This cheese could be the latest superfood with unique properties to improve bone health

Eating small amounts of a particular Norwegian cheese may actually help stop bones getting weaker without boosting cholesterol, a new study has found.

Researchers from Norway have found that eating a daily portion (around 57 g) of Jarlsberg could help stave off bone thinning without boosting harmful low density cholesterol, and that the health benefits are unique to this very particular cheese.

Jarlsberg is a mild and semi-soft, nutty flavoured cheese made from cow’s milk, with regular holes. The cheese originates from a town of the same name in eastern Norway.

The Norwegian team hopes that the cheese may help stop osteoporosis and even prevent diabetes, but further research is necessary.

Previous research suggested that it may help boost levels of osteocalcin – a hormone associated with strong bones and teeth – but that it was not clear if this effect is specific to Jarlsberg or any type of cheese.

In a bid to find out, the academics studied 66 healthy women who either ate a daily portion of Jarlsberg or 50g of Camembert cheese every day for six weeks.

Both cheese have similar fat and protein levels, but Jarlsberg is rich in vitamin K2 – also known as menaquinone – unlike Camembert.

One form of menaquinone is found in animal products such as liver, while others come from bacteria and fermented foods such as cheese.

At the end of the six-week period, the group consuming Camembert was allowed to eat on Jarlsberg for another six weeks.

All the participants were healthy women with an average age of 33 and an average weight.

Every six weeks, blood samples were taken from all the participants to check for important proteins, osteocalcin, and a peptide (PINP) which helps bones renew themselves and stay young.

The samples showed key signs