Paneer: Uses, Benefits, Side Effects By Dr. Smita Barode

Introduction:

For “who doesn’t like paneer, in India it’s part of every festival thali; people enjoy paneer widely. India is agricultural land and is the largest milk-producing country in the world. Milk is an important component of a vegetarian diet as an essential source of protein. Various milk products are available and one such important product is paneer. Paneer is a popular dairy product native to South Asia, and India. Paneer is a soft cheese prepared by heating and coagulating buffalo or cow milk using citric acid (lemon juice), lactic acid, or sour milk. Good quality paneer appears in marble white having a firm, spongy, and smooth texture with a sweet, acidic, and nutty flavor. Varieties of paneer may include conventional, low-fat, filled, and vegetable-impregnated paneer. Let us learn more about paneer benefits, nutritional value, properties, and more.^1,2 

Nutritional Value of Paneer:

Paneer is low in lactose and rich in fat, protein, calcium, vitamins, phosphorous, and minerals. ¹ The nutritional value of paneer is described below: 

• Energy: 323 calories (per 100 g)
• Carbohydrate: 5 g (per 100 g)
• Fat: 27 g (per 100 g)
• Protein: 15 g (per 100 g)
• Cholesterol: 76 mg (per 100 g)
• Iron: 0.9 mg (per 100 g)
• Calcium: 350 mg (per 100 g)
• Potassium: 63 mg (per 100 g)
• Copper: 0.10 mg (per 100 g)
• Phosphorus: 350 mg (per 100 g)
• Zinc: 2.74 mg (per 100 g)
• Magnesium: 25 mg (per 100 g)
• Selenium: 5 µg (per 100 g)
• Manganese: 0.130 mg (per 100 g)
• Vitamin A: 212 µg (per 100 g)
• Vitamin B12: 0.28 µg (per 100 g)
• Vitamin B9: 23 µg (per 100 g)
• Vitamin B7: 21 µg (per 100 g)
• Vitamin B6: 0.040 mg (per 100 g)
• Vitamin B5: 0.490 mg (per 100 g)
• Vitamin B3: 0.130 mg (per 100 g)
• Vitamin B2: 0.100 mg (per 100 g)
• Vitamin B1: 0.020 mg (per 100 g)

Nutritional value of paneer per 100 grams.³ 

Properties of Paneer:

Paneer contains micronutrients that play major biological activities necessary for our healthy growth. The major properties of paneer include: 

• It may be an antioxidant  
• It may boost immunity 
• It may aid digestion  
• It may reduce cancer risk  
• It may strengthen bones 
• It may lower body weight  
• It may benefit kidney health 
• It may have stress-relieving properties 
• It may have blood pressure-lowering properties⁴ 

I advise consuming approximately 100 grams of paneer (cottage cheese) daily. However, it is important to avoid excessive consumption as it may lead to abdominal issues.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

Potential Uses of Paneer:

Paneer may have several health benefits when consumed in moderate quantities. The advantages of eating paneer are described below 

1. Potential uses of paneer for bone health 

Paneer may be a rich source of calcium. Adding paneer to your diet might provide sufficient nutrients to your bones, making them stronger. So, eating paneer might increase bone strength and may increase bone mineral density.^3,4 However, do not self-medicate; consult with your doctors first and have paneer if advised.  

2. Potential uses of paneer for bladder stones 

Considering the paneer health benefits, one cannot forget its essential mineral might work against bladder stones. Paneer may provide adequate levels of nutrients which might lower the chances of stones formation in the urinary bladder. Paneer may be a natural source of minerals which might stop the stone formation in the bladder and urinary system.⁴ However, bladder stone is a serious health condition; therefore, consult a physician and get a proper diagnosis and treatment. 

I would suggest pregnant women to try to include paneer (cottage cheese) in their diet as it supports healthy foetal development. Paneer is a good source of protein, calcium, and essential nutrients that are crucial for the growing baby.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

3. Potential uses of paneer for immunity 

The benefits of eating paneer may help in maintaining the proper immune system. Paneer is a rich source of vitamins, proteins, and minerals. The presence of these compounds and biologically active compounds may help in acting against malnutrition in children and may act against asthma (respiratory-related problems). It may act as an antioxidant by scavenging free radicals. Based on these Paneer may help boost immunity.⁴  

4. Potential uses of paneer for blood pressure 

Paneer is a rich source of protein and nutrition. It is full of mineral elements such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium. This may play a central role in regulating and lowering high blood pressure. A healthy balanced diet with paneer containing these minerals and proteins might keep a check on your blood pressure.⁴ However, in cases of high blood pressure, take medical treatments from your doctors. Do not self-medicate. 

5. Potential uses of paneer for weight loss 

Paneer may be loaded with healthy fats and proteins. It is also low in carbohydrates, which might be a healthy choice for people looking to lose weight. During weight loss, protein is crucial, and paneer might be an excellent vegetarian source of protein. Thus, adding paneer to your diet regime might help you lose body weight.⁴ However, more research is needed to support the benefits of paneer for weight loss. 

6. Other Potential Uses of Paneer 

• Paneer contains calcium that might work against tooth decay in children.⁴ 
• Paneer may contain essential minerals that might reduce the risk of developing heart diseases.⁴ 
• It may provide a good amount of nutrients to children suffering from malnutrition.⁴ 
• Paneer benefits for skin may provide enough nutrients to your skin to keep it wrinkle-free. It may also maintain your hair’s strength and brightness.⁴ 
• Paneer is a good source of magnesium and phosphorus which may enhance the healthy digestion and excretion processes.⁴ 
• It is rich in minerals like zinc, magnesium, and potassium; it might reduce muscle cramps.⁴   

Though studies show the benefits of paneer in various conditions, these are insufficient, and there is a need for further studies to develop the scope of the benefits of eating paneer on human health. In addition, each person may respond differently to these herbs. Therefore, it is essential to consult a physician before using paneer for any medical condition.  

How to Use Paneer?

Paneer is readily available in grocery stores and is equivalent to a meat substitute in Indian cooking. Paneer is used for preparing various culinary dishes and snacks.^1,4  

• It may be used as a base ingredient for making palak paneer, matar paneer, and other ethnic cuisines.^1,2 
• It may be deep-fried to make pakoras, snacks, or paneer chunks.² 
• It may be used in sandwiches, salads, and curries.³ 

However, the shelf-life of paneer is less than other milk products. Paneer must be refrigerated at 10 °C and used within three days; otherwise, it loses its freshness. It gets easily spoiled due to contamination by microbes which may be observed as a greenish-yellow slime with discolouration and off flavour and smell.¹ 

People should consult a qualified doctor before using paneer in large quantities. Further, we recommend not to replace or discontinue any ongoing treatment of modern medications with any ayurvedic or herbal preparations of paneer without taking the medical advice of a doctor. They will guide you with its form and dosage per your health condition. 

Side Effects of Paneer:

No major study reports the side effects of paneer. However, paneer may contain a low level of lactose.¹ So, lactose intolerant people might fall ill from digestive problems like diarrhea, bloating, etc.  

Precautions to Take with Paneer:

Overindulging in paneer is not advised.⁴ Therefore, general precautions need to be followed: 

• Paneer may be an ideal food for pregnant and breastfeeding women.¹ However, women at this stage must consult their doctors before having it. 
• Paneer may be nutritious for infants, growing children, and adults.¹ However, if they are lactose intolerant, avoid giving them paneer. 
• Before buying paneer, check its quality. Ensure it is clean, firm, and spongy with a pleasant odour and without any discoloration and impurities.⁴ 
• You should not use paneer to self-medicate on your own. It is a necessity to consult a doctor and have it if recommended. 

Interactions with Other Drugs:

More research is needed to suggest the interactions between paneer and other drugs. Therefore, you should take medical advice from your Ayurvedic doctors. They will direct you to a better way to have paneer. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References:

1. Kumar S, Rai D, Niranjan K, Bhat Z. Paneer-An Indian soft cheese variant: a review. J Food Sci Technol. 2014;51(5):821–31. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4008736/pdf/13197_2011_Article_567.pdf 

2. Farkye N. Acid-Heat Coagulated Cheeses. In: McSweeney Paul, Fox Patrick, Cotter Paul, Everett David, editors. Cheese: Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology. 4th ed. Academic Press; 2017. p. 1111–5. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124170124000442 

3. Paneer [Internet]. Nutrition Value. [cited 2022 Oct 8]. Available from: https://www.nutritionvalue.org/public_ingredient_7131.html 

4. Pal M. Paneer: A Very Popular Milk Product in the Indian Sub-continent. Beverage & Food World. 2019;46(7):23–5. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334592058 

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