After informing someone recently that the packaged cheese that she was buying and consuming may contain ingredients which are harmful to one’s health, I did a little research of my own and stumbled upon what parmesan cheese actually contains.
The word parmesan derives from the Italian word parmeggiano reggiano which refers to the province of Parma and the region of Reggio Emilia in Italy. This combination of words describes the famous grating cheese which by law, contains only 3 ingredients: milk, salt and rennet (which is a naturally occurring enzyme). That’s it! That is why it is so delicious! It’s all natural with no bi-products. However, many companies in the US sell a “fake” or “imitation” version of the authentic Parmeggiano Reggiano which includes such ingredients as cellulose powder, potassium sorbate and/or sodium phosphate or sodium citronate. But what are these ingredients? Cellulose powder is actually powdered wood pulp. It is a cheap filler that is made by cooking the wood pulp in a mix of chemicals. This provides the creaminess detected in foods when the real cream has been removed. It is found in many of our commercial dairy products including brands such as Organic Valley. Potassium sorbate is a synthetic chemical used in products to prevent mold growth and prolong the shelf life of the food. It is considered a genotoxic and mutagenic compound. This means that it damages the genetic information within a cell causing mutations which can lead to cancer. Sodium phosphate and sodium citronate are emulsifiers that are added to the processed store cheeses to reduce separation when cooked and also to provide a longer shelf life.
Do you want my advice? Steer clear of packaged grated cheeses. Opt to buy a good chunk of cheese that has the name label (ex. Parmeggiano Reggiano) on the rind. Stay away from low fat foods which contain many chemicals. The real fat in food is good for us since our brain alone is made up of 65% fat. Lastly, as I always say, buy and eat food that has no ingredients at all or as few as possible.
Ilia Regini is a nutritional healing foods chef, health and wellness advisor, lecturer and blogger. She can be reached at [email protected]
