Roquefort cheese or blue cheese, conspicuous by its mould and blue-green veins, has anti-inflammatory properties which could ward off heart diseases, says a new finding.

The cheese, which is aged in caves of Southern France, could perhaps explain why the French enjoy good health despite a diet high in saturated fat, a situation dubbed the French Paradox.

A process that occurs as the cheese ripens is good for a healthy gut, helps slow arthritis, and can slow the signs of ageing, such as cellulite, according to Cambridge-based biotech company Lycotec.

Researchers led by Ivan Petyaev and Yuriy Bashmakov, found that the properties of the blue cheese worked best in acidic environments, such as the lining of the stomach, the Daily Mail reports.

It suggested regular consumption by the French of Roquefort, Camembert and other moulded fermented cheeses could be one of the reasons the nation has the lowest rate of cardiovascular mortality in the developed world.