Processed cheese is a popular ingredient in ready meals. However, it is contaminated with chemicals and unhealthy. We explain to you what makes processed cheese so problematic and why you should better avoid it.
Processed cheese from the chemistry lab
The food industry has all sorts of tricks ready to adapt our food to its intended use. A processed cheese is made in such a way that it is nice and soft and melts and flows quickly when heated. Many cheeses are also artificially colored to whet the appetite. Processed cheese no longer has much in common with natural cheese in terms of appearance. A look at the list of ingredients confirms this: Processed cheese is an unhealthy chemical club.
Processed cheese preparations contain large amounts of artificial phosphates. They are often used in the food industry: for example, they are added to cola to preserve the colour. Another example is coffee creamer, which thanks to the addition of artificial phosphates flows nicely and does not stick.
Natural vs. artificial phosphates
Phosphates are not fundamentally bad: Natural phosphates are even important for the human organism and are contained in many natural foods. Phosphates are minerals that are important for teeth and bones. According to the NDR, around half of this goes into the blood when it is absorbed, while the other half is excreted undigested.
This is different with artificially obtained phosphates: since they are soluble, almost all of them get into the bloodstream. They must be washed out by the kidneys and excreted through the urine. With too much phosphate, however, the kidneys are overwhelmed in the long run and can no longer filter out the substance sufficiently. If there is too much phosphate in the blood, it is harmful to health:
Phosphate has a negative effect on the inner walls of the vessels and thus increases the risk of strokes or heart attacks.
It breaks down muscle.
The consequences can also be seen visually: the skin ages faster with high phosphate levels.
Processed cheese is unhealthy and harmful to the environment
So it’s best to avoid processed cheese and just enjoy natural cheese whose origin you know. Here you can also check organic quality and be sure that you are getting fresh, safe food. Natural cheese also melts when heated and tastes even better.
Another big disadvantage of processed cheese is the packaging waste: the processed cheese preparations come either as a cream in a plastic box – or as slices even individually wrapped in plastic.
Conclusion: Processed cheese is an unnecessary product that is harmful to your health and the environment.
