Since You Asked

Dairy in Your Diet

Want to find out the truth about dairy? Now’s your chance to sort the curds from the whey

Story by Jeff Gonek

“Can’t get your kids to leave home? Stop cooking with cheese!” This catchphrase from a series of ads sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Canada features a screaming granny who advises middle-aged parents on the best way to ditch their free-loading adult children. It has spawned You Tube imitators and is reminiscent of the Wendy’s burger chain “Where’s the beef?” ads of 20 years ago. Does this mean dairy is a pop culture phenomenon?

Dairy products are the centre of attention these days, having earned a spotlight with recent finds that they contain a naturally-occurring fat with healthful properties. That’s good news, because dairy products, including butter, account for about 18 per cent of the total fat in the average Canadian diet. Alberta Milk Nutritionist Lee Finell wades through milky waters and uncovers some cheesy secrets about our favourite food group.

Is processed cheese bad for you?

Not exactly. “Since processed cheeses are a modified form of one or more natural cheeses ground together to form a smooth paste, their lactose content may be higher than regular cheese.” Finell says. She advises consumers to check labels carefully because calcium levels vary among processed cheeses.

Can I make cheese at home?

Yes, technically speaking. But making cheese is like creating fine art, requiring patience, dedication and practice. For the beginner, yoghurt cheese is an easy introduction. Drain plain yoghurt through cheesecloth. After a few hours you’re left with a spreadable cheese that you can add to recipes or season with your favourite flavourings. 

Where can I buy Alberta-made specialty cheese?

Most natural food stores carry local cheese products. Specialty shops are located throughout the province, including Planet Organic in Edmonton. Further south you can find Sylvan Star Cheese in Red Deer. In Calgary there is Janice Beaton Fine Cheeses and Springbank Cheese Company. Some grocery stores also stock locally produced cheeses.

What is cottage cheese?

Cottage cheese is a fresh cheese high in protein and low in fat. As a fresh cheese it’s not aged as long as hard cheeses and so it has a lower calcium content. Though cottage cheese is still considered a bone-builder, “you’d need to eat two cups of cottage cheese to get the same amount of calcium as one glass of milk,” says Finell.

My child only likes chocolate or banana-flavoured milk. Help!

Flavoured milk is an excellent beverage choice. It contains the same 15 essential nutrients as white milk and the same sugar content as unsweetened orange juice. Since all milk is 87 per cent water, flavoured milk also replaces fluids lost during activity. It has the carbohydrates and proteins that sore muscles need to recover after strenuous exercise, making it the perfect post-workout treat. “And studies show that children who drink flavoured milk have higher calcium levels and drink less pop than those who don’t,” Finell says.

What is blue cheese?

“It’s a general classification of cheeses that have had penicillium cultures added,” says Finell. “The final product is veined throughout with blue or blue-green mould.” Prized for its rich, earthy taste, blue cheese is typically aged in a temperature-controlled environment. Spores are either injected or mixed into the curds before the cheese forms. Finell notes that the penicillium does not generate the drug penicillin, so there is no risk for people with penicillin allergies.

Should I avoid cheese because it’s high in fat?

No. Finell says that one of the fats in cheese is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). This fat, found naturally only in dairy and beef, may have an important role in fighting disease. If you want to cut back on fat, choose cheeses containing less than 20-per-cent milk fat. Regular cheese is a nutrient-dense food. It’s full of protein and calcium and is beneficial to children with high-energy needs and small stomachs. Just 50 grams of cheddar cheese provides as much protein as two eggs and packs as much vitamin A as a standard-size serving of broccoli.

Sources:
Dairy Farmers of Canada  www.changeperceptions.ca

Alberta Milk www.albertamilk.com