Cheese on toast, a beloved British snack, may be detrimental to gut health, according to new research. Scientists at University College Dublin discovered that while unmelted cheddar cheese positively influences the gut microbiome, melting it reduces bacterial diversity, potentially harming digestive health.
Study Details
The study tracked 69 volunteers over six weeks. Participants consumed 120 grams of cheddar cheese daily, either unmelted or melted. Researchers measured changes in gut bacteria composition at the end of the experiment.
Key Findings
- Unmelted cheddar increased gut microbiome diversity, promoting a healthy intestinal environment.
- Melted cheddar reduced bacterial diversity, negating the beneficial effects.
Scientific Explanation
Heating hard cheese alters its structure, making it more difficult for the body to absorb beneficial nutrients. The study, published in Frontiers In Microbiology, states: 'When cheddar cheese is melted, the dense semi-solid matrix is disrupted and becomes a looser structure. This may partly explain why we don't see an increase in bacterial diversity with melted cheese.'
National Snack Preferences
Despite the findings, cheese on toast remains the UK's favourite snack, with nearly one in four people naming it as their go-to treat when peckish.
