As seen on BCTV Noon News

Cheese Please!

What is Cheese?

Cheese is a concentrated dairy product that is made from milk. It is obtained by draining the whey (the moisture of the original milk) after coagulating the casein (the main milk protein).  Most cheese is made from cow’s milk, but sheep and goat’s milk can also be used. Vegan cheeses often use soy beans to produce a simulated cheese product. Cheese can be found unripened (such as creamed or cottage cheese) or ripened (such as Swiss and Cheddar). Processed cheeses are made from dried milk powder or the trimmings left over from the manufacturing of other cheeses. Additives, flavourings and colourings are added to give processed cheeses their characteristic colour and flavour.

The Nutritional Value of Cheese

Cheese is a great protein alternative for meat and poultry and contains many nutrients. However, remember that a serving of cheese is only 1.5 ounces (about the size of your two thumbs put together) so slice carefully!

• Protein: Cheese is a complete protein, containing all of essential amino acids, and casein is the main type of protein.
• Carbohydrate: The carbohydrate content in cheese (in the form of lactose) is not nutritionally significant. For those who are lactose intolerant, cheese can sometimes be tolerated over other dairy products with higher lactose content.  Hard cheeses have less lactose than some softer cheeses such as Brie.

Table 1: Lactose content of different dairy products

• Fat: The type of milk used in producing the cheese accounts for the wide range of fat content among the cheeses. Nonfat cottage cheese contains less than 0.1 g per ounce versus cheddar which is ~9g per ounce. Refer to table 2 for a listing of the milk fat percentages of a variety of cheeses. Cheese is also a significant source of CLA, a fatty acid that research has found to play a beneficial role in reducing the risk of certain cancers and heart disease, enhancing immune function and regulating body weight/body fat distribution.

• Cholesterol: Cholesterol varies widely in cheese. Cheddar contains 105 mg of cholesterol per 100g versus nonfat cottage cheese dry curd contains ~ 7mg/100g.

• Vitamins: Cheese is a good source of vitamin A and B-complex. Cheeses made with whole milk such as cheddar, Brie, blue, Limburger, Muenster, Gouda and Swiss contain higher amounts of vitamin A than nonfat milk varieties (such as cottage cheese). B-complex vitamins are highest in soft ripened cheeses rather than hard-ripened cheeses.  

• Minerals: Cheese contains significant amounts of magnesium and calcium. Whole milk cheeses appear to have higher amounts of calcium and magnesium remaining in the curd after the whey is removed.

Table 2: Types of Cheese and their Milk Fat %

Vegetarian Cheeses

The difference in vegetarian cheese is the source of rennet. Regular cheese uses rennet from the abomasums (forth stomach) of newly born calves. However, vegetarian cheeses are processed by using rennet from a non-animal origin such as the fermented fungus Mucor miehei, the bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus prodigiosum, or chymosin, a genetically engineered micro-organism. 

Here is a list of brands that carry vegetarian cheeses:

Kraft: Kraft Natural Swiss, Kraft Cream Cheeses, Grated Parmesan Cheese

Stella: Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, Ricotta, String Cheese

Frigo: Mozzarella

Giant: Cream Cheese, Swiss, Colby, Monteray Jack, Muenster slices, Biery cheese

Sargento: Pepper, Muenster, Cheddar

Cabot: All cheeses

If you are not sure whether the cheese is made with rennet from animal origin check the ingredient list. Look out for the words rennet or enzymes. Lastly, many packaged cheeses contain Vitamin A Palmitate, which is made from fish gelatin.

Can I eat cheese for two?

Pregnant women should be aware that certain soft cheeses can become contaminated with the bacteria Listeria, originally found in water and soil. Unfortunately, the outcome from being infected with Listeria can result in miscarriage, premature delivery, infection to the newborn or fetal death. Food that is contaminated with Listeria does not look, taste or smell different from food that is not contaminated. However, pasteurization and cooking will kill this bacterium. Symptoms of infection include fever and chills, headache, nausea and vomiting, and may show up 2-30 days after exposure. Consult your doctor right away if experiencing these symptoms.

Here is a list of soft cheeses that may become contaminated:

• Mexican –Style Soft Cheeses
• Feta
• Brie
• Camembert
• Blue-veined cheese, like Roquefort

Watch for the Eating for Energy segment every Tuesday on BCTV's Noon News Hour!

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