Beware the Fake: How to Tell if the Cheese is Real or Not

Natural, tasty cheese is a luxury that is not easy to find among the dozens of fakes. They contain a minimum of benefits and a maximum of substitutes – to eat such a product is not only pointless but even dangerous.

How to recognize good quality cheese – the main signs

First, you must understand that good cheese can not cost cheap. Experts say that for the production of 1 kg of cheese, you need 11 liters of milk, and this already “costs a pretty penny”. If you see a product with a low price, it means that the milk was replaced by palm oil, which is several times cheaper.

Secondly, be sure to look at the composition, it should not contain:

  • soy;
  • palm (or any other) oil;
  • milk powder;
  • stabilizers and preservatives;
  • any food additives.

Real cheese is made from three ingredients – milk, sourdough, and rennet. Conscientious manufacturers do not add anything else to the cheese. Any additional products already turn the cheese into a cheese product.

Third, there is a win-win option on how to know that the cheese is palm oil free. Taste it – a quality cheese will delight you with an aftertaste no longer than 5-7 minutes. The loop of the cheese product, in turn, will feel much longer because of the flavors and food additives. In addition, palm oil as part of such a fake will make you feel thirsty and a feeling of dryness in the mouth.

Fourth, you can press a piece of cheese with your finger. If there are drops of liquid on the product and a dent remains, it means that the cheese contains vegetable oils and other additives.

How to test cheese with a lighter – a method for the brave

There is an opinion that natural cheese can be checked by exposing it to high temperatures. For example, you can cut a piece of cheese and put it under the flame of a lighter. A good, quality product will melt instantly, and the smell will be like burnt milk.

How to test cheese with iodine at home

We are sure that each of you has a bottle of iodine at home. It may well be used to memorize yourself and tell others how to check cheese for palm oil. The procedure is simple – drop a few drops of iodine on a piece of cheese. If it turns blue, it means that there is starch inside, and this is already a confirmation of the unnatural composition.

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Written by Emma Miller

I am a registered dietitian nutritionist and own a private nutrition practice, where I provide one-on-one nutritional counseling to patients. I specialize in chronic disease prevention/ management, vegan/ vegetarian nutrition, pre-natal/ postpartum nutrition, wellness coaching, medical nutrition therapy, and weight management.

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