Welcome to our 13 Steps To Go Vegan‘s challenge number 6: Cheese… Yes… Cheese!
If you are following our ‘Steps to Go Vegan Program’, you are now on step 6!
You have really learned a lot! You know how to:
- Create a range of vegan breakfasts!
- Make a vegan choice and explore vegan communities.
- Find and engage in vegan communities.
- Whip up Vegan lunches that are healthy and delicious.
- Organize yourself for snacks, and you’ve made them vegan.
If you have not been following this challenge, don’t click away, this guide will help you dig deep into our cheese obsession and also address it.
The Challenge
We explore vegan cheeses and… shock, horror… contemplate a life without dairy cheese. Humans are pretty much addicted to cheese. It is a fundamental part of much-beloved dishes, and it can feel like a real hurdle to move away from the camembert, gouda, and cheddar. We’re going to help you give it up for good.
Problems with dairy cheese
Why is cheese (and all dairy) so terrible, and why don’t vegans eat it? There’s a lot to say.
Health impacts of cheese consumption
From a health perspective, dairy (and especially cheese) is high in fat (and saturated fat at that) and cholesterol, which means, even when eaten in moderate quantities, it can increase the risk of many diseases. Click on the following links to see the wonderful Dr. Gregor explain the research on how a plant-based diet can prevent, treat, and reverse many of our biggest killers.
Click on these videos to dip your toes into this dietary approach to improve our health. Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Cancer and Kidney Disease.
Environmental impacts of cheese
The environmental footprint of cheese is pretty substantial: 400 gallons (1500 liters) of water is needed to make 1 pound (500 grams) of cheese.
Ethical impact of cheese
From the animal’s perspective, dairy is terrible. Once people find out what truly happens at a dairy farm, most will sympathize with the animal’s point of view.
The only way to make a cow produce milk is for them to have a baby. For many, this is quite a revelation because we often think cows simply ‘give’ milk. For these animals to get pregnant, they are artificially inseminated. During the nine-month gestation period, the mother cow develops a bond with the baby inside her. Sadly though, within two days of her birth, the calf is taken away, which causes considerable distress to both the mother and baby.
The calf isn’t allowed to take the milk of its mother, because it is destined for human consumption. Once the calf is born, it’s either killed for veal if it is male, or if it is a female, she’ll spend the rest of her (short) life as a milk-producing machine.
This male calf is taken from its mother at birth and is raised separately for a few weeks to months before being killed for veal.
This cycle continues for the female about 4-5 times, until the mother is no longer of use – i.e., it is more expensive to keep her alive – at which time she is taken to slaughter, where she will end up as mince or burgers. Cows naturally live until the age of 14 years, but in the dairy industry, this is shortened to around 4-5 years. For most males in the veal industry, it is even shorter at 18-20 weeks.
Why is dairy cheese such a challenge to give up?
It tastes really good
For many people, cheese is a huge mental stumbling block and with good reason. Cheese is food we have often eaten since we were very young. It is found in many foods we LOVE, like pizza or mac and cheese. We eat it with wine, there are a uncountable types of it, and it all tastes so good! It’s not wonder many people think they can never give up cheese!
