Nutritional characteristics

The nutritional characteristics of Fontina.

Water: 42%
Fats: 28% of which (47% d.s.)
30% unsaturated fatty acids
58% saturated fatty acids
A preponderance of short- and medium-chain fatty acids (more or less equivalent to 14 atoms of Carbon), with low fusion point, therefore not responsible for the cholesterol-genic effect. Palmitic acid (C 16), considered the principle responsible factor for the cholesterol-genic effect, determines a cholesterol value in the Fontina equivalent to 80 mg/100g - not high, similar in fact to those levels found in lean meat and less than in eggs and offal. In addition its quantity diminishes in the Fontina of the high pastures because of the strong differences in the food of the cows which in turn condition the quality of the milk.
Protein: 28% natural state
Mineral salts: 4.2% natural state
Calcium phosphorus. The 1:1 relationship is considered the most favourable for a correct homeostasis of calcium in the organism and therefore an optimization of the absorption of Calcium introduced with the diet: 100g of Fontina a day gives the body its average daily needs which are particularly important for growth, during pregnancy and breast feeding and for preventing osteoporosis.
Milk enzymes: cfu/g x 1000, 188.437 comparable with yoghurt (cfu=colony forming unit)
Vitamin A: 227.7 mg/100g, a sizeable quantity, equivalent to 1/3 of the recommended daily allowance.
Sodium: 681.83 mg/100g, not particularly high compared to other cheeses or everyday foods such as bread which contains around 500mg/100g.

Average nutritional values per 100g

*RDA= Recommended Daily Allowance.

Fontina