid in digestion and boost immunity.
Traditional cheesemaking — the same methods used to make artisan cheese curds — introduce good bacteria to the milk through starter cultures. These bacteria help kickstart fermentation, but they don’t go away when cheese is processed. Many natural cheeses deliver these live cultures when they hit your gut.
Researchers in a 2023 meta-analysis published in Advances in Nutrition discovered that cheese consumption had neutral-to-moderate health benefits in humans. They specifically noted an inverse relationship between cheese consumption and cardiovascular death, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and stroke. Researchers believe fermented dairy and probiotics play a role.
Brain Health & Artisan Cheese: Is There a Link?
Healthy brain, healthy body. Here’s how cheese helps.
Researchers in a 2026 prospective cohort study published in Neurology monitored 27,670 individuals for 25 years. Results concluded that participants who ate high-fat cheese were less likely to develop all forms of dementia by 13% and vascular dementia by 29% than those who consumed less.
Cheese is rich in glutathione, an antioxidant that aids in brain health and healthy blood vessel function. In fact, study results have shown that regular cheese consumers had healthier blood vessels than those who frequently ate replacement snacks like pretzels.
Moral of the story? Not only can cheese be good for your body, but it can also help keep your mind in shape.
How To Only Eat High Quality Cheese From Now On
So you want to upgrade to better cheese. Good choice!
When evaluating cheese quality, start with the farm. Small-batch, locally sourced artisan cheese made with grass-fed milk will inherently have a higher nutritional value than cheese bought from the grocery store. Next, look for cheeses made as naturally as possible. Ideally, that means:
- Milk
- Salt
- Starter culture
- Rennet
Fresh garlic cheese curds should also follow these simple guidelines.
- Know where they come from. Research the producer and make sure they use high-quality milk from reputable farms.
- Buy fresh curds. They should squeak when you bite into them.
- Check for extra ingredients. Premium garlic cheese curds shouldn’t need added flavors or chemicals.
- Transparency matters. Eat cheese from producers who proudly share their process and sourcing.
You know the old saying, “You are what you eat.”
The Final Verdict on Cheese
Cheese has been villainized long enough.
Recent dairy research is beginning to confirm what quality dairy farmers have known for decades. High quality cheese, including artisan cheese curds from small batch producers, is good for you!
Artisan cheese is nutrient-dense and provides the body with 8 different nutrients needed for optimal wellness. Foods that pack a lot of nutritional value into a single serving are known as “nutritional powerhouses.” Quality cheese curds fit that bill nicely.
Eat less processed cheese and more natural dairy from artisan farms. Your body (and taste buds) will thank you.
