In case you didn’t know, August is National Goat Cheese Month. If you haven’t tried it yourself, goat cheese is tasty and full of nutritional benefits. It might even be something that you might want to consider adding to your senior’s diet. Here are some things you might want to know about goat cheese that could help you and your senior to try it.
What Is Goat Cheese?
Goat cheese is a tart cheese made from goat’s milk instead of cow’s milk. Goat cheese is available in a few textures, from spreadable soft cheese to crumbles. Generally, goat cheese has other flavors, like berries, honey, and more. Some people describe goat cheese as having a unique flavor. Goat cheese is versatile because a good cook can use it in everything from sweet to savory dishes.
Nutrition in Goat Cheese
The big reason to try goat cheese is its nutritional value. It’s a good source of many minerals and vitamins, including selenium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. A one-ounce serving offers up 6 grams of protein and plenty of healthy fats in the form of medium-chain fatty acids. Goat cheese also contains probiotics.
Other Reasons to Try Goat Cheese
The medium-chain fatty acids in goat cheese make it much easier to digest than other types of cheese. That means if your elderly family member is usually lactose intolerant, she may be able to eat goat cheese. Goat cheese is also believed to offer anti-inflammatory properties, which is excellent if your elderly family member is trying to stick to an anti-inflammatory diet. A single ounce of goat cheese may also be more filling for your senior than other types of cheese, giving her the health benefits and helping her to avoid overeating.
How Can Your Senior Use Goat Cheese?
Your elderly family member can eat goat cheese just as she would any other type of cheese at just about any meal. The drier, crumbly types of goat cheese work well as toppers for salads, pizza, or toast. Spreadable versions of goat cheese are perfect for crackers or vegetables eaten as snacks. But goat cheese can also be added to all sorts of dishes, including quiche, mashed potatoes, or stuffed in roasted peppers.
Making Goat Cheese Easier to Try
If your senior is open to trying goat cheese, make it easier for her. Home care services can help with preparing meals that are tasty and nutritious. That can take a lot of the strain of eating healthfully off your senior’s shoulders, which may help her to be more open to trying new things. Elder care providers can help in lots of other ways, too. Keeping your senior’s home clean and tidy helps her be safer. Home care services can also help with transportation, companionship, and much more.
Even if your elderly family member doesn’t like goat cheese after she tries it, she can still get some of the nutritional benefits from it, and now she knows whether it’s something she wants to keep trying in different ways.