I'm a Cheesehead and I Ain't Talkin' Brett Favre

Between double cheeseburgers, breakfast burritos with too much cheese, and putting cheese on my sandwiches...I've been eating too much cheese lately.

I'm a cheesehead and I ain't talkin' Brett Fahr or the Packers!

I know it's about the fat. But, let's look at what health experts say about cheese. I guess it depends on who's sponsoring your study!

This from the "Center for Science in the Public Interest":

WASHINGTON - Cheese is giving Americans a heart attack, says the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), which is urging us to cut back. Cheese consumption has almost tripled since 1970, making cheese the nation’s biggest source of saturated fat.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American eats 30 pounds of cheese a year. That compares to only 11 pounds in 1970...

Now, this from the National Dairy Council:

Americans are consuming more cheese than ever before. Between1990 and 2000, per capita consumption of cheese increased by more than 21%. The demand for cheese is attributed to its great taste, versatility, convenience, and nutrient content. To meet consumers' ever-changing demands, American cheese makers have introduced numerous new varieties of cheese in various flavors and forms.

Cheese contains a high concentration of essential nutrients, in particular high quality protein and calcium, as well as other nutrients such as phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A, riboflavin, and vitamin B12. In 1999, cheese provided 25% of the calcium available in the U.S. food supply, a six-fold increase from 4% in 1909. The composition of milk used and the manufacturing process (e.g., manner of coagulation, length of aging) influence the nutrient content of specific cheeses. For individuals monitoring or reducing fat in their diet, many reduced fat varieties of cheeses are available. Also, individuals can include cheese in a fat reduced diet by making dietary trade-offs, for example, by balancing higher fat foods with lower fat foods...

This reminds me of the ol' glass-of-wine-a-day recommendation. Who do you think pushes those wine studies showing the health benefits? Winos of course! And now those cheese-is-super-nutritious stories? Cheeseheads of course!

Anyways, I haven't blogged in awhile in TheBigRuski Goes Healthy...so, I just wanted to leave this quick thought on cheese: It tastes good! Back off of it!

BTW...what DO you think of the Packers Brett Favre to Jets trade? (You can leave a comment about cheese as well!)

Carry on!

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