If you’ve ever wondered, as a cheese lover or simply someone interested in food and nutrition, why you should eat cheese (and lots of it), we’re here to assist.

It sounds like a simple question, but the answer, apart from “because it is delicious”, is much more intricate than you think.

Let’s delve into seven reasons why we believe you should believe in the value of cheese:

Reason number 1: Historically, cheese has always been treasured

The art of making cheese is ancient. The first evidence of humanity discovering the magic of curdled dairy dates back more than 3,000 years. Proof of cheesemaking was found in Egyptian tombs alongside the gold and other treasures…

Reason number 2: It’s not just nutritious, it is also a comfort food

It’s no secret that cheese is a fantastic source of calcium, protein and B vitamins, but there is another, hidden benefit that makes cheese an important part of any diet:

Cheese is comforting.

Ask anyone what their favourite comfort food is, and we’ll bet you cheese is involved. Pizza? Grilled Cheese Sarmie? Mac & Cheese? Lasagna?

Cheese, cheese, cheese, cheese!

The pleasing act of eating something delicious and satisfying light’s up your brain’s reward centre. It is something we are hard wired to remember and then seek out again. And again. And again.

The human brain has evolved to react to certain types of comforting calories. Craving cheese makes sense from a caveman’s perspective, just like we can’t get enough of other high-fat, high-sugar foods. These energy-dense foods were perfect sustenance for hunting and gathering.

Add to this the fact that we humans are pack animals, and we have a match made in cheesy heaven. Along with the positive physiological reaction to comfort foods like cheese, the benefits of sharing a meal and eating with your loved ones on a regular basis are well documented. Sharing food improves your emotional connection, fosters healthy eating habits, and helps maintain good communication between all members of the tribe.

What better way to celebrate this, than with cheese? Hearty meals like pasta, or easy-to-share food like pizza and fully loaded cheese platters are ideal for sharing the love!

Reason number 3: You believe in being authentic, and healthy

If you know anything about Zandam, you know we take our True Cheese promise seriously. Our uncompromising quality starts from the ground up – because we only use locally sourced milk from jersey cows that have been exclusively grassfed, our cheese contains Omega 3 Fatty acids, as well as vitamin K and a whole host of other vitamins that are essential for optimal health.

Reason number 4: Cheese can drive the food revolution

Eating ethically and sustainably is not just another greenwashing fad. If we don’t commit to changing the way we consume food, our future becomes rather bleak. The terrible impact on the environment of large-scale cattle feedlots and mass-produced meat and meat products is a well-known fact.

We’ll be the first to admit that the dairy industry also has some work to do, but we will also gladly defend our way of cheese making to even the greenest of eco-warriors.

The scale and methods used to make cheese significantly influence its ecological footprint.

We know this, and we chose early on to produce our cheese sustainably and ethically. Not only is Zandam Cheese locally made, from local milk, produced by happy, local animals, but we have even invested in various renewable energy sources to augment our fossil fuel energy dependence.

Reason number 5: Zandam makes meat-free meals delicious (and guilt-free)

One of the ways in which we can all lower our carbon food-print, is by going (occasionally) meat-free.

Making cheese the hero ingredient of your meal can be a way to gently slip away from the meat-heavy fare we are used to and into a more sustainable, but equally comforting way of eating. A mushroom burger with thick slices of smoky scamorza (Yum!), or a Neapolitan pasta with salty pecorino (Zelicious!) will feed your cravings just as much as a meal loaded with meat.

The moral of the story is: 

Cheese is good for you, body AND soul, ethically produced cheese is best for the environment, and you can enjoy your Zandam without that side order of guilt.

If you are a cheese lover, you might have heard the chatter around dinner tables and supermarket aisles about “cheese”, “processed cheese” and even so-called “cheese replacements”.