8 Reasons Cheese Is Basically The BEST Friend You'll Ever Have

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cheese love

Are you a Turophile? No, that's not someone with an unusual fetish like the infamous Swiss cheese pervert. It's someone who absolutely loves cheese and has a healthy relationship with it.

These days, there's a very clear dividing line regarding cheese. You're either anti-cheese and dairy, or wildly pro-cheese. Cheese may have fallen out of favor with some, but as more and more cheese shops pop up it looks as if cheese is here to stay.

I mean, people have been eating cheese for at least 7,500 years and for all its negative press, cheese can do a lot for you. In fact, for some of us cheese is like a friend — a very good friend who's always there when you need them.

But what's so great about having a relationship with cheese anyway?

1. It keeps you healthy.

Cheese may have a bad reputation for contributing to heart disease and high cholesterol, but more information is coming out that shows that cheese consumption can actually be good for you.

Researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark were curious about how French people tend to lead long and healthy lives while consuming diets high in saturated fats, and recently published their findings in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The French are known for their love of cheese and for respecting the importance of a cheese course.

The study suggests that fermented dairy products such as cheese could contribute to living a long life and having good health. Cheese is also a very good source of protein, has calcium and other minerals, and is good for your teeth

When did a friend of yours ever help you live longer?

2. It helps prevent diabetes.

One of the things that my best friend and I used to do when we were young was stock up on loads of candy, take it back to one of our homes, and gorge on it. It wasn't exactly a good activity to indulge in, especially where sugar is concerned.

A study from Cambridge University and the Medical Research Counsel suggests that dairy products like cheese may actually help prevent diabetes due to the odd number of carbon atoms in the molecules of the fatty acids they contain.

3. It doesn't encourage you to drink too much.

Cheese goes great with wine, but cheese doesn't encourage you to finish the rest of the bottle or get totally wasted on cheap wine. Cheese says enjoy wine responsibly, but not because you want to keep up, glass for glass, with your bestie.

Cheese enhances the whole wine-drinking experience by heightening the flavor with pairings, but doesn't suggest you drown your sorrows by guzzling down whatever wine you can get your hands on.

4. It makes you happy and improves your mood.

We love our friends unconditionally, and when they're sad or angry we take on some of their negatives emotions. Because our friends are human, they can sometimes bum us out. But not cheese; cheese can actually make us feel better.

In fact, Tyrosine, an amino acid found in certain cheeses, can trigger mood-boosting neurotransmitters and alleviate the effects of stress. So grab a hunk of Roomano cheese, settle down on your couch, and prepare to get happy.

5. It's the perfect addition to any social event.

I've found it's not always a great idea to mix your social groups. If they don't get along it can be awkward, and if they do it can cause jealousy. Sometimes, our friends aren't comfortable at parties, while other insist on being the life of the party at all times.

But what's the most popular dish at the potluck? Mac and cheese. Every good party host knows that a sampling of cheeses is always a hit, and if you're having a theme party, nothing says 1970s like a big pot of fondue. Cheese won't embarrass you by drinking too much and throwing up on your shoe.

6. It may age but it never gets old.

Sometimes we're friends with someone for life, but other times we grow apart and the person who was once our dear friend annoys the crap out of us. If you're over one kind of cheese, there are over 2,000 varieties to choose from.

You could spend a lifetime discovering and trying new cheeses. You won't ever feel like you and cheese have nothing in common the way you might with a grade school friend. Another thing you and cheese have in common? You both age beautifully.

7. It helps you sleep.

If you've ever been to a slumber party or had a sleepover, you know that you don't get much sleep. Cheese not only helps you sleep, but certain cheeses help prevent nightmares, according to a study by the British Cheese Board.

Apparently, if you want to dream about a celebrity, eat some Cheddar cheese; if you want a more nostalgic dream, munch on some Red Leicester cheese; if dreams aren't really your thing, having some Cheshire cheese should provide a dreamless night's sleep.

8. It will never, ever judge you.

When you do something foolish like calling that guy who ghosted you, it can be embarrassing to reveal to your friend just what an ass you've been. You know they're secretly judging you, even if they're the coolest person on the planet.

But you can tell your troubles to cheese without judgment or comment and get 100 percent comfort back. I defy anyone not to feel a little better after a perfectly melted grilled cheese sandwich.

You don't need to be a certified cheesehead or a Turophile to have a special relationship with cheese. Cheese does so many things and is always there for you like a BFF. Cheese, however, won't be mad at you for calling at three in the morning when you need to be comforted.