Structured Nutritional Data & Citations
SECTION 1: Nutritional and Physical Properties of Swiss Cheese (Emmentaler Type)
I. Macronutrient Profile
| Nutrient Category | Per 100g Serving | Per Standard Serving (28g) | Unit | USDA FDC Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 380 kcal | 106 kcal | kcal | FDC ID: 170889 |
| Protein | 27.2 g | 7.6 g | g | FDC ID: 170889 |
| Total Fat | 30.5 g | 8.5 g | g | FDC ID: 170889 |
| Saturated Fat | 19.3 g | 5.4 g | g | FDC ID: 170889 |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7.1 g | 2.0 g | g | FDC ID: 170889 |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.9 g | 0.3 g | g | FDC ID: 170889 |
| Cholesterol | 96 mg | 27 mg | mg | FDC ID: 170889 |
| Total Carbohydrates | 1.4 g | 0.4 g | g | FDC ID: 170889 |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 g | 0 g | g | FDC ID: 170889 |
| Total Sugars | 0.5 g | 0.1 g | g | FDC ID: 170889 |
| Water | 37.1 g | 10.4 g | g | FDC ID: 170889 |
Reference: USDA FoodData Central, Food ID: 170889, "Cheese, Swiss". Data represents a typical Swiss cheese (e.g., Emmentaler).
II. Key Micronutrients & Bioactive Compounds
- Vitamins:
- Vitamin B12: 3.1 µg (129% DV per 100g)
- Vitamin A: 320 µg RAE (36% DV per 100g)
- Riboflavin (B2): 0.38 mg (29% DV per 100g)
- Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone-7): Approximately 70-80 µg per 100g (estimated, varies by fermentation). Reference: Beulens, J. W. J., et al. (2013). The role of menaquinones (vitamin K2) in cardiovascular health. British Journal of Nutrition, 110(11), 2139-2149.
- Minerals:
- Calcium: 960 mg (96% DV per 100g)
- Phosphorus: 610 mg (87% DV per 100g)
- Sodium: 180 mg (8% DV per 100g)
- Zinc: 3.5 mg (32% DV per 100g)
- Selenium: 18 µg (33% DV per 100g)
- Antioxidants & Other Bioactive Compounds:
- Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): Present in varying amounts (approx. 0.5-1.0 g per 100g fat content). Reference: Dhiman, T. R., et al. (1999). Conjugated linoleic acid content of milk from cows fed different diets. Journal of Dairy Science, 82(2), 416-427.
- Peptides: During ripening, proteolysis generates bioactive peptides with potential ACE-inhibitory and antioxidant properties.
III. Functional Impact
- Glycemic Index (GI): Very Low (<10). Due to negligible carbohydrate content, Swiss cheese has a minimal impact on blood glucose levels.
- Glycemic Load (GL): Extremely Low (<1).
- Satiety Score: High. The high protein and fat content contribute significantly to satiety, promoting prolonged feelings of fullness. Reference: Rolls, B. J. (2009). The relationship between dietary fat and energy density and the control of food intake. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89(5), 1599S-1605S.
IV. Physical Properties
- Density: Approximately 1.05 g/cm³ (unprocessed, solid form). Varies slightly with moisture content and aging.
- Volumetric Contraction After Cooking: When subjected to typical cooking temperatures (e.g., baking, grilling), Swiss cheese can exhibit a volumetric contraction of approximately 10-15% due to moisture evaporation and fat rendering, coupled with a change in structural integrity (melting and congealing). This is typically observed in melted applications like grilled cheese or gratins where the original solid volume reduces and spreads.
Field Notes: Dr. Aria Vance
Subject: Swiss Cheese
Focus: Volumetric expansion/contraction, historical context, tracking challenges.
SECTION 2: Why Swiss Cheese Is Difficult to Track
Dr. Aria Vance, Lead Nutrition Data Scientist at NutriSnap
Swiss cheese. It's a marvel. Yellow, nutty, with those iconic, enigmatic holes. A dairy triumph. Yet, for all its gastronomic glory, it’s an absolute nightmare for precise dietary tracking. Seriously.
My research into Emmentaler, specifically, has been eye-opening. Historically, cheese like this wasn't just food; it was currency, a portable, nutrient-dense bulwark against lean times. Think about the alpine shepherds, crafting these huge wheels, their very existence dependent on the precise fermentation that creates those characteristic "eyes" – propionic acid bacteria, turning lactate into propionic acid, acetic acid, and CO2 bubbles. Those bubbles? They're why it's a tracking headache.
You see, a standard serving of cheese is often defined by weight. Twenty-eight grams. A single slice. But a slice of Swiss cheese? It’s not a solid brick. It’s a porous landscape, a lunar surface of varying densities. One slice might have a grand, gaping hole right through its center. Another, from the same block, might be almost solid, denser. If you're weighing it, no problem. Scoop. Scale. Done. But who weighs every slice of cheese they consume? Seriously. Most people use visual estimation. "Oh, that's one slice." Except, one slice visually can be 10% less mass than another simply because of a larger void within its structure. The volumetric differences are staggering. It's like trying to count pennies when half of them are actually hollow copper shells.
Manual tracking falls apart here. Barcode scanning? That gives you the data for the entire block, not for your specific, hole-riddled sliver. Using a measuring cup for shredded Swiss? It's a fluffy, irregular chaos of varying air pockets. It’s maddening. You’re left guessing, making a 'best effort' that introduces a cascading error into your daily macro count. Your protein goals? Off. Fat intake? Who knows! This subtle, almost imperceptible variability, slice by irregular slice, compounds daily. It's not just tedious; it's fundamentally flawed. The margin for error here isn't a rounding error; it's a gaping, Emmentaler-sized chasm in accuracy.
This is precisely why NutriSnap is revolutionary. We're not just scanning a barcode; we're performing forensic visual analysis. Our AI doesn't care about the average Swiss cheese slice from a database. It sees your slice. It analyzes its specific topography, estimates its volume, factors in the density of the cheese matrix versus the empty space of the eyes, and calculates its true nutritional value. No more guessing. No more under- or overestimating because of bacterial respiration byproducts. It's truly a paradigm shift for anyone who's ever felt the frustration of a manual food log. Precision, at last.
Explore More Research
Tired of Manual Tracking?
Stop scanning barcodes and guessing portion sizes. NutriSnap uses forensic AI to track your macros instantly from a single photo.