Cheddar Cheese
When was the last time you actually looked at the ingredients in your block of cheddar cheese?
Last year I stopped buying pre-shredded cheese and started shredding my own. Why? Because I learned about “anti-caking” agents. What’s that? A not-so-great additive whose only purpose is to keep shredded cheese from sticking together or reforming into a block.
Are we really that lazy? It takes me longer to clean the shredder than it does to actually shred the cheese.
Recently I started reading the ingredient labels before I even shred it. Why are there 15 ingredients in something that’s supposed to be just cheese?
Sometimes it’s 15 ingredients, sometimes five. The difference? A lot of long chemical names with way too many vowels. And if a word has too many vowels, it probably isn’t good for you… right?
I stick with sharp cheddar because it’s easier on my stomach. Softer cheeses like mozzarella? I usually pay for it later by not feeling well.
It’s funny—at fifty-five I find myself scrutinizing the labels on everything I buy. For decades I trusted that what was on the shelf was safe. Now I realize I can’t always trust the FDA to protect me; I have to protect myself.
I’m not obsessive. I don’t fact-check every single additive. But I do look for the product with the fewest ingredients.
Take this week: I ran out of whey protein powder. I usually order it online, but I stopped by Walmart instead. Huge selection. But why on earth do most of them have 10–15 ingredients? Isn’t it supposed to be good for you?
Then—lo and behold—on the bottom shelf was one with only five ingredients, all of which I could actually pronounce. Nice.
This world makes it hard to stay positive and even harder to stay healthy. Sometimes it feels like the system is stacked against us. I’m not normally a conspiracy theorist, but I get why so many people are.
Anyway, the moral of the story: watch the label—or watch your waistline and your health go in the wrong direction.
🫵 Have a great Saturday! 😃
