When transitioning to a raw food or vegan diet, one of the most difficult things to "give up" is cheese. This post will offer some alternatives to processed, homogenized cows milk (cheese).

Do you agree that anything in its natural and unprocessed form is always better for us as opposed to uber-heated, processed foods? Do you agree that the fewer the steps between where your food originated and your table, the more nutritious it is? Keep those questions in mind as you continue reading…

Breaking Up With Cheese

A wonderful friend and cleanse client wrote me an email asking about cheese. She wrote "I can give up meats, milk, soy, fish most nights of the week, but I cant cant cant stop eating cheese. I have some everyday… and I crave it!"

The most important thing I want you to remember about all of this, is that we are all unique individuals with our own nutritional needs. There isn't a "one size fits all" diet that works for everyone. I have plenty of people and clients in my life that just can't eat raw food. Others that still eat red meat in moderation, and it works for them (including my husband). My point is this: my advice and opinions on the PhiloSophie website are entirely subjective, and work for ME, MY BODY and MY CLIENTS. I encourage you to explore your own body and see what works for YOU!

Now on to cheese. The first thing I did when I wanted to eat less cheese (my reason was completely digestive based, it hurt my stomach when I ate lactose-ridden foods) was turn to goat. I began getting goat cheese for crackers and goat "cream cheese" for my sprouted bagels. I honestly couldn't tell the difference and actually prefer it over cows milk/cheese. We also began getting goats yogurt and goats milk for our tea and coffee. it was fun to experiment with alternatives to cows milk, and neither my husband or I craved the other.

Goats milk is known to be slightly better than cows milk, especially when raw. God even recommends goats milk! "Goats milk shall be the blessing for thy maidens".

PROCESSED COWS MILK VS RAW, "REAL" COWS MILK

Raw milk is simply this: milk right from the farm, with no processing/pasteurizing/heating, no transporting in big trucks to big factories to big stores. Unhomogenized, unprocessed milk is cows milk but different than the stuff you'll find at the grocery store.

This is information you have not heard about milk — and the science behind why pasteurized milk does not help you build strong bones. You have to drink it raw! The benefit to"real" or raw milk has been evident from the beginning of time  The bible even speaks on real, raw milk in Genesis 18.

You can't build bone density from processed cows milk. (see clip on bottom of page) Pasteurized milk is lacking enzymes that are prevalent in raw milk. Without these vital enzymes, (because of cooking the milk) you can't absorb calcium and minerals.

Homogenized, pasteurized skim, milk, 2% & vit D milk fits the formula of processed food.  Inexpensive and very profitable marketing goes out for this product. Pasteurization of milk was created to transport milk long distances. We get it. But if you live near a farmers market, there's no excuse for drinking it.

Humans have been drinking raw milk since about 6000-8000 BC. We’ve only been pasteurizing milk for less than 100 years. In other words, pasteurization is a newfangled contemporary process. We’re messing with Mother Nature, here — taking a food that has nurtured mankind for centuries and turning it into something that does not support and strengthen human life.

click here to watch a youtube clip on raw milk.

To cut down on processed cows milk and cheese, I would first go for organic goats milk and cheese. Then go to your local farmers market to explore the world of raw milk, cream and cheese. I found that raw milk and cheese doesn't hurt my belly, but the cream still is too much for me. Try to avoid processed foods and eat local sustainable foods when possible, and organic from the store. Food should taste great, be nutrient-dense, and promote health! In the second part of this series we will talk about vegan options for cheese and i'll give you a few recipes for raw, vegan cheese! yee haw! stay tuned :)

Keep me posted on your adventures!