Swiss Vs. Provolone – What’s The Difference?

Grocery stores nowadays will provide you with just about anything. You name the ingredient, and it will be available at the nearest super grocery stores. However, with such a variety of everything, people often get confused.

One such section that most confuses people is the cheese section. There is a variety of cheese available. It gets hard to choose what you want with so much variety.

The difference between cheeses may vary, with sometimes there may be a slight difference while sometimes it may be significant. Similarly, the two cheese types that confuse many people are provolone and Swiss. Several folks confuse them to be the same.

So here the question arises what the difference between provolone and Swiss is? Although they may look similar as they have just about the same appearance and color, both are made in a distinct way in different places around the globe. Moreover, they also do have distinct tastes.

Swiss has a nutty taste and prominent flavor, while provolone has a mild flavor that tastes tangy. However, these are not all the differences between them. In this article, we have covered all their differences and properties in detail, so keep on reading.

Swiss

Swiss cheese has its origins in Switzerland in the 15th century. It is primarily made up of cow’s milk. It is made by using different types of bacteria in fermenting cow’s milk. Curds are made from cow’s milk, then made into a mold.

Moisture is pushed out of the molds using weight. Then the cheese is put into a brine bath made of salty water. This results in more moisture extracted from the cheese.  Swiss cheese is stringy ropey, and stretchy when melted. Due to this reason, it is not used in hot foods. It serves as a great appetizer and can be used in various dishes.

This process allows bacteria to give the cheese its distinct flavor. Then the cheese is taken from the brine bath and put on racks so it can dry. Several additives are added during its aging process, and this process is called affinage.

One of the qualities that make Swiss cheese distinct in appearance is its holes. It is because, during its aging process, carbon dioxide is released due to bacteria. This release of carbon dioxide results in bubbles forming on the cheese, which later become holes.

Swiss cheese is sweet in taste and has a nutty flavor. One of the ways to determine how flavorful Swiss cheese will be is to check how big the holes are. The bigger the holes, the more intense the taste Swiss cheese will have.

As Swiss cheese is soft, it can easily be sliced, making it ideal for making cheese plates or sandwiches. Swiss cheese has a low-fat content as well as low moisture content. Because of this, Swiss cheese becomes stringy when heated.

Nutritional Facts

One-fourth of a cup of shredded Swiss cheese includes the following:

• Total Calories: 103.
• Total fat: 8g.
• Saturated fat: 5g.
• Cholesterol: 25mg.
• Sodium: 52mg.
• Total carbohydrates: 1g.
• Protein: 7g.

Health Benefits

Swiss cheese provides you with recommended daily required nutrients. It has high levels of calcium and protein, which aids in maintaining a healthy diet. Protein and calcium found in Swiss cheese lead to healthier and stronger bones.

Moreover, it also leads to healthy blood flow and lower blood pressure. The protein present in Swiss cheese not just satisfies your food cravings but also is known to boost your metabolism. Food’s high in protein like Swiss cheese are known to burn more calories as compared to food high in carbs.

Provolone

Provolone cheese originated in Italy. It is also called aged pasta fallata. As it is a stretched curd cheese, this makes it a lot harder than Swiss cheese to make. Provolone has a comparatively high moisture content than Swiss cheese. This makes provolone softer than Swiss cheese. However, this makes it harder to slice and needs to be chilled before use.

Initially, whey and curds are separated from cow’s milk. Then it is stretched typically by hand. After it has been adequately stretched, it is then put in a net and hung. It is very different from the kinds of cheese that are molded with weights.

Provolone cheese has a mild taste that is slightly buttery and sweet. Like Swiss cheese, the longer the aging process of provolone cheese, the better its taste. Some kinds of provolone cheese are smoked, which gives it a smoky element.

It is ideal to be used in sandwiches as it does not completely turn into liquid when melted. They can be sliced according to your taste and goes well with sandwich fillings. When provolone cheese is melted, it becomes stringy ropey and stretchy.

Nutritional Facts

A serving of 1 oz. of provolone cheese includes the following:

• Total calories 100
• Total Fat 7.5g
• Saturated Fat 4.8g
• Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
• Monounsaturated Fat 2.1g
• Cholesterol 20mg
• Sodium 248mg
• Potassium 39mg
• Total Carbohydrates 0.6g
• Dietary Fiber 0g
• Sugars 0.2g
• Protein 7.3g

Health Benefits

Provolone cheese is a great source of vital minerals and vitamins. A serving of provolone cheese supplies about 214mg of calcium, about 21 percent of the daily recommended intake. Moreover, provolone cheese is rich in vitamins like B, A, D and E.

These vitamins help maintain healthy skin and bone growth. Some vital minerals that are present in provolone cheese include biotin, zinc thiamine and riboflavin, which greatly help in the formation of red blood cells and eye health.

Phosphorous is another mineral that allows the body to use calcium effectively, and it is present in the provolone cheese. Phosphorus in provolone cheese is about 14 percent of the recommended daily intake.

So, What’s the Difference Between Provolone and Swiss?

1. Swiss cheese has its origins in Switzerland, while provolone cheese is made in Italy.
2. Swiss cheese has a nutty taste, while provolone cheese has a mild tangy taste.
3. Swiss cheese is comparatively sweeter than provolone cheese.
4. Provolone cheese is softer and has a high moisture content, while Swiss cheese is comparatively hard and can be easily sliced.
5. When Swiss cheese is compared with provolone, it has been shown that it is high in calcium and low in fats and sodium.

Sources

• foodstruct
• Foodsguy