3 Every Day – October is Cheese Month

October is here with its beautiful colors, pumpkins and cooler temperatures. Did you know that October is also Cheese Month? Hi, I’m Hannah Baker, the Tompkins County Dairy Princess. Cheese is a great way to get your daily 3 servings of dairy. All cheese is made from milk, but different manufacturing and aging processes produce different kinds of cheese. There are all kinds of cheese from soft cheeses like ricotta or cottage cheese, semi-soft cheeses like mozzarella and Monterey Jack, hard cheeses like cheddar and Swiss to very hard cheeses like parmesan and Romano. You may also see processed cheeses which are made by combing one or more natural cheeses, heating them and adding emulsifying salts. These cheeses contain more moisture than natural cheese. Cheese is a nutrient dense food. It takes about 10 pounds, or 5 quarts, of milk to make 1 pound of cheese. Cheese provides protein, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins such as A, B12 and riboflavin. You can also get most cheeses in low fat or fat free varieties if you are watching your calories. Another unique health benefit to cheese is that it can help reduce tooth decay if eaten after or between meals. Calcium, phosphorous in milk helps contribute to this benefit. There are also cheese options for those of you who are lactose intolerant. Aged cheeses like cheddar and Swiss have little or no lactose, so enjoy. So the next time you are looking for a quick snack, why not grab some wonderful cheese.