Trendy Type of Norwegian Cheese May Stave Off Bone Thinning, Shows New Study

Just a small serving of Jarlsberg can help prevent bones from weakening without raising cholesterol, according to new findings.

The researchers say the health benefits are unique to the Nordic dairy product and not found in other types of cheese.

Jarlsberg is a nutty, soft, semi-soft cheese with holes that is made from cow’s milk.

He comes from a city of the same name in eastern Norway.

The researchers hope that in the future the cheese could stop osteoporosis and help prevent diabetes, but say more research is needed.

Previous research had suggested that it increases levels of osteocalcin, a hormone that gives us strong bones and teeth.

It was not clear whether this link was specific to Jarlsberg cheese or applied to all types of cheese.

To find out, the researchers studied 66 healthy women who were given a 0.12-pound (57-gram) piece of Jarlsberg or a 50-gram serving of Camembert cheese every day for six weeks.

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The participants were all healthy, of a healthy weight, and had an average age of 33 years.

Afterward, the group that had been eating Camembert was told to nibble on Jarlsberg for six weeks.

Both cheeses have similar levels of fat and protein, but Jarlsberg is also rich in vitamin K2 while Camembert is not.

One form of vitamin K2 is found in animal products like liver, while others come from bacteria and are found in fermented foods like cheese.

Blood samples were taken from the participants to look for important proteins, osteocalcin and a peptide (PINP), which help bones renew themselves and stay young.

Blood samples showed key signs that bones were renewing and vitamin K2 had increased after six weeks among people who ate Jarlsberg.

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Among people who ate camembert, PINP levels stayed the same, while those of other indicators of bone health decreased slightly.

The levels of both PINP and the chemical and biological indicators increased significantly after they switched to Jarlsberg.

Blood fats rose slightly in both groups, but cholesterol levels fell in people once they switched from Camembert to Jarlsberg.

The amount of glucose in red blood cells was reduced by 3 percent in people who ate Jarlsberg, but increased by 2 percent in people who ate Camembert.

Once they switched to Jarlsberg, the glucose levels fell again.

Levels of calcium and magnesium, which can weaken bones, fell in people who ate Jarlsberg, but remained unchanged in people who ate Camembert.

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Bacteria in the cheese produce the substance DNHA, which previous studies have shown may reduce bone thinning and increase bone tissue formation. They say this could explain the increase in osteocalcin.

“Daily consumption of Jarlsberg cheese has a positive effect on osteocalcin, other markers of bone turnover, glycosylated hemoglobin and lipids,” says lead author Dr. Helge Elnar Lundberg of Skjetten Medical Center in Norway, whose study was published in the magazine BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health.

Professor Sumatra Ray, Executive Director of the NNEdPro Global Center for Nutrition and Health, which co-owns the journal, said: “This study shows that while calcium and vitamin D are known to be extremely important for bone health, there are other important factors at play like vitamin K2, which may not be as well known.

“Differing methods of preparation mean that there are key differences in the nutrient composition of cheese, which has often been considered a homogeneous food in dietary research to date.”

He cautioned that this is a small study in young, healthy people (and) the findings should be interpreted with caution, not as a specific recommendation.

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