Description and composition of Harz cheese. Benefit, harm when abused. Culinary recipes and interesting facts.
Harz cheese is a popular variety of German cheese, which is prepared on the basis of fat-free cottage cheese. For the first time, production began in the mountainous region of Harz (hence the name), which is located south of Braunschweig. Has a cylindrical or round shape. In the section, you can see a white core, reminiscent of cottage cheese in consistency. The pulp has a viscous texture and a yellow translucent color.
How is Harz cheese made?
A distinctive feature of the cheese is that it ripens from the outside inwards.
To emphasize the natural aroma of the product, cumin is sometimes added to its composition.
Stages of making Harz cheese:
- Cow's milk is skimmed and fermented. After a while, lactic acid bacteria and salt are added.
- The resulting curd is crushed, given the required shape and left under a towel at room temperature for 3 days.
- During this period, microorganisms will begin to multiply on the surface and form a specific crust.
- Harz cheese is washed with a saline solution prepared in advance. It is placed for full maturation for at least 7 days in the basement.
Young cheese can be stored for about 2 months. But mature can no longer be consumed after 14 days.
Read also how Kabeku cheese is made
Composition and calorie content of Harz cheese
The percentage of fat in the product is phenomenally low: it does not exceed 1%.
According to research results, the calorie content of Harz cheese is 121 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Protein - 29 g;
- Fat - 0.7 g;
- Carbohydrates - 0 g;
- Water - 63.6 g.
Vitamins per 100 g:
- Vitamin A, RE - 0.01 mcg;
- Vitamin B1, thiamine - 0.03 mg;
- Vitamin B2, riboflavin - 0.36 mg;
- Vitamin B6, pyridoxine - 0.03 mg;
- Vitamin E, alpha tocopherol, TE - 0.02 mg;
- Vitamin E - 0.02 mg
Macronutrients per 100 g:
- Potassium, K - 106 mg;
- Calcium, Ca - 125 mg;
- Magnesium, Mg - 13 mg;
- Sodium, Na - 787 mg;
- Sulfur, S - 260 mg;
- Phosphorus, P - 266 mg;
- Chlorine, Cl - 1213 mg.
Microelements per 100 g:
- Iron, Fe - 0.29 mg;
- Manganese, Mn - 0.01 mg;
- Copper, Cu - 0.08 μg;
- Fluorine, F - 0.02 μg;
- Zinc, Zn - 2 mg.
The composition of Harz cheese is extremely rich and rich. One bite will be enough to satisfy your hunger, but not add unwanted calories.
See the composition and calorie content of Esrom cheese
The benefits of Harz cheese
This product is classified as dietary. Harz cheese is included in the diet of diabetics, athletes and people who want to lose extra pounds.
The benefits of Harz cheese for the body are priceless and are as follows:
- Strengthening the skeletal system - due to the presence of minerals, the product accelerates cell growth, develops muscles, makes tooth enamel stronger.
- Strengthening immunity - the vitamin composition protects against colds, viral, bacterial and infectious agents, accelerates the growth of leukocytes, fights against stress and depression.
- Rapid healing of wounded skin areas - retinol helps with acne, dandruff, follicular hyperkeratosis and acne. It smoothes the fine mesh of wrinkles, saturates the epidermis with fluid, restores the lipid layer, and promotes the formation of elastin and collagen. Hair gains density and strength, becomes silky.
- Preventing infertility - Harz cheese is recommended for pregnant women, since its chemical composition helps the fetus to fully develop.
- Positive effects on the reproductive system - vitamin A increases potency in men, enhances erection and reduces the risk of cancer. In women, the occurrence of polyps, erosion and mastopathy is prevented.
- Control of the activity of the gastrointestinal tract - the components of the product restore the mucous membrane, heal abscesses and stabilize the production of gastric juice. They also control the production of lysine, tryptophan and methionine. As a result, the stool is normalized and the digestion of food is accelerated.
- Antioxidant properties - micro and macro elements knock out free radicals from the body, stabilize the cardiovascular system and strengthen the walls of the capillaries. They also slow down the aging process, whiten the skin from age spots and prevent the occurrence of atherosclerosis and hypertension.
- Improving brain activity and increasing work capacity - if you constantly feel apathy, drowsiness and are faced with sleep disturbances, you probably do not have enough B vitamins. There are enough of them in Harz cheese to restore the normal functioning of the nervous system and sharpen attention.
- Boost your metabolism - a large percentage of water and a minimum amount of fat make cheese a dietary product. Potassium restores water-salt balance, maintains a stable weight and releases energy from cells.
- Stabilization of the emotional background - due to the presence of pyridoxine in the body, the production of serotonin and norepinephrine normalizes, mood improves and climacteric disorders are smoothed out.
The dairy product also restores hormonal activity, regulates the percentage of sugar in the blood and prevents oxidative processes in cells. It can be used even by small children.
