What Type Of Milk Makes The Healthiest Cheese?

When it comes to cheese many of us enjoy it in all its glory and variety. We love crumbles on our salads, it melted in our omelets and enjoy nibbling it from trays. We make spreads and dip with it and enjoy fluffy cheese cakes. Some people even go to extremes to import unique varieties. It is no doubt one of the best loved foods around. What some people get concerned with, however is the high amount of fat that can come with it. This may leave them wondering if there is a healthier way to enjoy their favorite treat.

Your Definition Of Healthy Cheese

In regards to the milk that makes the healthiest cheese you must first consider what you mean by healthy. Do you mean the lowest fat? There are many mozzarellas that will still melt into gooey deliciousness over your pizza or toast that are made from skim-fat milk. With this cheese you can easily cut your fat down to trivial amounts. You may, however lose a little creamy flavor. If you live with lactose intolerance your definition of healthy may mean you need a cheese that won’t upset your stomach.  For this reason you might then turn to those cheeses that are aged longer or made from goat’s milk, such as an aged Cheddar or Feta cheese.

Different Milks In General

There is a new wave of health advocates who are looking at the milk for specific criteria. These people want to see milk that is antibiotic free and that comes from cows that were fed a grass diet. The reason these are desired is because the milk won’t have added hormones and drugs that are passed into the cheese. In addition, the milk will have health promoting fats like Omega 3s and DHA. Some people like to get their Cheddar or Cheese curds from raw milk. This is milk that hasn’t been pasteurized because it is believed to not have all the healthy fats and enzymes removed during the process. Finding cheese made from raw milk in the US can be difficult.

Goat’s milk is considered the closest to human milk and has the least amount of lactose. This means it generally doesn't upset stomachs and still provides a good dose of calcium along with other important nutrients. For this reason, many consider it the healthiest milk to get your cheese from.

What About Flavor

Because health comes in many forms it is important to also consider flavor. If you’re going to load up on large amounts of cheese made from skim milk in an attempt to still taste it you might be better off going with an aged Sharp Cheddar cheese. This is because you will need less of it to still feel satisfied. Before you try to decide on the healthiest milk for making cheese, remember to consider what health benefits you want from your Cheddar.

Can Cheese Cause Or Aggravate Acne?

Suffering from acne can be annoying or downright miserable. It can lead people to search for reasons they have it and turn to their diet for the answers. There are old wives tales that too much chocolate can lead to the problem, others have cited pizza as a reason you have acne. Whatever the cause, you are sure to want to try just about anything to keep it at bay. You may even be considering getting rid of your favorite snack like Cheddar cheese or cheese curds.

What Are Causes Of Acne

Stress is certainly a factor in adult acne. There are numerous people that have noticed a break out right before their wedding or big interview. Perhaps when you’re stressed out you turn to snacking on comfort food like melted Mozzarella and then blame the inevitable pimples on what you ate. It is also a known fact that hormones can cause acne to flare up. Women for centuries have seen the problem occur during their menstrual cycle. You may also notice food cravings associated with hormones. During this time you might not be able to resist snacking on cheese curds and again turn to this as the culprit for the unsightly pimples.

Is There A Link Between Cheese And Acne?

There are some studies that are pointing to the hormones in milk products inciting acne flare ups. Others have also noted that the link may be because of lactose intolerance. If you have come to believe you need to alter your diet to avoid acne and are looking at removing cheese you might like to try these suggestions first. Instead of getting rid of cheese all together try enjoying aged cheeses. Mozzarella is a cheese that has a relatively short aging process. Because of this it could have more lactose in it and perhaps you might try something older. Consider going for the aged Cheddar cheese. These cheeses tend to have less lactose and might be gentler on your system. In addition you’ll get powerful flavor which should allow you to enjoy it without having to overindulge.

Goat’s Or Sheep’s Milk

Another thing to consider is cheese made from goat’s or sheep’s milk. Goat milk, in particularly is known to be gentler on a person’s system, therefore the cheese might not aggravate your condition. Sheep’s milk has a higher fat content so should be considered as a final option. Whatever cheeses you choose to still include in your diet it’s important that you take into account there are likely other causes to your acne. If you’re going to try restricting your diet then make sure you know it isn’t stress, hormones or medication. In addition, when eliminating items make sure to do so carefully so you can track your changes and pin point what is working.

Does Cheese Help Depression Or Any Illnesses?

When people start struggling with illness or depression they don’t often naturally turn to their diet. This can be a mistake as it should be the first place you look to make changes, especially if you’re eating a traditional American diet. The problem that lies with the traditional American diet is that it is often rich in processed foods, sugars and refined carbs. It can be devoid of the essential fats and nutrients that a person needs to stay healthy. If you’re looking to feel better and have a more stable mood then you should start by considering what you are eating every day.  You need whole, unprocessed foods to have balanced health. Cheese is one of these valuable foods and can help stabilize your mood.

Nutrients In Cheese

One of the contributing reasons that cheese can help is because of the nutrients in it. In this instance, when speaking of cheese we are speaking of cheese that is unprocessed, without a list of ingredients you cannot pronounce and by-products.  The best cheese for relieving mood disorders is also rich cheese that has not had its fat reduced.  This may come as a surprise to many people but often it is this buttery fat that will help your mood. This is because one of the essential requirements to mood boosting is in the fat, which can contain Omega 3 fatty acids.

So Is It Just The Fat?

This isn’t all you might get from cheeses like Mozzarella or Cheddar, along with the other varieties. They are also full of calcium, magnesium and vitamin D which can help to prevent or fight off disease. Additionally, top quality cheese has probiotic bacteria in it that has recently been shown in studies to help prevent the onset of diabetes. Probiotic bacteria can also aid in your digestion and boost your immune system.

There are even more nutrients you can get from Cheddar cheese and the others, all of which will help you feel better. The truth is that a deficiency in B12 can cause deterioration of a person’s mental capacity which can result in memory loss, depression, psychotic behavior and even paranoia. You can find a good source of this nutrient in cheeses, particularly Edam, Cheddar cheese and Parmesan. Another nutrient that is important to keeping a stable mood is zinc. The good news is this can also be found in Cheddar cheese, along with beef, pumpkin seeds, beans and yogurt.

While it’s important to enjoy your cheese regularly you should also remember to not overindulge.  You won’t feel better by sitting and eating an entire pound in one night. Your health will be better improved if you enjoy daily moderate doses- and what a delicious prescription!

Can You Get Sick Or Die From Bad Cheese?

Molds that grow on cheese can range in color from white to green and can grow on all types of cheeses, from mozzarella to brie. Many people are under the misconception that since cheeses are produced from mold, then eating moldy cheese can’t hurt you. While it is true that mold does play a role in the production of some cheese curds, you should never eat mold that has grown on cheese unless it’s part of the cheese like Bleu cheese.

How Mold Grows On Cheese

Mold typically grows on cheeses and other foods due to a lack of proper storage process facilitated by moisture seeping in. For example, if you wrap a piece of room temperature cheddar cheese tightly in plastic wrap, the warmth of the cheese combined with the cool refrigerated air will cause condensation, or moisture, to form on the inside of the plastic wrap making it more susceptible to mold. When just one mold spore invades your piece of cheese, then it rapidly reproduces, causing more.

Cheese Produced With Mold

Some cheeses are produced using mold. Brie and Camembert, for example, are two soft cheese curds that have a rind produced from molding and the rinds are safe to eat. If you cut your Brie and the open, exposed part later grows mold that is a completely different process. Bacteria such as E.Coli and Salmonella often accompany molds that grow on cheeses after production, and those bacteria can kill you. Many Bleu cheeses have mold running throughout the entire piece, and those molds are safe to eat if the cheese has been properly contained and no additional mold has grown on it.

Bleu cheeses have a specific type of mold, such as the P. roqueforti spore used to make Roquefort Bleu cheese, so any other type of mold growing on the cheese can be harmful to your health. Many soft cheeses such as Mozzarella, Cottage or Riccota, should never be eaten if they have mold on them because mold is not used to produce them. Cheddar can have the mold cut off (about an inch into the cheese) and be safe.

Effects Of Eating Moldy Cheese

If you eat Mozzarella, cheddar, or any other cheese that mold has grown on, the effects could be anywhere from minimal to serious. Most of the time, the acids in the stomach will kill the mold spores, and you will suffer no ill effects. If your immune system is in a compromised state, however, then the effects of the mold could lead to some intestinal problems that typically aren’t more severe than mild cramping or diarrhea. It is the presence of bacteria along with the mold that causes the most serious problems, and there is no way to be sure that the moldy cheese curds you’ve eaten aren’t also teeming with bacteria.

I am Lactose Intolerant, Can I Eat Any Types Cheese?

Unless you suffer from lactose intolerance it can be easy to assume people who have the trouble don’t care for cheese. This is often anything but the truth.  Those with intolerance tend to get stomach issues shortly after digesting lactose. It is likely they still want to enjoy the lovely taste and texture of cheese. If this is the case here are a few things that can help a person with lactose intolerance enjoy cheese.

What Is Lactose?

Lactose is the main sugar in milk. So if you have intolerance traditional milk is off the menu. This sugar happens to feed lactobacillus, one of the species of bacteria that is used in the process of making most cheeses. It is this bacterium that is in dozens of foods created through fermentation and it turns to lactic acid. Lactic acid is fairly easily digested by most people, including those normally intolerant of lactose. So the trick to enjoying cheese is avoiding lactose.

Is Lactose In All Cheeses?

This is a tricky question. Young cheeses that haven’t aged long are generally quite full of lactose and will cause digestion problems for those who are lactose intolerant. The good news is that the older a cheese is the lower amount of lactose will be present. This is because the sugar has been consumed to form more lactic acid. Cheese that has aged three months or longer usually doesn’t have much lactose left. It’s important to note that cheese that is highly processed will have the highest amount of this irritant. Fresh cheeses also contain quite a bit of lactose. If your lactose intolerant you might want to avoid fresh mozzarella, cottage cheese and cream cheese among others.

What Can You Enjoy

The easiest rule to follow is cheese that is harder tends to have lower amounts of lactose. Aged and hard Parmesan tends to have low amounts as well as aged Cheddar or Swiss. A good bit of advice is that if you’re unsure of what to expect start with the older cheeses and small amounts. Try some aged, sharp Cheddar and only try an ounce or so. Or try sprinkling some Parmesan on your noodles. See how this sits and then work your way around to other cheeses. You can usually find information from a quality cheese on how long it’s been aged. Select those that have been aged 3 months or longer. You can find delicious Gouda, Provolone and Swiss quite easily that fit the bill. Most of all, try in very small amounts and pay attention to your body.