Eat Cheese or Die! This has long been Wisconsin’s unofficial motto (along with: Wisconsin! Smell our Dairy Air!)
But now there’s scientific evidence that it’s true. The consumption of cheese, yogurt and reduced fat milk reduces mortality rates. Meta-analysis of lots of previously collected data yielded those conclusions along with a recommendation from the European Society of Cardiology.
“The researchers found consumption of all dairy products to be associated with a 2% lower total mortality risk and consumption of cheese to be associated with an 8% lower total mortality risk. For cerebrovascular mortality, they found a 4% lower risk with total dairy consumption and 7% lower risk with milk consumption”.
Finally, some good news. Time to hit the cheese drawer. I’ve got a lovely local 8 year old cheddar just waiting for consumption, and it’s time to think of sacrificing that 14 year old one too. Plus all the full fat yogurt that I mix with bran buds and fruit.
You lactose intolerant folks can glom onto the hard cheeses with minimal risk, due to very low lactose content there. Cheddar has 0-2 grams per oz.
I just like what I like, a lot of older hard cheeses (cheddar, swiss, gouda), and some lesser known ones (in the US anyway) like gjetost and Epoisses du Bourgogne, and, well I’d better stop here or I’ll list a couple dozen. But that’s just impulse control issues, not aficionadoism. Or addiction. Really
Oh, yeah, stoners know about that brown stuff. You put it in your mouth, it starts out tasting like gritty caramel, then, if you keep it there a while, the flavor just keeps on changing to, what the hell is that?
My 95 yo MIL grew up in her parents’ Italian cheese factory and made cheese or sold cheese from when she could first reach the tools until she left home to get married after the War. All these years later she has slightly elevated BP, no cardiovascular issues, survived a couple TIAs, and still gets through a pound of the good stuff every week or so. It’s worked for her so far.
My youth wasn’t that cheese-centric but I’ve not been taking any chances since about high school. Full fat natural dairy all the way.
Not to question the bonifides of either you or the European Society of Cardiology, but a study published in Lancet by the McMaster University in Canada indicates that full-fat milk is more beneficial than reduced fat as well as also showing that consumption of dairy products were associated with greater health and longevity.
Also, full fat tastes soooooo much better…!
Also, my sister-the-MD told me that for older women (I guess that applies to me now that my meno has paused) full fat dairy (in moderation, of course) is better than reduced fat. Not that skim milk is poison, of course (unless you’re allergic or lactose intolerant).
Not that I want to get into dueling studies, but care to comment on low vs. full fat dairy?
Well, I wouldn’t exist in the first place if it weren’t for cheese (my great-grandfather was a cheesemaker and was offered a job in the U.S.). Also, cheese makes me happy, and happy people live longer, right?
Whenever I have the real cheese (the extra-sharp Tillamook in the black wrapper), usually accompanied by pieces of “fresh” apple, if the hour is late, I end up having especially crazy dreams. Has anyone else noticed that?
Tillamook makes a very nice aged product. I’m finishing up some now from my stash. IMHO, not as good as an equally aged Vermont. But since my go-to Wisconsin cheddar for daily use is generally a 5 year old, neither of those “younger” samples are quite as good as that elder cheddar.
