Blue cheese can be called a relatively new product for our compatriots. He has a lot of fans, but also a large number of critics. Before joining this or that camp, it is worth understanding what varieties of blue cheese are, which variety is better to start acquaintance with this product, how to use and store it correctly.

And, of course, one of the most important is the question of how useful or harmful blue cheese is to human health.

Varieties of cheeses with mold
Perhaps not a single cheese plate can accommodate the variety of blue cheeses that are currently on the shelves of domestic and foreign stores. Therefore, in this article we will focus on the description of the most famous varieties.

• White mold. This group of varieties is one of the smallest. But it includes such famous varieties as Camembert and Brie. Such blue cheese is prepared in special cellars. Their walls are covered with fungi of the genus Penicillum. Cheeses of this group are distinguished by a characteristic white coating.

• Greenish-blue mold. These cheeses are distinguished by the fact that the mold is contained inside them, and not on the surface. They are prepared using a special technology. Special tubes are inserted into the curd mass, through which the mold gets inside and brings the product to the required condition. Roquefort is the most famous blue-green cheese. Experts believe that real Roquefort should only be of French origin. Any analogues are just expensive fakes.

• Красная плесень. Red mold cheeses include varieties such as Münster and Livaro. On their surface, in the process of maturation and as a result of treatment with special bacteria, a red mold is formed.

How to use blue cheese correctly?
The question of the correct use of blue cheese is not idle, because if you start acquaintance with it from the wrong variety, you can be disappointed in this delicacy and forever join the number of critics of the product. Connoisseurs advise giving preference to brie for the first acquaintance. After getting used to its specific taste, you can try blue cheeses that do not have a sharp taste. And only after that it is worth tasting the Camembert and Roquefort varieties.
It is also worth noting that blue cheese should not be perceived as an everyday product, besides, it is better not to indulge children with it. And for pregnant women, this product should generally remain banned.
Blue cheese is a rather specific product, the abuse of which can be harmful to human health. How much cheese will benefit, and not harm? Experts say that at one time you can eat no more than 50 g of the product. With such cheeses, fruits and wines with a rich taste harmonize well.

How to choose blue cheese?
Before you start tasting blue cheese, you need to choose the right one. When buying, first of all, you need to pay attention to the date of manufacture of the product and its expiration date. Cheeses with white mold can be smelled – they should smell like penicillin. Many buyers have hospital associations at the level of smell.
When choosing a noble blue cheese, it should be carefully considered. In the context of the product, the veins should be clearly visible, but those channels through which the mold was introduced into the cheese during its manufacture should not be evident. In addition, the consistency of the cheese should be soft and friable, but it should not fall apart.

How to store blue cheese?
In order for this product to remain beneficial to human health, it must be stored properly. Experts do not recommend doing this in a conventional refrigerator. In the homeland of blue cheeses, special cabinets are used to store them. It is better for ordinary consumers not to buy blue cheese for future use. It is advisable to purchase a small amount of the product. However, if the cheese still remains, it should be stored in the same package in which it was sold, the cut can be closed with paper. The usual plastic bags for storing moldy cheese are not suitable.

Useful properties of blue cheese
It is about the merits of blue cheese and its usefulness for human health that beginners often argue. Of course, like any other cheese, varieties with mold are useful due to calcium saturation. However, few people know that the presence of mold allows our body to absorb calcium in the best possible way. In addition, noble cheeses contain a large amount of protein. According to this indicator, blue cheese surpasses even fish and eggs.
Cheeses with mold and amino acids necessary for strengthening muscles are rich, as well as vitamins and phosphorus salts. And recent research suggests that regular consumption of blue cheese improves the production of melanin, which protects our skin from sun damage.

Who can harm blue cheese?
If you use blue cheese without exceeding the recommended norm of 50 g, then this product will not bring harm to a healthy body. Mold is useful in small quantities, and in large doses it can adversely affect the work of the stomach, because in this case it will be difficult for him to process it. The abuse of blue cheeses, even in healthy people, can cause disturbances in the intestinal microflora.
Experts advise people with chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract to be wary of blue cheeses or to completely refuse to use them. The mold contains a fungus that produces an antibiotic that destroys beneficial bacteria in the intestinal microflora. Therefore, the result of eating blue cheese can be intestinal upset or dysbacteriosis.