A number of years ago, I read a statement, which was written by a lady who died in 1915. Her name was Ellen G. White, and she said cheese was not fit for human consumption. I dismissed the statement because I thought it was made because the process for making cheese was not sterile. Recently, I read The Cheese Tray by N. D. Barnard and he said cheese is a seriously unhealthy food. My antenna went up and I started reading. This journey changed my relationship with cheese. Let me share with you five reasons for my decision.
- Cheese is filled with fat, crammed with cholesterol, steeped in sodium, has twice the calories found in the most concentrated sugar, and, when being digested, special chemicals, called casomorphins are released. These chemicals attach to the same opiate receptors in the brain to which heroin or morphine attach. Thus, cheese is both fattening and addictive!!
- From 1975 to 2017, the average annual consumption of cheese in America increased from 14 to 37 pounds. This increase translated into 55,000 calories from cheese alone for each person, concentration of the dairy protein casein, which triggers respiratory symptoms, migraines, arthritis, skin conditions, etc., concentration of bad fat that increases the risk of heart disease and Alzheimer, and enough salt to contribute to high blood pressure. Given America’s international role as the leading producer of cheese, I knew big business boardroom strategies had to be involved, and consumers were left holding the small end of the stick. Thus, the cheese journey is not very different from the tobacco’s journey!
- The Dairy and Tobacco Adjustment ACT in 1983 created a federal board for dairy promotions, and eventually the government consolidated the programs under Dairy Management, Inc. (DMI). Each year, USDA collects about $140 million from diary producers and hands it over to DMI to push cheese and other dairy products. One strategy DMI uses to reach into every city and town in America is to contract with fast- food chains. For instance, it contracted with Wendy’s to push a Cheddar-Lover’s Bacon Cheeseburger. It contracted with Pizza Hut to unveil the Ultimate Cheese Pizza. It contracted with Public School Districts to place cheese throughout the lunch menu. Andthe list goes on. The industry strategy is to trigger cravings for cheese, and make sure the product is widely available. Was the strategy successful? Between 2009 and 2013, it turned ten billion pounds of milk into cheese for pizza.
- A lie will often masquerade as truth. There is not a causative link between fat consumption or cheese and weight (Robert Atkins, MD). Saturated fat has no effect on heart risks. Smoking does not cause cancer!
- Our health is too valuable to leave it in the hands of big business whose greater interest is in our money and not our health!! Melvin Davis, Ph.D.
