Why Eat Organic Cheese? by Jean Tsai

Eating organic cheese is a top action on many plans at Practically Green. It’s a great one! This action benefits your family’s health and the environment. Cheese is delicious and a good source of calcium, protein, and other nutrients. It is primarily made out of milk, so when you buy certified organic cheese, it means that you are buying cheese made out of ingredients that are chemical-free. The milk comes from cows (assuming you are buying cow-milk cheese) that do not receive hormones or antibiotics, and the cows have access to outdoor pasture for the length of the local growing season.  In addition, the cows eat clean (like you’re trying to do!) — their grain is pesticide-free and not genetically modified, and the pasture they graze on is free of Round Up and other chemicals.

Shelburne Farms

All additives in organic cheese are also chemical-free – so if you are eating Pepper Jack, the peppers are also organically grown. Your cheese is also likely to be white rather than deep yellow – cheesemakers can’t add color additives that aren’t organic, so most just leave them out.

Neighborly Farms Clothbound Cheddar, Vermont

For those of us who are trying to reduce chemicals in our food for our health, organic cheese is a natural fit. It’s also kind to the environment. Organic dairy farmers tend to have smaller herds since they are required to have a larger land base, and no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or chemicals are used on pasture or in feed. It’s a virtuous cycle.

You will know cheese is organic if it has the USDA certified organic logo on the label. Try different brands since cheese quality varies with different makers. Check out local organic dairies – if you have questions about the way it is processed, or the way the milk has been produced, you can always ask the cheesemaker yourself.  Go to your local cheese shop and ask to try different organic cheeses.  In the New York area, we are very proud of our NYFoods cheese.

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Jean Tsai is a wellness blogger who tries to be a Mindful Eater. Follow her blog for great stories, insights, and her daily eating/exercise journal! Fascinating… . Jean is a partner in NYFoods, a local, New York-based organic dairy company. (Watch for an exciting new package design coming soon!)

Follow Jean on Twitter @MindfulEats; join her on Facebook: /MindfulEats, and — best— read her blog! Mindful Eats: Your Guide to Health: Food. Fitness. Inspiration.

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*****Editor’s Note: We love our launch sponsor, Applegate Farms. Amazing company. Look for Applegate Farms organic cheeses, a tasty and accessible selection, perfect for lunchboxes and available at most supermarkets coast to coast!*****